They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Oftentimes, those words can move mountains. The impact of an image – the power of a moment – can be the catalyst for change and social good.
This was the topic of discussion during one of our keynote presentations at 20/21 Vision: The Strategy Summit by PhotoShelter.
Our moderator for this session was our friend, photographer, author and artist, Melanie Dunea. She discovered the “power she has with her camera to make a difference” when she helped the Food Bank of New York raise $1 million to support those impacted by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
She went on to raise another $5 million for the Food Bank of New York as well as helped numerous other organizations like Edible Schoolyard and Wellness in the Schools by creating and showcasing impactful and moving imagery.
Watch the on-demand Summit Talk below to see Melanie interview Angelique Power, Michael Baltierra and Gail Simmons – three industry leaders who are fostering social good by creating and producing inspirational visual content.
Meet The Speakers
About Gail Simmons, Judge on BRAVO’s Top Chef
Gail Simmons is a food writer, cookbook author, and judge on Bravo’s Top Chef. As an active board member of City Harvest, Hot Bread Kitchen and Common Threads, she is also forging a path for social good along the way. Aside from her mission to bring new and amazing up-and-coming chefs to the spotlight on television, her more recent form of creating social good through visuals is powered by social media.
In this session:
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- Hear about Gail’s extraordinary career in the food industry, from writing food reviews and working for a food critic to being a host on Top Chef for almost 15 years and counting.
- Get inspired by the way Gail utilizes ‘Share The Mic’ on her personal Instagram account to provide underrepresented women of color a platform to bring attention to their brilliant and innovative work, initiatives and organizations.
Gail was inspired to take initiative to highlight:
“brilliant women (not only that but Black women and women of color) in our industry who are doing such innovative things and often working twice as hard with not the same results.”
- Learn about the RESTAURANTS Act and how this $120 billion stimulus act will “give restaurants the ability to stay around, pay rent and pay employees, so when we are out of this, there will be restaurants in existence to go to.” Get involved by visiting saverestaurants.com, sign the petition, stay updated and make this issue heard.
About Angelique Power, President of The Field Foundation
Angelique Power is the President of The Field Foundation, a racial justice foundation in Chicago that funds and empowers BIPOC artists, organizers, journalists, and storytellers to bring their passions to life.
“We do it because there is a tremendous amount of power and creativity in our communities – there is just not enough resources there – so that’s where we come in.” – Angelique Power
In this session:
- Angelique speaks about the power of amplifying Black female voices in video production through The Field Foundation-funded documentary, Unapologetic. Produced by Ashley O’Shea, “it’s the story that started years ago in Chicago that helps to explain this moment of uprisings and protests” and “documents the moment for Black Lives in Chicago through the story of two black women that helped to lead it.”
- Hear stories and insights about the power of media and how The Field Foundation is bringing Black voices in media to light. “When journalists show up in our neighborhood they don’t look like us and they aren’t going to represent us well in front of the camera.”
About Michael Baltierra, Executive Editor for ESPN E60
Michael Baltierra is the Executive Editor of ESPN’s long-form journalism program, E60. With 20 Emmys, E60 is creating change and even affecting policy across the nation by “showing us the world through the lens of sports.”
In this session:
- Michael discusses what goes into the decision-making process behind selecting which stories to highlight on E60. He poses a few of the strategic questions he asks himself and his team such as,
“Does it involve an issue we are passionate about? Is it something relevant and important that’s going on? Does it have the characters that are going to humanize that issue and make you passionate about their struggle and story?”
- Follow the journey Michael and his team went on to produce one of their most impactful films, Southmost – Football & Life on the Border. Michael details the inspiration behind featuring “on a human level, what’s going on at the border beyond the policy, beyond the issue, beyond the politicians” in Brownsville, Texas.
Up Next
Want to hear from more industry leaders and inspire your team’s creative workflow? Register for 20/21 Vision: The Workflow Summit, and set up a one on one workflow consultation with our team here.
