Qualitative researchers hold some of the most powerful evidence for policy change, yet too often our findings stay in journal articles that policymakers never read. In this workshop, we discuss how stories, in-depth interviews, focus groups, and observations can reveal the underlying mechanisms that define social problems and turn those mechanisms into policy solutions.

Drawing on my work on police misconduct settlements, racial disparities in COVID-19 in Detroit, and school gardens in Washington, DC, I show how decisions made across the life of a qualitative project, from research design to dissemination, can uncover local solutions that scale to the state and federal levels through briefs, testimony, and legislation. In this regard, the goal is to move beyond simply highlighting problems and build the skills that make our research matter for people's everyday lives. Data do not speak for themselves. We have to give them a voice in the rooms where decisions are made.

3 core topics we address:

• Policy-ready design: Strategies to design and collect qualitative data with policy in mind from the start, including how to identify the decision-makers, levers, and timing that matter for your issue.
• Translation tools: A framework for turning themes and narratives into briefs, op-eds, memos, and testimony that pair stories with data and end with concrete recommendations.
• Engagement strategies: Best practices for working with policymakers, journalists, and community partners, plus ways to engage in self-care to sustain the work.