Fujifilm Europe has launched a special edition of Women4Women magazine, called Women4Inclusion.
The core idea behind it is an “expanded vision of freedom of thought and expression of each individual’s uniqueness.
“Fujifilm explores how the stories of people from diverse cultures and backgrounds can shape the collective understanding of crucial themes such as equity and the appreciation of differences.”
Launched in October, Global Diversity Awareness Month, the publication is the natural evolution of Women4Women, “Fujifilm's corporate editorial magazine that, in addition to the female perspective within the company, gives voice to women from diverse personal and professional backgrounds, expanding the dialogue beyond the multinational's borders.”
The project will include themes related to inclusion and diversity, and give a voice to both women and men who promote this culture on a global scale.
Women4Inclusion features 29 stories from around the world, from Brazil to Japan, exploring how diversity can enrich both individuals and organizations alike. The stories are brought to life through the photography of Valentina Tamborra, an internationally renowned photojournalist and Fujifilm Ambassador, along with Cultura Creative, an agency that has been a champion of diversity for years.
One notable story is from Marina Marinetti, co-director of Economy magazine, who along with her colleagues conceived the project Herconomy – where twice a year the magazine transforms to give women a voice, and promote companies that advocate inclusion and gender equality in their business models.
Similarly, Prof Dr Mark Oette had been head of the internal medicine department at the Augustinerinnen Hospital in Cologne since 2008. In 2020, he founded a non-profit organization that provides basic medical care to individuals who do not have access to the standard healthcare system. Called CAYA, which stands for Come As You Are, everyone is welcome, with no restrictions on access.
This is essential reading as well as a feast for the eyes, with other articles including ‘The Beauty of Being Seen-Powerful images and words to tell 'the invisible'’, and ‘Championing Diversity and Inclusion In The Creative Industry’.
In a report presented by CatchLight and the Knight Foundation that represents the first in-depth international study of photographers’ experiences from marginalized communities, researchers found a number of alarming statistics.
Male photographer respondents were far more likely to say that they “consistently win photo awards” (60.4%), compared to women (39.6%), and non-binary photographers (0%).
The data also indicated a clear deficit in earnings for marginalized groups (women, non-binary, and people of color), with these photographers earning a median income of around $20,000 - $29,000, compared to those who were not in a marginalized category, who had a median income of $40,000 - $45,000.
Demonstrating the desperate need for a focus on diversity in the photography industry, there was a robust agreement among respondents that sexism (78.6%), socioeconomic disparity (77.59%) and structural racism (75.12%) were all key issues present within the photography industry.
Take a look at the best Fujifilm cameras, the best Fujifilm lenses, and the best retro cameras.
