Actress, film writer, and producer Ivana De Maria wears many hats. Her latest title includes CEO and founder of Storyplace, a social journaling platform for storytelling. We spoke to De Maria recently to learn more about her life and journey.

The idea for Storyplace came from De Maria’s belief that social media was not living up to its promises.

She says,“Social media platforms are not designed to support wellbeing and mental health. Storyplace is a safe space for self-expression and community building, which means that trust is at the forefront of everything we do, from the user experience to the design."

De Maria explains how people from various vulnerable 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, find true connection to others, and learn about life through other people’s experiences.

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. “We ask that users separate reading from agreeing and see every story as an opportunity to learn about life from a new perspective. 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 source stories for content. “The first step toward finding new voices is to create a space for us to reconnect through the very stories that make us human. A space that you trust and where you can express yourself safely. We’re opening doors so people have the chance to share their own stories with large audiences, while bringing 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 change, shift perspectives and broaden cultural narratives. “We learn so much from what we see across content and that’s why it’s so important to tell the right stories and to tell them 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 other founder stories below.