Support a Black Business & Creative Safe Space

Video Description Here! 

Hey guys, my name is Idiris Mohamed, and I’m a 23 year old Somali-American full-time photographer, videographer, and content creator based in the Washington DC area.

As you can imagine based on my background, I constantly confront situations where my ambitions are limited by my lack of resources and support. These issues have held me back from moving my photography and videography business forward, as well as limit my ability to make any type of consistent content towards my majority Black audience, as I simply do not have a space to create in. It’s a situation I, among many other Black Americans face, and it’s silencing the voices from the world’s best storytellers.

I have finally found a space nearby that fulfills all of my needs and more (proper size, 24/7 access, electricity, parking, bathrooms, a conference room, mini-kitchen, etc.) but I need help in gathering the funds required to have such a space, and that’s where I need your help in raising this money.

However, this space isn’t just about me. You are not only supporting a business, but a space for Black creatives to feel safe and heard, with access to every single tool they need to create any type of content they want. This space grants me the ability to help other Black creatives, storytellers, and entrepreneurs by giving them a space they can not only just visit and work in, but be surrounded by other like-minded individuals with the same background, which essentially means the possibilities of what can come out of this space are truly endless.

What the money will be spent on:
- Renting the space (vast majority of funds will go to this)
- Handling the upfront costs of needed equipment (mainly microphones and lighting, as I already own most other things)
- Basic furnishings to cultivate a comfortable space for creatives to collaborate and converse (desks, chairs, etc.) 

What the space will be used for:
- My own photography and videography business
- A safe space for Black creatives to visit, work, and discuss ideas
- A podcast creation station, of which I will be starting my own often-requested podcast
- A space where I can use my skills and expertise to teach others about photography, videography, and content creation in general, as well as learn from the other individuals who will enter the building

I would be acquiring the space in about 2 months, at the beginning of September.

To every single one of you who donates: thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. I guarantee not a single one of your dollars will go to waste, as I will do everything in my power to amplify the voices of the community that needs to be heard.

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