EP 05: PHOTOGRAPHING THE REFUGEE CRISIS IN EAST AFRICA & THE PALO HORSE RACE, LIONS IN THE SERENGETI & MORE WITH TODD SNYDER

Todd Snyder is the Founder / CEO of Lost Faces of Humanity Foundation, an NGO focusing on the refugee crisis in East Africa. Todd has traveled to over 90 countries as a businessman, trailblazing photographer, and father, whose socially conscious work sheds light on what many choose to ignore. His passion for capturing struggles and triumphs of the human spirit is the foundation of his unique artistic style. Todd leverages his relationships with over 20 years working in the international capital markets and finance to create pathways for significant change to assist the global refugee crisis while using his photography of over 5,000 refugees and thousands of internally displaced persons to create awareness of humanity. 

Show Notes:

INTRO: Todd opens up with his visit with the Mursi Tribe when he was greeted with tribe members with AK47s

1:10: Drea introduces Todd Snyder

3:44 Drea & Todd discuss his journey to photographic refugees

5:50 The beginning of his foundation focusing on the refugee crisis, “The Lost Faces of Humanity”

7:13 Todd speaks about his daughter entering into the UNHCR camp

8:16 Talking about the forgotten people at the camps and what he witnessed during his visit.  

8:49 Todd went home and the first thing he did was start the process to create “Lost faces of Humanity” 

 11:35 Todd talks about the hierarchy of the camps and the struggle to retrieve water. 

12:42 Todd discusses the UN providing education for the children, WHO providing basic health necessities, World Food program providing food, and the place of Lost Faces of Humanity. Lost Faces has the goal of providing education/technology for children at the camps as well as providing education of this refugee crisis for kids in the US.

14:14 Todd and Drea discuss the importance of traveling and how much it teaches you. Todd talks about how his daughter met kids from the camp, and the relationship that was created. He wants to merge the kids from both worlds together.

16:35 Todd discusses the beginning of his love for travel and how he likes to travel. 

18:06 Todd tells us what he brings when he travels

18:46 Todd discusses his current plans after Covid and the situation of Quarantine in Ethiopia

19:35 Todd’s Favorite person he’s photographed - A boy in South Sudan and the homeless people in Los Angeles - Skid Row 

21:36 Great guides in Tanzania and having them look after you

22:13 Todd shares with us his favorite way to choose the people he photographs. 

24:25 Lions rubbing on the tents at night in the Serengeti

27:22 Todd goes on a sporadic trip to Morocco - Kasbah, Camel Riding, and Music 

31:00 Sleeping outside of the tent in the cold Sahara 

34:15 Todd gives us advice to his younger self

35:58 The difference between how the media portrays the world and how the world really is. Todd and Drea discuss how amazing a place like Turkey is and how the media portrays it differently

37:00 Tips for traveling with children and the challenges

38:45 Sienna, Italy and the Palo Horse Race - and trusting a Carabinieri with his daughter

40:15 Drea discusses the Kindness of people in the world as she has traveled

40:45 Todd tells us his favorite location that he has traveled to 

43:45 Tips and Tricks to traveling to the Serengeti

44:15 Traveling through the migration and the Masai Mara

47:20 Staying safe and registering with the State Department

47:33 Drea and Todd’s Bucket list items

48:16 Todd shares his information about Lost faces of Humanity and instagram