About Us
MAP is a talent agency representing top media and arts professionals from conflict zones and diaspora communities. We train and consult on the strategic application of media and arts for transformational social change.
We work in three key ways:
Our network includes 250+ media and arts professionals from 35 different countries. Some have been forcibly displaced to locations in Europe or North America, though over half still live in their countries of origin. MAP currently offers this service primarily in the U.S. market, and we have aspirations of expanding to additional locales once we are more established.
Based in Washington, DC, MAP is a social enterprise structured as a Limited Liability Company (LLC) with a conscience.
Why MAP? Why Now?
Every day from 2005 to 2011, Honey Al Sayed would greet Syrians over the radio during her 3-hour live show, “Good Morning, Syria.” Along with her 7 million listeners, she worked to respond to the needs of a population thirsty for change. and was soon titled the “Oprah of Syria.” Her radio show shaped attitudes and behaviors in measurable and meaningful ways. When the regime and opposing factions cracked down in 2012, she lost everything to war.
Today, there are 68.7 million people who have been forced from their homes as a result of violent conflict and climate change (UNHCR). This is the largest number of displaced people in all of human history. Homes aren’t all that is lost, so too is the cultural heartbeat of these places and the jobs and livelihoods that support it.
We started MAP because displacement is not just Honey’s story, it is the story of thousands of artists and media professionals around the world who risk their lives every day to defend freedom of expression and to spark socio-political change.
This untapped pool of talent are keepers of culture almost-lost, entertainment, humor, pop culture, the classics. MAP was created to help them reconcile their lives by rebuilding their careers and economic livelihoods, and promoting their culture as a means of change. All the while, MAP is part of a broader movement for fresh, inclusive narratives that dissolve hate.
Our Big Goal
MAP wants to be the largest professional talent agency representing artists from conflict-affected countries and refugee communities.
What We Plan to Do with the Money: Grow MAP
Since we launched the social enterprise in October 2018, we have added 250 artists to our network, 11 new and recurring clients, 10+ new partners, but the need is huge, and we have so much more to do.
MAP will put the funding from this campaign to do 3 key things:
- Represent an additional 25 media and arts professionals by build relationships with the venues, galleries, exhibition spaces, and clients that want their services
- Triple the number of schools, universities, and institutions where we teach and train by investing in the technology and legal support to make this scale
- Better measure our social impact by establishing a long-term evaluation process, data collection, and analysis
Why We Need You!
By supporting MAP through our campaign, you'll not only be helping us grow MAP, you are also contributing to iFundWomen's mission to empower female entrepreneurs by reinvesting 20% of revenue from campaign fees back into the top performing campaigns (of which MAP has the chance to be one!).
By purchasing any of the artistic works here, you are both supporting MAP and the economic well-being of artists from conflict-affected places and diaspora groups.
Crowdfunding is all about reaching the largest number of people we can. If you don't feel that you are in a position to contribute financially, we'd love if you could share this with even 1-3 people - word of mouth, through social media, over email, carrier pigeon - whatever you fancy!
Don't know what to say about us? Check out the Press Release on our blog for some suggestions.
