What does it really mean to "decolonize" your messaging?

You’ve probably heard the word “decolonize” tossed around a lot. “Decolonize marketing.” “Decolonize your diet.” “Decolonize your faith.” “Decolonize language.”
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In my work as a messaging strategist and copywriter for equity and social-impact driven Women of Color entrepreneurs, I often think about what it means to decolonize messaging, and how we might use language to build a culture rooted in truth, equity, empathy, and possibility.

But recently, I’ve been digging deeper. What does that actually mean in practice? What does it look like to move beyond inclusive buzzwords and into something transformative?

When we talk about decolonizing our messaging, we’re not just talking about swapping out a few words or adjusting tone. We’re talking about unlearning the systems that taught us to write in a voice that was never truly ours.
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We’re talking about reclaiming authorship of our stories — and deciding what kind of world we want those stories to build.

So let’s break it down.

What does it really mean to decolonize your messaging?

Messaging Is Never NeutralFrom the way we write headlines, to how we “position” our offers, to how we tell our origin stories, much of what we’re taught about messaging is rooted in systems designed to extract, dominate, and manipulate.

Think about it:

• Urgency as a tactic to bypass consent.
• Authority posturing that says “I know better than you.”
• Pain-point marketing that triggers fear, insecurity, and shame.
• Copywriting templates that flatten your voice and mimic whiteness.

This comes from systems that prioritize control over consent, scaling over sustainability, and visibility over voice.

And if you’re a founder, creative, or community leader who comes from a marginalized background, you’ve probably felt the tension.

You’re trying to tell your story, share your work, and grow your business…but the strategies feel off. Maybe even a little soul-sucking?

Don’t worry, you’re not imagining it. (I know I've been there 🙋🏻♀️)

And sure, we could say that there's lots of psychology to back these methods up, but are these the kinds of psychological games we want to play?

If you've felt resistance to many of the messaging and marketing strategies we've all been taught or are encouraged to engage in to grow our businesses...

Then maybe it's time to reconsider these tactics. But what does decolonizing your messaging even mean?

Decolonizing Your Messaging Means:

🧹 1. Unlearning Extractive Strategies

You start by identifying the inherited scripts: the ones that reward urgency, push FOMO, center the expert, and exploit pain.

You learn to ask: Who taught me this way of communicating? Who does it serve? What does it serve?

This stage is about naming what doesn’t align, and gently letting go or choosing a different way that centers consent, reciprocity, clarity, care, and connection–not pressure or power.

Try this: Audit your last piece of messaging–a sales page, Instagram caption, or email. Circle or highlight moments where urgency, authority, or pain is being used to pressure.

Then ask: How might I reframe this to invite, not push? To inform, not manipulate?

🗣 2. Reclaiming Voice and Truth

Importantly, decolonizing messaging means reclaiming, or perhaps even uncovering your voice for the first time. It means setting the truth straight, because for too long, the wrong people have been writing our stories.

So you write from lived experiences, cultural insights, and lean into your unique perspective, not just the parts of your story that have historically been applauded or expected of you.

It’s about standing firm in your story and the story you want to tell.

This may mean being unafraid to get uncomfortable or making others uncomfortable.

Try this: Write a paragraph that sounds like “you,” not your brand, not a template. Say the thing you wish someone had said to you. Say the thing you’ve been told might be “too much” or “not professional.”

Ask: What part of your story have you softened, sanitized, or hidden to be more palatable? What feels truer? Start there.

🌱 3. Writing to Build, Not Just Sell

Decolonized messaging doesn’t just convert–it cultivates.

It builds relationships rooted in respect. It speaks to the future you’re trying to create, not just the product you’re trying to sell. You stop chasing trends and start creating language that makes people feel more human, not more pressured.

When your words come from a place of wholeness and vision, they don’t just get attention, they shift culture.

Try this: Before your next piece of messaging, ask yourself: What do I want the person reading this to feel? What kind of relationship am I building? What kind of world am I leaving behind for future generations?

Then, draft from that place. Let your CTA feel like an opening, not a closing.

Not Just Different Words — A Different WorldviewDecolonizing your messaging doesn’t mean never selling. It doesn’t even mean abandoning structure altogether.

It means reconnecting to your why and aligning how you speak about your work with the world you’re trying to build.

It means storytelling that honors people and planet, not just profits.

It means choosing clarity over coercion. Honesty over hype. Connection over conversion rates.

BONUS Exercise:

Pick one message you’re working on this week. Practice a new approach to your messaging:

🎈Replace pressure with possibility.
🎈Focus less on proving your worth, and more on sharing your truth.
🎈Use your values as a gut check. Is your messaging aligned with your values?

Your voice is more than a marketing tool. It’s a vehicle for liberation–self-liberation. Let’s use it that way.

Stay curious,
🎈Justine

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​Red Balloon Station is a creative hub for storytelling and brand messaging, dedicated to amplifying the voices of equity-driven Women of Color entrepreneurs and creatives. Through strategy, storytelling, and sales, we’re here to help you harness your own words and stories, forging meaningful connections with your dream audience and making a lasting impact on people, the planet, and culture.


Justine Wentzell-Chang is an Eldest Daughter of Immigrants, Mother, Activist, and your Station Master/Chief Word Wizard at Red Balloon Station bringing you strategic messaging and story-centered, conscious copywriting services. 

With a law degree and over a decade of experience making & writing movies that sell globally, I learned a thing or two about writing stories that sell. Now I’m here to give you a spoonful of strategy and conviction to make your words convert...in the most unforgettable way!

Your story deserves to be told—by you. For too long, others have controlled the narrative, distorting the brilliance, resilience, and impact of Women of Color. But you’re here to change that. You’re not just building a brand, you’re shaping culture, challenging the status quo, and creating a ripple effect of empathy, equity, and positive change. My job? To make sure your messaging reflects that power—clearly, confidently, and in a way that sticks.