Meet the founder & CEO: Ivana De Maria
Actress, film writer, and producer Ivana De Maria wears many hats. Her latest title includes CEO and founder of StoryPlace, a social media platform for storytelling. We spoke to De Maria recently to learn more about her life and journey.
Storyplace
Storyplace
In-app purchases
4.0star
703 reviews
50K+
Downloads
Teen
info
- 1Share micro stories anonymously with an empathetic community in categories from romance to heartbreak
- 2View prompts and challenges like talking about holidays or writing yourself a daily love letter for a month
- 3See what's trending, choose people to follow, and join virtual campfires in groups that interest you
The idea for StoryPlace came from De Maria’s belief that social media was not living up to its promises for connection.
“StoryPlace is an empathy-driven social platform, which means empathy is at the forefront of everything, from the user experience to the design."
De Maria explains how people from various communities were in desperate need of a safe space to express themselves, like those who identify with LGBTQ+, mental health, Latinx, and more. These communities wanted to be heard, tell their stories, and have conversations about life and how we live it.
As StoryPlace continues to grow, De Maria and her team are paying special attention to how users interact, allowing them to see why empathy is necessary to maintain a safe space. “It’s been a beautiful journey and I’m grateful to every single member of the StoryPlace community.”
Having spent several years working in the entertainment industry herself, De Maria knows the challenges creatives face when trying to get their story published. “We’re opening doors so people have the chance to tell stories to large audiences, while offering authentic and diverse voices to an industry that desperately needs them.”
Understanding the importance of stories being told in the media is a huge responsibility for De Maria, believing that stories have the power to create, shift, and broaden perspectives and cultural narratives. “We learn so much from what we see across content and that’s why it’s so important for these stories to be told in authentic ways.
“For a long time the representation of Latinx people in the media was very damaging and stereotypical, and told by non-Latinx voices. I dream of a world where we realize every single community and every single person’s story matters,” De Maria concludes.
Dive into your next story by downloading StoryPlace and check out our other Hispanic Heritage Month content below.
“StoryPlace is an empathy-driven social platform, which means empathy is at the forefront of everything, from the user experience to the design."
De Maria explains how people from various communities were in desperate need of a safe space to express themselves, like those who identify with LGBTQ+, mental health, Latinx, and more. These communities wanted to be heard, tell their stories, and have conversations about life and how we live it.
As StoryPlace continues to grow, De Maria and her team are paying special attention to how users interact, allowing them to see why empathy is necessary to maintain a safe space. “It’s been a beautiful journey and I’m grateful to every single member of the StoryPlace community.”
Having spent several years working in the entertainment industry herself, De Maria knows the challenges creatives face when trying to get their story published. “We’re opening doors so people have the chance to tell stories to large audiences, while offering authentic and diverse voices to an industry that desperately needs them.”
Understanding the importance of stories being told in the media is a huge responsibility for De Maria, believing that stories have the power to create, shift, and broaden perspectives and cultural narratives. “We learn so much from what we see across content and that’s why it’s so important for these stories to be told in authentic ways.
“For a long time the representation of Latinx people in the media was very damaging and stereotypical, and told by non-Latinx voices. I dream of a world where we realize every single community and every single person’s story matters,” De Maria concludes.
Dive into your next story by downloading StoryPlace and check out our other Hispanic Heritage Month content below.