Deborah Block is a senior manager of earned media at Libris, a cloud-based digital asset management platform that works with clients such as the Women's March Chicago, Delta, and Chick-fil-A, to digitally store and manage photographs and video footage.

Block recently spoke with Sarah Matheson, a documentary photographer and digital asset management strategist for Women's March Chicago.

Matheson and her team worked around the clock to make sure the 2018 Women's March Chicago was properly documented and publicized — sharing over 1,500 photos from the march on social media within the first five hours.

"To learn from history, you must learn from the photos," said Sarah Matheson, a documentary photographer and volunteer digital asset management strategist for Women's March Chicago.

Today, the organization is determined to raise voices for marginalized women across the city. It's Matheson's job to not only photograph and document every moment, but also to make sure photos and videos are stored properly and safely so that history is preserved.

"The important thing that photos do is it validates a community," said Matheson. "It validates how they feel, it validates their personal views and their values. It allows them to have a credibility within themselves, but also on a grander scale. It makes it real."

The 2018 Women's March Chicago. Sarah Matheson/Women’s March Chicago

No day was more important to capture than the Women’s March on Chicago this January. 300,000 activists packed into just eight city blocks, exceeding the 2017 crowd by tens of thousands.

"The energy was palpable," said Matheson. "People of all backgrounds rallied around the women's issues they cared most deeply about. Immigrants' rights. LGBTQ rights. Voting rights. Reproductive rights. Environmental rights. And it was our team’s job to capture the emotion of it all."

Matheson and her team of more than 50 photographers and videographers went on to create over 30,000 images. In just five hours, they shared 1,500 photos on social media, making the Women's March Chicago, and its associated hashtag "#WomensMarchChi," the nation's top-trending Women's March on Twitter — faster than any other city marching that day.

Being the top-trending Women's March wasn't accidental. Matheson had planned and prepped her team every step of the way in order to be able to share photographs from the march in real time. See the video below on how Matheson and her team of photographers worked behind-the-scenes to make sure every powerful photo was shared on that day.

"The photo that holds special significance to me is of Women’s March Chicago Board member Jessica Scheller and Jaquie Algee of Service Employees International Union Healthcare on stage," said Matheson. "It shows women leaders front and center with the massive crowd, TV cameras, and media helicopters in the backdrop. You can feel the enormity of the day and the transformation of a march into a movement."

Jacquie Algee and Jessica Scheller address a crowd of 300,000 at the 2018 Women's March Chicago. Sarah Matheson/Women's March Chicago

"As an organization, we want to share powerful photography to inspire action, but also embolden those who come after us," said Board of Directors member Jessica Scheller. "For that reason, it became clear we needed a digital archive to make sure no moment was lost."

Using Libris, a cloud-based digital asset management platform, the team has now created a living searchable library, housing almost 15,000 visual assets to date.

"Photos are valuable assets and we must treat them as such," said Matheson. "They have the ability to deliver a powerful message, inspire people to speak out, or even change the course of history."

The 2018 Women's March Chicago. Sarah Matheson/Women’s March Chicago

Now, to celebrate International Women's Day, the Women's March Chicago is working alongside respected photo historian and professor David Travis to identify and showcase the most compelling images from the march. Travis, who curated photography at the renowned Art Institute of Chicago, has expertise on examining images from a historical perspective.

"We've taken the time to not only capture history, but also archive it," said Matheson. "It's our hope that future generations will see the power of a community and feel inspired. With these images, you will never forget the strength of women to stand up, speak out, and create lasting change."

For a deeper look at how the Women's March Chicago shares visual stories to inspire community action, watch our webinar Behind the Scenes with the Women's March Chicago.

Video by Kristin Twiford/Libris.