ABOUT

I'm Michal, a NYC-based photographer, storyteller, and social impact strategist exploring identity, memory, and belonging through image and narrative. My work lives at the intersection of creativity and community, from photography and exhibitions to program strategy and consulting.

Guided by curiosity, structure, and empathy, I approach art as both emotional practice and intentional strategy. I aim to create work that honors the complexity of lived experience while building systems and archives that endure.

As a visual researcher and cultural strategist, I combine photography, oral history, and community engagement to center Black diaspora narratives. My flagship project, The HABESHA Project, is a multi-year initiative documenting Eritrean and Ethiopian experiences across North America through portraits, interviews, and essays.

My background in program management and social impact spans Princeton in Africa (grantwriting and communications in Eswatini), Blackstone, and Dropbox, where I managed global employee engagement initiatives that increased volunteer participation by over 65%. I bring this strategic foundation to cultural storytelling projects, exhibitions, and organizational consulting.

I'm currently nomadic, documenting local cultures and building collaborative projects across the diaspora. Open to photography commissions, brand collaborations, and consulting work rooted in storytelling and social impact.