Lisa Kristine | Humanitarian Photographer | Lucie Award Winner
A TED Talk Helps a Humanitarian Photographer Turn Art Into Advocacy
With hundreds of images to choose from, Lisa Kristine faced the daunting task of distilling her life’s work into 18 minutes. We helped shape a clear through-line, craft a powerful script, and rehearse until she owned every word. The result: A standing ovation, TED.com pick-up, and global platform.
For more than 30 years across 150+ countries, humanitarian photographer Lisa Kristine has traveled to the most hidden parts of the world to document the beauty, resilience, and dignity of indigenous people.
In 2009, Lisa was the sole exhibitor at the Vancouver Peace Summit with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. While there, she met a supporter of Free the Slaves, an NGO dedicated to eradicating modern-day slavery. “When I learned about the scope of the modern slave trade it truly shook me,” she said. “I thought, ‘If I don’t know about this … how many others don’t know?’” This question began a two-year journey documenting people who are enslaved, from sweltering brick kilns in Asia to deep inside illegal gold mines in Africa.
The chance to share these images at TEDx Maui was a rare opportunity to have a huge impact in the span of 18 minutes. Lisa said yes to the invitation. Then the work began. Lisa wanted to nail this talk – for several reasons. She wanted to move the mission, and her message, to a global stage. And she wanted to work through her own fears.
The Challenge
The task felt daunting. She had hundreds of photographs to choose from, and as many human stories, both heartbreaking and hopeful. How to choose the right ones, and weave them together? Lisa was most comfortable behind the camera, letting her subjects shine. She had hardly done any public speaking, let alone a big stage with no notes.
Courage is a funny thing. Lisa has no qualms about climbing 300 feet down an illegal gold mine in Africa. But the thought of standing on that “big red dot” scared the dickens out of her. Lisa’s whole life was built on courage. She just needed the training and tools to embody this role.
“Alison and Matt are amazing extractors of essence. If you want to convey a message and really get across the very best presentation, they will deliver while simultaneously making the process one of discovery. Not only are they epically brilliant and talented, they are some of the deepest souls I know.
Collaborating with these articulate, intelligent people was utterly comfortable and inspiring. They have the unique ability to ask intuitive and key questions, extracting a story line that holds an audience.”
– Lisa Kristine
SERVICES
Story Development | Scriptwriting | Visual Design
Our Work
We interviewed Lisa for many hours, finding a through-line for the stories behind each of her hauntingly beautiful images. We joined her resolve that these stories needed to be told.
Together we formed this source material into a focused talk that would take the audience from awareness to resolve to action. The heart of the talk were the stories attached to each image, letting each individual’s humanity shine through.
While scripting, we crafted a dynamic arc: moving between sobering stats and uplifting stories. Grief and hope. Despair and determination. Shame and resolve.
We structured stories around the material commodities made by the enslaved people: Brick, Fish, Gold. This visually reinforced the reality that modern-day slavery is about commerce and how it treats people as disposable commodities.
We relentlessly refined script and imagery, revising until the talk felt exactly right. We copiously rehearsed with Lisa until she truly embodied every word – even up to the morning of the talk in Hawaii. By the time she stepped onto that red dot, she was ready.
“The audience sat silent, transfixed, as Lisa Kristine took them on a visual journey with photographs as their guide … Lisa delivered the most gripping opener I’ve ever seen in a presentation.”
– Carmine Gallo
Author, Talk Like TED, The 9 Public Speaking Secrets of the World’s Top Minds
The Outcome
Speaking through her fears, Lisa delivered a riveting talk, testifying to the inherent dignity of every living being, and shining a light on atrocities hidden in plain sight. With intimate stories, she ignited a dialogue and inspired her audience to take action towards the liberation of 28 million people who are today trapped in forced labor.
Lisa’s talk got a standing ovation, and was considered one of the day’s most memorable. Several attendees commented that she must do these talks all the time.
Soon after TEDx Maui published her talk, TED.com picked it up, featuring it under “Jaw Dropping.” This was a huge kudo, as only around 45 of every 50K TEDx talks globally receive such pick-up. To date, it’s received over 3 million views on TED.com.
“This powerful talk and keynote secured me with a presentation that was authentically and truly mine, one that gave me confidence—and ultimately a standing ovation. If you have the wonderful opportunity to work with these fine individuals, I promise you will be thrilled and moved more than you could have imagined.”
– Lisa Kristine
A Global Speaker Emerges
The talk helped launch Lisa’s trajectory as a speaker on the global stage. Soon after, Lisa was invited to the first-ever conference on modern day slavery at the Vatican. While there, numerous spiritual leaders from around the world approached to let her know how much her TED talk had moved them. Free the Slaves has received an outpouring of support from TED viewers for their work.
Lisa has gone on to speak to audiences around the world, including the Vatican, Wisdom 2.0, Thomson Reuters Summits, and the World Economic Forum at Davos.
Her work founding the Human Thread Foundation and partnering with the UN's 50 For Freedom Campaign showcases her dedication to eradicating human trafficking and advocating for human dignity.
Lisa continues to move out from behind the camera, using her voice to amplify the stories of the people she documents and inspire change.
“When I was asked to prepare a TEDx talk I called Alison and Matt. Collaborating with these articulate, intelligent people was utterly comfortable and inspiring. They have the unique ability to ask intuitive and key questions, extracting a story line that holds an audience.
This, woven together with their powerful talk and keynote, secured me with a presentation that was authentically and truly mine, one that gave me confidence—and ultimately a standing ovation. If you have the wonderful opportunity to work with these fine individuals, I promise you will be thrilled and moved more than you could have imagined.”
Lisa Kristine
Humanitarian Photographer | Lucie Award Winner
