The World’s Best Photographers – In collaboration with SONY and the World Photography Organization

A summit of international creativity, the fascinating evening will unfold a discussion on what lies between photography and inspiration. The event’s unique discourse presents leading artists from around the world on one stage, all of whom are exhibiting in the International Photography Festival.

Cooltūristės – Laima Kreivytė and Ineta Armanavičiūtė (Lithuania), Colin Delfosse (Belgium), Haider Khan (India), Matilde Simas (USA), Viktoria Sorochinski (Ukraine/Israel), Daniel Taveira Bruno (Brazil)
Moderator: Natan Dvir, SONY ambassador in Israel

The event will be held in English.
Saturday, November 26, 8:30PM, Enav Cultural Center, Tel Aviv

I’m grateful to the audience who joined me last night for a presentation on human trafficking at the Bridge Gallery in Cambridge,MA. I’m grateful that people have connected to the photographs in the series ‘Philippines: Girls as a Commodity’ and to the survivors who bravely shared their stories. It’s encouraging to know these photographs are helping people around the world become more educated about human trafficking, which is now the second- largest criminal industry in the world.

Every year Unicef, the United Nations Children’s Fund, honors the best pictures and reports by professional photojournalists in the international “Photo of the Year” competition. This year, I’m honored that my project documenting limb-loss in Ethiopia, Haiti, and the Philippines has been awarded an honorable mention.

A collective exhibit of all award-winning works will be exhibited in the House of the Federal Press Conference in Berlin until the end of January. They will then be accessible in the Willy Brandt House from February 17, 2022.

Thanks to UNICEF Deutschland, the jury, Limb Kind Foundation, and everyone at the Cure Children’s Hospitals who make all this possible.

Limb Kind addresses the urgent need children with limb loss have for prosthetic care around the world. This award and exhibit helps a wider audience around the world understand the need, builds empathy, and broadens the support needed to address these needs. To learn more visit: https://limbkind.org

To view the winning series:here

I am thrilled to be speaking at the UNICEF Global to Local: Ending Child Marriage event and screening Capture Humanity short documentary film, Forced to Marry on November 10th at 7:30pm. In addition, Rep Kay Khan will discuss H1709/S937, the pending bill that would end child marriage in Massachusetts and why she is championing ending child marriage in Massachusetts.

To register for the even use this link:

UNICEF USA GLOBAL TO LOCAL EVENT: ENDING CHILD MARRIAGE

We hope to see you there!

Constant Fear of Death: Growing up with Albinism

My work on children with albinism has received Jury Top 5 Selection and 1st place Social Cause award in this year’s International Photo Award for the Lucie Foundation. I can’t be more grateful for the acknowledgement. These children are so brave and I honor them with this award.

Director of Photography of CMC consulting and Juror Caroline Metcalfe said, “This set of images and the accompanying text is the most extraordinary body of work I have seen in many, many years. It left me emotionally shocked and disturbed and incredulous that this cruel violence is happening on any scale, anywhere is horrifying. I think these images deserve to be seen worldwide to open eyes to a shocking brutality that I am not sure many are aware of..... “

Click here to view the series:

https://photoawards.com/winner/zoom.php?eid=8-208767-21&fbclid=IwAR38X230Wrum-w4bV2sM30iiIf8AzQHrEyicmV4Ir63UfD302lkpLFTr2Ug

SOUTH SUDANESE REFUGEES IN UGANDA has become part of the Atlas of Humanity permanent collection.

Thank you Atlas of Humanity for featuring my work on South Sudanese Refugees. I’m proud to be part of an initiative that connects our common humanity! The Atlas of Humanity Paris Exhibition is set to take place May 2021. Thanks Martin Vages for your huge commitment.

Atlas of Humanity is an ongoing project, conceived and curated by Martin Vegas for DeFactory, a cultural non-profit association that serves as a meeting point for debate, exchange and promotion of artistic and cultural activities. The goal of this atlas is the mapping of the populations that inhabit our planet by way of a cultural-anthropological and ethnological reading: through dialogue and comparison, thus emerge cultural differences between ethnic groups.

Visit the series on their website here.

I'm so proud to have been chosen to be part of the 2021 Trafficking in Persons Report for the US State Department Annual Report. Please take a look at the report by clicking the link here: 2021 TIP Report

It's so nice to see “Called to Listen,” June 2020 article in the Professional Photography Magazine won the Folio Award HONORABLE MENTION: Best Profile for my humanitarian photography work. Thanks to Associate Editor Amanda Arnold for writing the piece.

Chronicle on WCVB Channel 5 with Anthony Everett

Thrilled to be featured on Chronicle on WCVB Channel 5 segment on going global for social documentary projects. Watch the episode here as I talk to Anthony Everett WCVB about using Art to provoke conversations about human trafficking and inspire action for the causes I document.

Click the link to view the interview: WCBB 5 abc Matilde Simas is on a Global Mission

The Tokyo International Foto Awards has announced the winners of its 2019 Photography competition. I am pleased to share my series on human trafficking in the Philippines made with the aid organization, Voice of the Free - VF Foundation, Inc., has received Silver 2019 Editorial / Personality. The series has also been chosen to exhibit as part of the 2020 ForeMost TIFA Winners Exhibition in Okinawa, Japan from the 16th to the 30th January.

Honored to be one of the winners of the UNICEF “Photo of the Year” awards for my pictures with Voice of the Free - VF Foundation, Inc. This feels like the biggest accomplishment. I'm truly thankful to everyone at Voice of the Free for opening up their organization to me in order for me to learn about human trafficking in their country. More than that, I'm thankful to the strength and bravery of these young girls.

1st place winner at the Lucie Foundation IPA

The International Photography Awards (IPA) announced its 2018 competition finalists at The Lucie Awards gala, on Sunday, October 28 at Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York. An international jury of renowned photography experts has selected these outstanding finalists from approximately 16,000 submissions (38,000 images) from over 130 countries. This year, the Lucie Foundation is pleased to declare Matilde Simas was awarded 1st place in the Event/ Social Cause category + Honorable Mention for Culture and Traditions categories: "Growing up Female in Maasai Society" and “A Centuries Old Maasai Custom: Female Genital Mutilation."

PARIS PHOTO EXHIBITION

"Faces Behind Atrocity" will be showcased as part of the ATLAS OF HUMANITY Exhibition, 8-10 November 2019 at Paris Photo Off • International Photo Expo

Atlas of Humanity's aim is to showcase the richness and diversity of world's ethnic cultures that form the great mosaic of humanity. The portraits and the daily moments captured- a glimpse into the vanishing cultures of people who are striving to hold onto their heritage in a rapidly-changing world.

It was an absolute pleasure to join Glenn Ruga and Lou Jones last night for Socialdocumentary.net: How the Photographic image brings informed Action on Social Justice at Northampton Center for the Arts. Special thanks to our moderator @PaulaGreen, founder of @KarunaCenterforPeaceBuilding Thank you to everyone who made it out.

Check out the event here: Photography Matters

Happy to be featured in ArtWorks for Freedom with two partner organizations HAART Kenya and Voice of the Free - VF Foundation, Inc.

Check it out here: ARTWORKS Matilde Simas

Some of my photographic work in an article for World Footprints Bringing Mobility to the Philippines Oct. 2019.

Feature in the Daily News: Photographer's work puts focus on human trafficking

Proud to be featured in the Daily News: Photographer's work puts focus on human trafficking

The Freedom Masquerade Ball 2018 — UnMask the Truth was presented by the nonprofit Freedom Cafe to further its work informing people about human trafficking, enslaved labor products that enter the United States economy and alternative fair labor products.

“She puts a face on the victims of trafficking and makes it real,” Bryan Bessette, president of Freedom Cafe, said of Simas’ photography. “You can see in these women’s eyes their strength and hope and, in the depths, that they have come through some difficult trauma.”

Click here to view the article: Bringing atrocities out of the shadows: Photographer's work puts focus on human trafficking

"Growing up with Albinism in Tanzania" has been awarded an IPA from the Lucia Foundation

Proud to announce “Growing up with Albinism in Tanzania” has been awarded an International Photography Award from the Lucie Foundation.

Some of my photographic work from Sumatra in an article for World Footprints

Saving a Species: Palm Oil, Orangutans by Jessica Barrett, July 2019

Human Trafficking in Kenya: A Nonprofit Takes Aim

Imagine a seven-year-old girl, spending her days not in school, but cooking and cleaning for a family in a wealthy suburb. Or a young mother struggling to make ends meet, lured away from her children by an employment agency and forced into sex work abroad. For millions of people, this is a reality. Written by Jessica Barrett

To read the full article click here: A Nonprofit Takes Aim

Photographers Without Borders: Interview by Christy Au-Yeung

SPOTLIGHT: MEET AWARD WINNING PHOTOGRAPHER AND PWB SCHOOL INSTRUCTOR MATILDE SIMAS Click the link to read the article

Avoiding eye contact. Being submissive. Losing the sense of time. Having no freedom to leave or come. Being in poor physical health. Working excessively long hours. These are only some, of the many signs that a person in forced labor conditions could demonstrate or develop. In order to increase consciousness of the problem and to promote and protect the victim's rights, the United Nations chose July 30th as the World Day against Trafficking in Persons, by a resolution adopted in December 2013. Read more of this article written by Mariana D'Alberto here:

‘Arts to End Slavery’

EYES in PROGRESS

"Matilde Simas's work on human trafficking is absolutely stunning and is getting a lot of attention.

Wonderful thing when a photographer manages to raise awareness in such a powerful way. You have all our support and admiration Matilde!"

Click here to view more: eyesinprogress

PHOTO SERIES HIGHLIGHTS HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN KENYA

Wonderful feature in Professional Photographer Magazine. Catch the article here: PHOTO SERIES HIGHLIGHTS HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN KENYA

Interview with PWB's editor: Jennie Pearson

To read the full article please click this link: MATILDE SIMAS BRINGS AWARD-WINNING "FACES BEHIND ATROCITY" PORTRAIT SERIES TO MAINE TO SHED LIGHT ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN THE U.S.

Sunday Front Page Feature: The Eagle-Tribune

Proud and honored to be featured on the front page of Sunday's The Eagle-Tribune. Thank you to Terry Date for your writing and dedication to this important article.

UMass Lowell professor Sheldon Zhang, chairman of the school of criminology and justice studies said photography that documents human trafficking puts a human face on the problem and can influence people in a way that numbers or academic discussion does not.

"If you have a picture, you immediately see an image of vulnerability, and the vulnerability in the photograph will do a lot more in mobilizing people, stirring up outrage and action," he said.

Journal Tribune: Faces Behind Atrocity Exhibition at the Engine Gallery

January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. To raise awareness, I'll be having a gallery show at

Engine: Propelling the Creative Community

Join me for the opening reception
Saturday, January 12th
3 – 5 PM
128 Main St, Biddeford, Maine
Exhibit will be on display from
Jan. 9-Feb. 15th.

Click here to read the news article: ‘Faces Behind Atrocity’ exhibition in Biddeford aims to raise awareness of human trafficking

“Faces Behind Atrocity” exhibition at the New Bedford Art Museum

Proud to announce my photo series “Faces Behind Atrocity” and Photographers Without Borders HAART Kenya Film about human trafficking is scheduled for an exhibition at the New Bedford Art Museum.

The past weeks have been busy for PWB photographer Matilde Simas. Not only has she picked up an award at the Lucie Foundation for her series entitled 'Faces Behind Atrocity,' but the trailer for PWB TV Season 2, Episode 2 was released, featuring her journey to Kenya to document the work of a local organization called HAART (Raising Awareness Against Human Trafficking) Kenya. Read the full article by Danielle Da Silver here:

‘Faces Behind Atrocity Series’