SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - February 25, 2010) - liveBooks, Inc., the leading provider of award-winning websites that allow creative professionals to promote and manage their businesses online, is proud to recognize liveBooks users who are leveraging their photography and social influence to make a difference in the world around them.
Social documentary photographer Phil Borges has documented indigenous and tribal cultures around the world for more than 25 years. His work in these countries has opened his eyes to the issue of gender inequality in developing countries, thus inspiring Borges to become a strong advocate for empowering women with the tools and support they need to make a difference in their communities.
His book, "Women Empowered," which features a forward from Madeleine Albright, documents women from developing countries who have broken through barriers of tradition and oppression to become catalysts of change in their communities. Through the compelling photos and motivational stories of these women, Borges has catapulted the issue of global gender equality to a new tier of awareness. His latest project, "Stirring the Fire: A Global Movement to Empower Women and Girls," launches on International Women's Day (March 8), and encompasses a website and exhibition tour which aims to bridge the gap between raising awareness and taking action.
"The website will be equipped with a searchable database of involvement opportunities that go beyond just donating money," said Borges, who is gearing this project toward students and scheduling the exhibition at universities around the country. "Individuals can sign up for internships and study abroad programs, or tap into resources that support advocacy. Our intention is to provide each person with a tailor-made avenue to help empower women worldwide."
Other photographers like Robbie and Robert Bailey are making a difference in the lives of Americans with their "Faces4Reform: Portraits of America's Uninsured" project, which aims to put a human face on the politically polarizing issue of health care reform.
"The widespread perception is that the uninsured are freeloaders, but the reality is there are a large number of people like Robert and me who are hardworking, small business owners who
have to pay outrageous amounts of money for health care plans," Robbie Bailey said. "We have photographed hundreds of people -- from creative professionals to those who have recently lost their jobs -- and our goal is to put people, not politicians, back into the health care dialogue."
Emilie Sommer, a Maine-based wedding photographer, founded Pink Initiative, a collection of wedding industry professionals and private donors dedicated to funding awareness, outreach, education and research for breast cancer.
"The outpouring of support from the wedding industry has been amazing, and we are excited to see how much ground we gain with this initiative in 2010," Sommer said.
The organization has grown to more than 100 donor members since launching in 2008, and this year, Sommer is introducing more fundraising and awareness campaigns, including a Pink Initiative-branded tote and wine bag from Sea Bags, which can be purchased by contacting Sommer directly.
"Social change initiatives are a core part of liveBooks' business philosophy, and it is encouraging to see so many liveBooks photographers who have established organizations or developed projects to help spur awareness and advocacy of important issues," said Andy Patrick, president and CEO of liveBooks.
About liveBooks
liveBooks, Inc. provides award-winning websites that serve as a business hub to help professionals in creative industries like photography, graphic design and interior design save time, promote their businesses and make more money. The company works with an extensive ecosystem of advisors, partners and consultants to deliver unrivalled products, services, partner applications and customer experiences through the powerful combination of small-business acumen, award-winning designs, a scalable platform and extensible architecture. liveBooks is committed to customer success through design leadership, business integrity and its belief in the power of image and creativity to enable social change.
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