Douglas Herman

Since 2017 We've been proving that individual citizens CAN impact the chronic issues they see in the world. But we haven't done it alone, it truly has taken a village to raise our community up. This giving season please join us and help us reach even greater heights! DONATE TODAY (link in bio)

Every photographer grows up dreaming of being in @natgeo so having our students’ work and our @refocusmedialabs family featured is beyond our wildest imaginations. Check out the feature story by @lawrence__andrea on National Geographic (link in bio- linktr.ee/refocusmedialabs ) So proud of all we’ve achieved together, and can’t wait to see what’s next. New year, new students, and NEW LABS coming very soon!!! So proud of our featured photographers- @zahramojahed13 @jawadjafari13 @nahid.__.24 @maliheh.902 @zahragardi1 @mahdiyh___997 @yousif_alshewaili @a3f_karimi @shawiztamimi our amazing mentors- @dfherman @sonianandzik @mijkemaria @s.ahmad_ebrahimi @hammond_robin @will_louns @katjariemann deep thanks to the entire team behind @witness_change @1000dreams and all our amazing partners who make our programming possible @allianzkulturstiftung @leavenoonebehind2020 @chooselove @ohfcommunitycenter @betterdaysngo

"THE RISKTAKERS" Sonia, Doug and ReFOCUS Media Labs Artists! Our co-founders @dfherman and @soniandzik have been portrayed by our wonderful friends and supporters from @allianzfdn It's almost unbelievable to think back to the beginning of ReFOCUS IN 2017, and all the things we have already experienced. We are incredibly #grateful for all of these experiences that we've had thanks to you: our incredible students, teachers, #supporters, and followers. We look forward to the future and are excited to see what is in store for us in the years to come. Allianz Foundation supports risktakers, individuals and organizations that take on the challenges of our time, move forward courageously and work on solutions for a sustainable future. For today and for next generations. In our process of developing ReFOCUS, Allianz Foundation has been an amazing partner, that allowed us to move things to the next phase. We are eternally grateful for all the support! Thank you so much Allianz Foundation And a deep gratitude to the entire film crew who made this short film about ReFOCUS, especially our colleague and friend ÇİĞDEM MATER who remains in prison in Istanbul for her work as a documentary filmmaker challenging government narratives. directed by MURAT UTKU produced by ÇİĞDEM MATER supervising producers SİNEM SAKAOĞLU, NADİR ÖPERLİ director of photography ERHAN ARIK editor TATLIHAN TUNCEL sound design & mix CENKER KÖKTEN color grading CİWAN ZENGİN graphic design DİLDE MAHALLİ subtitles SONER DAŞTAN music ‘Traveling the Desert’ by MARK FABIAN © PremiumBeat ‘Adventure Across the Sands’ by JUSTIN BREAME © PremiumBeat

🎧Listen to the full #HumanitarianWatch podcast with Laleh Taheri, who talks about what happens to the children in the refugee camps and discusses the arbitrary reasons for detaining her brother in Turkey. 🔗Link in bio. #refocusmedialabs #refugees #HumanRights #iraq

📢 New Fractured episode! 📢 We’re thrilled that @higabyramirez joined us again, this time, to discuss how the situation in Venezuela is after Maduro’s removal from power and what challenges Venezuelans face both inside and outside the country. 🔗 Watch the full episode: link in the bio Also available on Spotify: Fractured - ReFOCUS Media Labs #podcast #journalism #Venezuela

Thank you for every single vote and share! ✨🙌🏼 Let’s keep our fingers crossed that we get the @projectforawesome grant! 🙏🏻 #refocusmedialabs #grant #thankyou

Help us. Vote for free. It only takes 1 minute. Link in bio 🔗

🚨Without this grant, we can’t continue many of our workshops and events! Help for free. It only takes 1 minute! #projectforawesome

Helping people shouldn’t be a crime. 💔 Sean Binder (@binderdidntdoit ), one of the @freehumanitarians , shares what it’s like to face serious charges in Greece for saving lives. From the emotional toll of the trial to the bigger picture behind migration policies, his story is a reminder that solidarity and human rights matter - now more than ever. ✊🌍 Click the link in our bio for the full episode 💻 #FreeHumanitarians #HumanRights #NoOneIsIllegal #Solidarity #citizenjournalism

📍ART UNDER PRESSURE lands at @the127art Gallery this Saturday. Visuals, words, sound & movement. All in one space. 🕕 Gallery opens 18:00 🕗 Opening party 20:00 🌙 After party till late 🎶 On the decks & special performance: @_.demoi & @yadomkofi / No End Collective @no.e.n.d Don’t miss out!

“We want to be alive. We want to be free.” Swipe for key moments from our latest Fractured episode featuring @elifazlollah kicking off 2026 with our Humanitarian Watch spotlight on Iran. 🎧 Listen to the full episode - link in bio

New Fractured episode out now 🎙️ Our first episode of 2026 is part of our #humanitarianwatch series in which @elifazlollah and @dfherman discuss the unfolding crisis in Iran: digital blackouts, violent repression, and the human cost behind the headlines. Listen. Share. Stay informed.
 🔗 Link in bio