Yes, and Laughter Lab: Uplifting Diverse Comedy for Social Change

About the Center for Media & Social Impact

The Center for Media & Social Impact (CMSI), housed at American University’s School of Communication in Washington, D.C., is an innovation lab and research center that creates, studies, and showcases media for equity and social justice. Focusing on independent, documentary, entertainment, and public media, the Center bridges boundaries between scholars, media producers, social justice organizations, and communication practitioners. In 2017, CMSI launched The Laughter Effect, an ongoing research and creative initiative to study and produce convenings and creative efforts that address social justice issues through diverse, hilarious comedy.

About Moore + Associates

Moore + Associates is a boutique creative agency in New York City. It believes that cultural change is critical to political change and that humor is an effective way to shift culture. Neither an advertising agency nor PR firm, its work exists in the growing space in between, providing clients and artists with new ways to succeed at the intersection of public policy, pop culture and new media. Humor has been key to its success at breaking down walls and catalyzing conversation. Moore + Associates works with actors, comedians, and other pop culture artists to use their talents to conceptualize and perform in its campaigns, and partners with writers, producers and managers in the creative process. For foundations and nonprofits seeking to understand and shift popular narratives, Moore + Associates develops cultural and narrative strategy plans that analyze the landscape and recommend ways to effectively intervene. http://mooreandassociates.co

Caty Borum Chattoo and Mik Moore, co-founders of the Yes, And Laughter Lab introduce the inaugural convening in 2019

Comedy points out the absurdity of bigotry. Comedy makes hard truths easier to hear. Comedy exposes hypocrisy. Comedy challenges the status quo when protocol protects the powerful. Comedy stigmatizes bad behavior. Comedy opens our eyes to perspectives and experiences that may not be our own. Comedy even invites us to learn about complex topics and seek more information about them. Comedy serves as a form of catharsis and social critique, and it opens the door to talking about taboo ideas; it normalizes groups and individuals too often portrayed as “the other.”

Today, diverse comedy writers and performers want to create hilarious comedy that reveals their lived realities, addresses injustice, and brings people together to connect about urgent topics like racial justice, gender equity, climate change, Islamophobia, drug addiction, gun violence, and so much more. They want their comedy to make it out in the world, sometimes collaborating with philanthropists, movements, and social justice organizations to expand their audiences and social impact. We aim to support them.

Launched in 2019, the Yes And…Laughter Lab is a competitive incubation lab and pitch program that lifts up diverse comedy writers and performers creating new comedy about topics that matter. The Laughter Lab is designed to introduce diverse comedians to the entertainment industry, social justice organizations, philanthropists and activists who can help bring their work into the entertainment marketplace – and into movements for social change.

The Yes, And…Laughter Lab is an essential part of the comedy landscape – designed to be one of the most important places for networks, platforms, and distributors to find exciting new comedy content and creators, while connecting an expanding pool of non-profit and advocacy organizations with potent creative partners. Over time, the Laughter Lab will curate a dynamic community of diverse comedy writers and performers who are using their hilarious voices to entertain us and say the hard – and funny – things about the world we inhabit.

The Yes, And…Laughter Lab was jointly created in 2018 and launched in 2019 by the Center for Media & Social Impact and Moore + Associates. The Laughter Lab’s funders include: