Chiara Tilesi, producer, activist, and founder of the nonprofit film production company We Do It Together, is using art, public space, and powerful female voices to challenge the culture of objectification and redefine how women are seen around the world.
On International Women’s Day, the towering Nasdaq building in New York’s Times Square became more than just a digital billboard; it became a declaration. Projected across one of the most visible public stages in the world was the I AM Campaign, an international visual and cultural initiative.
Featuring portraits of 40 women leaders from the worlds of cinema, music, fashion, and culture—each paired with a self-chosen “I AM” statement—the campaign transforms women from subjects of observation into authors of their own identity. More than an art installation, the initiative is a global call to challenge the way women are represented in media and society.
Backed by We Do It Together’s decade-long mission to advance gender equality through storytelling, the campaign builds on earlier projections in Rome and Turin and is rapidly becoming an international movement. It reclaims public spaces and cultural landmarks through the voices and images of women.
In this conversation with Gurus Magazine, Tilesi shares the deeper purpose behind the campaign, why New York was just the beginning, and how changing representation can ultimately change culture.
Why did you decide to start this campaign, and how did you come up with this specific idea?
“I AM” was born from a deep awareness — and a responsibility.
If we look honestly at the world we live in, the culture of violence against women does not begin with the act itself. It begins much earlier. It begins with the normalization of objectification — in our language, in our narratives, in media, in the way women are seen and portrayed across cultures.
When a woman is reduced to an image, a role, or a stereotype, she is no longer fully recognized as a human being. And that is where the fracture begins.
“I AM” is a response to that fracture.
It is a radical, yet essential, act of reclaiming identity. Because when a woman says “I am,” she reminds herself and others that she is not an object — she is no longer defined by others, she becomes a subject. A presence. An agent of her own story. A human being in her full dignity.
This campaign places women back at the center of the conversation — not as something to be looked at, but as someone who defines, who creates, who exists on her own terms.
The power of “I AM” lies in its simplicity. It is a statement that cannot be taken away, interpreted, or rewritten by anyone else. It is ownership. It is truth. It is humanity.
And when that voice is reclaimed, it doesn’t just change the narrative — it changes the culture.”
Tilesi says authenticity was critical from the outset, which is why the campaign began not with celebrity outreach, but with the women closest to the mission.
Who were the first people you invited to participate?
“The first people I invited were the board of directors of We Do It Together — Alejandra Jackson and Debora Guetta.
I wanted the seed of the campaign to begin at its roots — within the very circle of women who have been committed, from the beginning, to creating change.
For me, this was essential. “I AM” is not just a message to be shared outwardly; it is a truth that must first be embodied within. It had to start with the team, with the women who are actively working every day to shift the narrative and build a new cultural paradigm.
Because every real movement begins from within, and when that foundation is aligned, the message carries a deeper authenticity — one that can truly resonate and expand beyond itself.”
From there, the campaign expanded to include a powerful collective of internationally recognized women, including Helen Mirren, Sharon Stone, Marisa Tomei, Diane Warren, Catherine Hardwicke, Leonor Varela, and Lucía Puenzo; each contributing their own statement of selfhood.
But while the Times Square activation marked a major milestone, Tilesi emphasizes that New York is only the start.
Why launch the campaign in New York, and where does it go next?
“New York is more than a city; it’s a powerful global stage, a place where cultures, identities, and voices converge. Launching “I AM” there was about giving the campaign a strong, visible heartbeat.
But this is only the beginning. We already have several cities lining up, from Florence to London, Paris, and hopefully Los Angeles.
Each of these cities carries its own cultural identity, its own history, its own voice, and that is exactly the point. “I AM” is not meant to be confined to one place; it is meant to travel, to adapt, and to resonate across different cultures and perspectives.
Because this is not just a campaign — it is a global affirmation. And the more voices that rise to say “I am,” the more we shift the collective consciousness together.”
The campaign also arrives at a meaningful moment for We Do It Together, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.
This is the 10th anniversary of We Do It Together — how has the mission evolved over time?
“We Do It Together was founded with a clear intention: to challenge the way women are represented and to create space for more truthful, multidimensional storytelling.
Ten years later, that intention has grown into something much deeper. What began as a mission to raise awareness has become a commitment to transformation.
We are no longer just asking for change; we are creating it. Through the stories we produce, the voices we elevate, and the global community we’ve built, we are actively reshaping the narrative.
Because storytelling is not just reflection, it is creation. And when you change the story, you change the culture.”
That philosophy has guided the organization’s growth from an advocacy platform to an internationally recognized production company, with projects including the Academy Award®-nominated Tell It Like a Woman, screened at the United Nations General Assembly and featuring a global roster of acclaimed female filmmakers and actors.
Still, for Tilesi, the work is far from done.
