www.beabiographer.com

New York, June 15, 2010 – Do you imagine a world where profit comes from moral purpose? Where every purchase is a vote? Where creativity challenges the world’s perception of what is possible?

The social enterprise – a sustainable business that combines non-profit social purposes with for-profit market strategies – is no longer a niche idea. The Blind Project is proudly leading the charge with the launch of Be A Biographer, an crowdsourcing design challenge for a new sustainable style brand called Biographe.

So here’s the challenge. We’re inviting designers, artists and creative-minded people to help tell the stories of victims and survivors of the commercial sex trade through their designs. “We want to connect your talents with her needs. For freedom, love, hope, dignity and protection. Our role is simple. To tell her story. To be her biographer,” said Anthony Dodero, co-founder of The Blind Project.

Right now millions of women and children are being enslaved and exploited in the multi-billion dollar commercial sex trade. “Sexual slavery can seem so dark and foreign, but our hope for Be A Biographer is to present a more human, more expressive face to this problem,” said Jessica Sturman, The Blind Project’s lead fashion designer.

Biographe is unique in its method of connecting victims and consumers together to bring attention to, and provide solutions for, sexual slavery. Fashion products are inspired by victim’s stories, designed with the public at large through our crowdsourcing design process, and then made by women who have been rescued from the commercial sex trade. Proceeds from sales are then reinvested back into the women’s lives creating a virtuous sustainable cycle.

“Biographe matters not solely because of what we are creating, but how we are creating it,” said Kyle Westaway, The Blind Project’s business development lead. “What makes Biographe truly unique, is the creation of a more personal 1-to-1 connection between two distinct populations – victims and consumers – and moving them both toward a better tomorrow.“

Participants have until September 15th to submit a design on http://beabiographer.com. Then from September 16th to October 7th, public voting begins to determine the 15 semi-finalists (5 for each of the 3 stories) based on the highest number of votes. On October 21st three Grand Finalists will be selected by our panel of notable judges. The winning designs will be incorporated into fashion items, printed for gallery exhibitions and shown in advertising campaigns.

We are honored to have Alex Bogusky – Co-Chairman of Crispin Porter + Bogusky and Chief Creative Insurgent of MDC Partners, Somaly Mam – Anti-Human Trafficking Advocate and Founder of AFESIP, and AnnaLynne McCord – The Blind Project Ambassador, join the judging panel with The Blind Project fashion team.

“The power of problem-solving creativity, the survivor’s voice for victims, and the influence of youth activism is what makes collaboration with Alex, Somaly and AnnaLynne so amazing,” said Kevin Kim, The Blind Project’s marketing lead. “Every person has that something special – a talent, a gift – to make this cause stronger, more influential, and more personal. Join us.”

About Biographe

Biographe is a sustainable style brand initiated by The Blind Project. Biographe promotes the holistic restoration of women exploited from the commercial sex trade in Southeast Asia, teaches them marketable job skills in fashion design and production, and employs them in a positive work environment while earning a sustainable living wage.