Centralize real human experiences rather than cold statistics.
In the wake of natural disasters, survivor stories are invaluable for shaping more effective response systems and for building community resilience in affected areas. In the Bahamas, the "I Survived Dorian" project collected multimedia stories from survivors of the devastating 2019 hurricane. While government assessments focused on economic costs, these personal accounts revealed critical failures in early warning systems, showing that technical messages had failed to resonate with local communities. The survivors’ voices provided the qualitative data needed to design a future communication strategy that is culturally grounded and emotionally resonant.
