PROOF: Media for Social Justice Annual Report 2018

ANNUAL REPORT 2018

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CONTENTS MESSAGE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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WHO WE ARE 06

ABOUT US, MISSION & VISION

10 EDUCATION PROJECTS 16

22 ACADEMIC RESEARCH & ADVOCACY EXHIBITIONS 24 PROOF IN NUMBERS 26 OUR IMPACT 28 OUR PARTNERS & FUNDERS

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CONTACT INFORMATION 32

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MESSAGE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The year 2018 was a challenging one for the upstander; those individuals with the moral courage to stand up against systemic injustice and human rights violations. Though the global burden from the past couple of years remains, a resurgence of hope and optimism found a way to inspire citizen action. PROOF’s continued focus on creating initiatives and programs that both inspire and educate encourages people to feel empowered to act on behalf of human rights locally and globally. Often, they gain the courage to make a difference by knowing they are not alone.

Last year, disturbed by low voter statistics in many parts of the country, PROOF traveled to key cities in a non-partisan effort to increase voter turnout.

Our I Vote Because... campaign photographed people of diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, and ages, asking them why they felt it was important to vote. In each city we partnered with local organizations, creating a provocative advertising

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campaign on billboards and on buses that featured photographs of local citizens paired with quotes in their own words on the importance of voting. The project was enormously successful, attracting huge numbers of volunteers and contributors, enabling us to continue the project through 2020.

Through our ongoing partnership with the University of Dayton’s Moral Courage Institute, PROOF, along with 14 students and three colleagues from the University, went to the border in El Paso to document the work of the many upstanders who are quietly and effectively trying to support the many immigrants fleeing oppression in their home countries, maintaining the humanitarian tenets of the Constitution, and honoring the very words carved on the Statue of Liberty.

Our summer Picture Justice program, now in its sixth year, continues to inspire high school students to become

changemakers. Focusing on a single issue, such as mass incarceration or what it feels like to be undocumented in this country, they work with noted photojournalists, learning how to both photograph and interview their subjects. The students collaborate in creating a final project, ultimately presenting their work to the public.

As a major part of our continuing work, PROOF exhibitions and programming bring awareness to key social issues, inspire citizen action, and give hope to the hopeless. PROOF’s threepronged vision of education, research, and advocacy, combined with visual storytelling, allowed us to expand our reach both domestically and abroad.

We are pleased to present our annual report featuring highlights of this year’s most socially impactful projects.

In Peace, Leora

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WHO WE ARE STAFF Leora Kahn • Executive Director Willhemina Wahlin • Creative Director Debra Driscoll • Director Andrew Lichtenstein • Photography Instructor Janette Beckman • Photography Associate Laura Trainor • Photography Associate & Administrator Ronnie Weyl • Development Associate Phoebe Mol • Curriculum Associate Maya Jabrallah • Digital Content Associate

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ADVISORY BOARD

Dean Foster • Chairperson Fran Kaufman • Vice Chairperson Marla Maritzer Melissa Marr F. Robert Stein

Jonathan Alter • Author & Journalist Jimmie Briggs • Man Up Campaign Olivia Drier • Karuna Center for Peacebuilding Adrian Edwards • Panos Pictures David Garrison • The Brytemoore Group Alex Gibney • Jigsaw Productions Ed Kashi • V1 1 Photo Agency Ben Kiernan • Yale University Peter Mantello • Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University Erik Parens • Hastings Center Tali Nates • Johannesburg Holocaust Centre Mark O’Brien • Pro Bono Net Marc Skvirsky • Facing History and Ourselves John Withers II • Former U.S. Ambassador

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ABOUT US

MISSION

VISION

PROOF: MEDIA FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE INC. IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION BASED IN NEW YORK CITY THAT USES VISUAL STORYTELLING AND EDUCATION TO INSPIRE ACTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND TO CREATE ATTITUDE AND POLICY CHANGE. PROOF WAS FOUNDED IN 2006 WITH A VISION TO UNITE THE SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES OF INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED PHOTOJOURNALISTS FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE ADVOCACY AND ACTION.

PROOF’s mission is to bring together photographers, journalists, academics, students, and activists to create photo exhibitions, publications, and educational workshops that document social injustices and empower people to act. Our photography exhibits and workshops aim to engage the broader public in conversations about human rights, peace, and social justice through first-hand testimonies and powerful photo narratives.

PROOF envisions a world of upstanders standing up and taking action in defense of others.

The organization strives to be a premier visual storytelling institution that galvanizes global and local dialogue on human rights through empowering imagery, research, and educational programs. By countering violence with positive action and raising our collective global consciousness with stories of moral courage, PROOF acknowledges and celebrates upstanders around the world.

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EDUCATION The subjects and stories of our exhibitions inform and support PROOF’s educational programs. At PROOF, we believe that education is one of the most powerful tools we can use to change the world. In addition to our educational programs, PROOF develops symposiums, workshops, and study guides to accompany our photo exhibits.

MORAL COURAGE PROGRAM In 2016, PROOF launched the Moral Courage Program in collaboration with the University of Dayton’s Human Rights Center (HRC) and the Human Rights Studies Program (HRS).

This program is an initiative to study, collect, archive and publicize instances of moral courage around the world.

Following the success of the 2017 program, PROOF and a team of academics from the University of Dayton collaborated to develop a program that investigates and documents the realities, challenges, and obstacles present at the US southern border.

Trained by PROOF on the ethics and methodology of collecting witness testimony, a team of students and faculty traveled to El Paso, Texas in 2018 to collect interviews and photographs, documenting instances of moral courage and Upstander behavior.

The team is creating an exhibition titled America the Borderland.

The exhibit will be launched in early 2019 at the University of Dayton with supported educational events and workshops. Beyond its launch, the exhibition will travel across the country to universities, libraries, and community and cultural institutions.

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Click here to find out more.

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PICTURE JUSTICE Picture Justice is a creative photojournalism program designed to educate high school students about social justice issues and empower them with the tools and confidence they need to lead change in their own communities. In 2014, PROOF partnered with the United Nations International School (UNIS) and internationallyrenowned photojournalists to pilot and develop the Picture Justice program for New York City high school students.

In 2018 the Picture Justice summer program expanded to three weeks and included a diverse range of students from New York and New Jersey. With the ongoing engagement of activists and changemakers seeking to balance the scales of justice and advocate within the political climate and realities in the US, PROOF chose to focus our

summer program on the upstanders and changemakers working tirelessly in campaigns and advocacy across New York City. Our students documented stories of climate change, racial justice, women’s empowerment, and housing rights. The stories and photographs were showcased in a student inspired and PROOF designed Zine titled Picture the Future.

Our Picture Justice program extended beyond the U.S. and into Australia, with a lecture series and workshop with academics and social change professionals at Charles Sturt University. In 2019, the first Picture Justice Australia program will engage local high school students and will be facilitated in collaboration with PROOF’s Creative Director and the University. The program will focus on the themes of community, citizenry and processes of democracy.

Click here for more information, or email us to get your school involved.

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WITNESSING: REFUGEE TESTIMONY & ADVOCACY “Witnessing: Refugee Testimony and Advocacy� is a professional development workshop that engages participants in exploring ways of drawing out, preserving, and sharing refugee narratives. PROOF, in partnership with Clark University, trains practitioners, researchers, and students in the field of refugees, displacement, and forced migration. It explores the methods and ethics of testimony-taking and examines the uses and importance of refugee testimonies.

PROOF partnered with the Melissa Network, a network for migrant women in Greece promoting empowerment, communication, and active citizenship. The Witnessing workshop was attended by refugee women from Afghanistan, Somalia, and Sudan. The participants were trained in testimony documentation and application. The women gained insight into the power of their own stories and the importance and impact of sharing testimonies of other migrants and refugees.

Click here for more information, or to register your interest for upcoming workshops.

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PROJECTS

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I VOTE BECAUSE...

I VOTE BECAUSE...

PROOF’s Executive Director, Leora Kahn, photographer Janette Beckman, producer Rita Hattem and a team of dedicated volunteers, traveled the country to photograph citizens and to ask them to share why they vote. The campaign was aimed at states with diverse voter demographics and low voter registration. The aim of the non-partisan campaign was to register voters and get out the vote in the 2018 mid -terms as well as the 2020 election and to give voice to the reasons why each and every vote is important.

At the core of PROOF’s work is the power of the individual to activate change and to stand up and be heard. For democracy to thrive we need strong voter registration, awareness of choice, the power of the vote, and diverse representation of people at the polls.

The project traveled to St. Louis, Missouri; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Jacksonville, Florida, and Kingston, New York.

The portraits and quotes captured were formatted into large scale images and then displayed on 15 billboards and 30 buses.

Photoville: The campaign was featured at Photoville, New York’s largest outdoor photo festival. Over the five days of the event, the portraits and quotes were displayed and festival goers were given the opportunity to participate.

Click here to find out more.

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LINKBACK The LINKBack - Our Elders’ Stories project engaged older adults in the sharing of their stories about times when they stood up against injustice and fought for their rights or the rights of others.

Two senior centers in New York were engaged and hosted the program that documented stories of activism ranging from racial justice, Stonewall and gay rights in the ’60s, housing and tenants rights, equal opportunity for women, and the push back against the Vietnam War. The project culminated in a podcast titled Our Elders: Stories of Activism.

Click here to listen to the podcast.

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ART & SOCIAL JUSTICE TOUR: COLOMBIA

PROOF journeyed to Bogota and Cartagena, Colombia in 2018 with a group of interested supporters and donors to spend a week visiting artists, NGO’s, and historical and cultural sites. The trip was an immersion in the intersection of art, culture, history and social justice, with the aim of creating an opportunity to understand how personal and political stories are translated into visual stories and art to make it universal.

In essence, the trip was an immersion into the work of PROOF. The group met with Maria, a participant in 2013 in the PROOF project, My Body a War Zone. The project enabled Colombian rescuers and survivors to share their experiences of sexual violence in time of conflict. Maria, along with other women who participated, have continued the work begun by PROOF, and at risk to themselves, have given voice to more women who have experienced sexual violence. This meeting with Maria demonstrated to the group the long term impact of PROOF’s engagement with communities and individuals. Hundreds of women have now shared their stories.

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ACADEMIC RESEARCH & ADVOCACY PROOF contributes to a wide range of global research and scholarship on peacebuilding, social justice, and moral courage. Through this academic branch, PROOF produces papers, conference presentations, and expert panel discussions that prompt engaged global responses to crises and encourage the powerful work of activists around the globe. We produced practice-based research in exhibition design and visual communication within universities.

The International Association for the Study of Forced Migration, Greece Participation in a panel on politics of representation and changing identities.

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Limmud, South Africa Executive Director Leora Kahn traveled to three cities in South Africa presenting the work of PROOF and leading workshops in social justice.

Charles Sturt University Port Macquarie, Australia Professional Development Workshop with Leroa Kahn and Creative Director, Willhemina Wahlin, who is adapting the Picture Justice program for young regional Australians and conducting research on its impact in a joint study between Charles Sturt and Swinburne Universities.

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EXHIBITIONS The heart of PROOF’s work lies in our photographs and visual stories. We produce exhibitions in partnership with organizations around the world that highlight the untold testimonies of people who have stood up to human rights violations. These visual productions provide the impetus for ordinary citizens and policymakers to respond to injustice and empower others.

I Vote Because...

Non Partisan campaign to get out the vote.

Curated portraits and quotes from everyday citizens were displayed on 15 billboards and 30 buses across the U.S. Featured at Photoville, New York City’s premier outdoor photo festival. (un)DOCUMENTED Realities of immigration in the U.S. • Trinity College, NY

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Broken?

Mass incarceration and criminal justice in the U.S. • Beyond the Bars Symposium, Columbia University, NY

Picturing Moral Courage: The Rescuers Youth for Peace, Cambodia (originally exhibited in 2011) celebrated eight years of exhibits and touring in Cambodia.

Ferguson Voices; Disrupting the Frame Racial Justice • Phillips Exeter Academy, NH • Denison University, OH • Newark Public Library , NJ • St Louis University, MO

Health and Zip Codes Healthcare in the U.S. • United Nations International School I Defend Rights Democracy Advocacy • Norwegian Human Rights Fund & Memria.org

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PROOF IN NUMBERS

DONATIONS $30,806.50

REVENUE & SUPPORT TOTAL $166,171

EXHIBIT & PROGRAMS $110,634.50

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GRANTS $24,730

OPERATIONS: 9.4% PROGRAMS & PROJECTS: 70.4%

EXPENSES Total 149,978

FUNDRAISING: 20.2%

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40 22 35 1,500+ 45 200 2,015,000

global partners

OUR IMPACT

SINCE OUR FOUNDING

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host countries academic conferences, education workshops & creative events

students

survivors of rape

stories of moral courage

exhibition attendees

OUR PARTNERS & FUNDERS FUNDING PARTNERS

EDUCATION PARTNERS

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

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AEGIS - Preventing Crimes against Humanity Amnesty International Beacon Group Charles Sturt University Craigslist Charitable Fund Gould Family Foundation Holocaust Museum Houston Karuna Center for Peacebuilding Leonian Foundation North Atlantic Treaty Organization New York City Council New York Foundation for Eldercare United Nations Population Fund UNIS United Nations International School University of Dayton U.S. Department of State USAID Yale University

University of Dayton Charles Sturt University Clark University New Visions for Public Schools Yale University United Nations International School Trinity College Columbia University

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PROJECT PARTNERS I VOTE BECAUSE… • • • • • • •

The League of Women Voters Spread the vote Vote 411 TOKY Wisconsin Voices City of Milwaukee Janette Beckman

PICTURE JUSTICE • • • • • • • • •

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United Nations International School Rise and Resist LGBT Bar Association Future Meets Present & Dopper Metropolitan Housing Association Museum of Impact Project Liberation Womxn Rank Charles Sturt University

MORAL COURAGE PROGRAM • The University of Dayton

LINKBACK • • • •

New York Foundation for Eldercare Education Alliance - Adult Services Greenwich House Big Apple Playback Theatre

THE LEGACY OF RAPE • United States Institute of Peace • Columbia University Institute for Research on Women, Gender, and Sexuality • United Nations Population Fund • TRIAL: Track Impunity Always • Man Up Campaign • American Bar Association • Open Society Foundations • Himalayan Human Rights Monitors • photo.circle

UNEARTHED: STORIES OF COURAGE IN THE FACE OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE • Centre for Social Research India • Columbia University Institute for Research on Women, Gender, and Sexuality • National Foundation for India • The Rape in India Project

CHILD SOLDIERS: FORCED TO BE CRUEL • Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict • Amnesty International • The Roméo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative • High Commissioner of Canada • Genocide Museum in Johannesburg

PICTURING MORAL COURAGE: THE RESCUERS • • • • • • • • •

Yale University Holocaust Museum Houston Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre The Anne Frank Center USA Karuna Center for Peacebuilding Open Society Foundations Youth for Peace Sarvodaya Post-Conflict Research Center

CREATIVE PARTNERS • Braenchild Media • Parsons The New School of Design • Toky

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PROOF

Media for Social JusticeŠ

Center for Social Innovation 601 W 26th Street, Suite #325 New York, NY 10001 info@proof.org www.proof.org

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