From Storytelling to Strategy: Connecting People to Policy
Every two weeks, Leadership Connect sits down with a different Capitol Hill staffer to learn about the person behind the policy work. These conversations explore how staffers built their careers, the policy areas they care about, and the lessons they’ve learned navigating one of the most unique work environments in the country. This time, we spoke to Daniel James II, digital communications manager for Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.).
Can you walk us through your career path and what led you to your current role as digital communications manager?
Daniel James II: My career in communications began in the womb. My mother, Angela Crosland, is a communications and public relations professional with more than 30 years of experience in journalism and educational communications.
I grew up in the Morning News newsroom in Florence, South Carolina, watching her tell stories that connected people to the real issues shaping their communities. I learned that storytelling could preserve history, elevate overlooked voices, and serve the public. That lesson became the foundation of my career.
I carried that lesson to Cornell. In 2020, I launched Black Voices on the Hill, a podcast amplifying Black student leaders and administrators at Cornell. The show eventually expanded to voices on Capitol Hill. That work led to an internship with Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) and my first opportunity to connect storytelling directly to policy change.
After graduation, I brought that work home. In 2022, South Carolina’s Commission for Minority Affairs asked me to build its public-facing communications and podcast platform, The Culture Connect, highlighting ethnic minority leaders across the state. That same year, I began a master’s degree in global affairs at Tsinghua University in Beijing, where my research explored race, justice, human rights, and soft power.
From there, I joined the Biden-Harris administration, where I focused on public engagement around internet connectivity and digital equity, producing flagship documentaries for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) while working directly with communities affected by the digital divide.
When the administration changed in 2025, I became the first digital communications fellow for the Congressional Progressive Caucus, advocating for working people and their families. Today, I serve as digital communications manager for Rep. Troy Carter, helping communicate his work on behalf of his New Orleans community. Across every chapter, the mission has remained the same: bridging people to power through storytelling and advocacy.
Digital communications play a key role in connecting members of Congress with their constituents. What do you enjoy most about translating policy and legislative priorities into engaging digital content?
Daniel James II: I love it when people get the message. Likes, saves, and shares are valuable, but what excites me the most is reading the comments and seeing a nuanced political topic actually gain traction because people understood it.
When I see questions being answered through truth-telling, facts, and a willingness to cut through the noise of misinformation, that gives me real joy. It tells me the content we are producing speaks to the issues that genuinely matter to people — whether that is health care, voting, women’s health, or another issue affecting their everyday lives. For me, successful communication is not just about reaching people. It is about helping people understand, engage, and feel equipped to participate.
Working in congressional communications often means responding quickly to breaking news and changing priorities. How do you balance accuracy, creativity, and timeliness in your work?
Daniel James II: My priority will always be creativity. That is the fire in the furnace. It is at the heart of digital communications: finding new ways to present political truths and information so that the public can actually understand and engage with them. Policy priorities are vital, but they can easily be misunderstood when we disengage from how people consume and process information. Creativity gives us the opportunity to meet people where they are. But once creativity is prioritized, accuracy must be cultivated alongside it.
A beautifully told lie is still a lie. In an age of public distrust and misinformation, accuracy matters because the information we communicate can influence how people vote, how they understand their government, and how they live their lives. I would rather tell a late truth than a timely lie.
At the same time, a creative content strategy requires systems that allow good work to happen consistently. That means identifying the platforms that are most dependable and offer the strongest tools for reaching people, understanding when audiences are most engaged, determining what is visually compelling and original, and deciding which short-form or long-form formats work best for a member.
Consistency is what makes creativity sustainable. The truth is that every aspect of a member’s priorities matters to their constituents. The job is to determine what needs to be communicated now, what can wait until next week, and what can be part of a long-term strategy. That balance allows creativity to serve both urgency and accuracy. The most effective strategy is one that creates a reliable system for distributing accurate, creative, and timely information.
Many people only see the finished product. Can you take us behind the scenes and describe what goes into developing an effective digital communications strategy for a congressional office?
Daniel James II: My gift as a communicator is threefold: I am a translator, a builder, and a refiner. As a translator, I always ask: What needs to be shared with the public right now, and what needs to be communicated consistently every week? Those become the priority points I build our messaging around.
As a builder, I ask: What does not exist that needs to be built? Maybe it is a digital dashboard, a new short-form content strategy, advertising, or collaboration with independent media. Once I identify the opportunity, I can build the idea and introduce it to leadership in layers until the project comes to life.
And as a refiner, I recognize that many congressional offices already have a foundation in place. There may be established graphics, social platforms, podcasts, newsletters, e-blasts, remarks, a strategic plan, and a website. The challenge is not always creating something new. Sometimes it is bringing new life, new eyes, and new energy to what already exists. That was the truth for me in my current role.
So, I developed a plan that incorporates all three: what needs to be translated, built, and refined. I measured that work over my first 60 days, and I am letting the results speak for themselves.
How has working on Capitol Hill shaped your approach to communication and public engagement, and what has been the most rewarding part of that experience?
Daniel James II: The words I constantly say to myself are “Speed up!” Capitol Hill has taught me the urgency of issues. In my experience, it is one of the least bureaucratic machines in the federal government. We can respond to people’s immediate needs — even if the response is simply creating a meeting, a forum, or a space where they can be heard. That is powerful.
I have developed a new sense of urgency because I understand that if we do not give voice to a constituent concern, there is a real possibility that the issue will not be addressed. We are public servants. Our roles may be different, but our duty is the same: to serve the people of this country. I am not simply a cog in a machine.
That realization is deeply rewarding for me because it aligns with who I am and what I feel called to do.
Word association — what is the first word that comes to mind for each of these?
Communications: Thoughtful
Social Media: Love
Capitol Hill: Fast
Creativity: Breathe
Leadership Connect: Fellowship
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