The Power of Small Stories: Making a Big Impact

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BOISE, IDAHO: Smokejumper, June 6.

December 15, 2023

The new year is a time for taking stock, reflecting on the past 12 months, and making plans for the future. For the Monitor photography team, this tradition takes tangible shape in the annual “Our Favorite Photos” feature. Throughout 2023, the Monitor covered many “big news” events: climate disasters, wars, political upheaval, and more. And I don’t want to diminish the importance, and impact, that this turmoil had on all of us, especially on the people at the center of these events. But as I compiled our annual photographic introspection, one thing became clear: Even during tumultuous times, Monitor photos are uplifting, intimate, and empowering. Looking at them, I feel reenergized. It is obvious that when presented with challenges, people take action to improve their lives, bond with others, and, in many cases, correct wrongs. That’s why we focus on the people hidden behind the daily headlines. People who do their thing, in their own way, and embody the essence of their communities. These individuals doing “small things” are the real story of our societies, because millions of small things amount to a huge impact.

MANGUALDE, PORTUGAL: Sustainable farming, Aug. 30.

Some of my favorite “small stories” involved librarians in the American Midwest fighting to keep services available to all, Black Americans in the South unearthing their stories and keeping them alive, smokejumpers in the U.S. West sharing an inspiring passion for their jobs, and young people in Portugal developing their own versions of sustainable living. When looking at the photo team’s work, I realize that what we are doing is looking in from the peripheries, beneath the noise, and discovering that most people have agency to cope with the problems they face. In the best cases, people work to improve their situation and, by extension, that of their communities. I hope you enjoy the following selections and that these words ring true in your corner of the world.