ABOUT COMMON ATLAS
Stories rooted in people, place and purpose.
Common Atlas is an independent communications and storytelling studio founded by writer, photographer and senior communications strategist Ash Lazarus Orr, who brings more than a decade of experience spanning grassroots organizations, national advocacy campaigns, and work with partners on White House initiatives.
We work with nonprofits, advocates and mission-driven organizations on strategic communications, writing, media relations and visual storytelling.
REPORTING + PHOTOGRAPHY
Original reporting, interviews and documentary photography centered on people, place, identity and community.
What We Do
We combine reporting, communications and visual storytelling to help important stories reach the people who need to hear them.
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
Communications strategy and narrative development for nonprofits, advocates and mission-driven organizations.
WRITING + MEDIA RELATIONS
Editorial writing, messaging, press strategy and media relations that help important stories reach the people who need to hear them.
FEATURED PROJECT
Conversations Across Borders
Conversations Across Borders is an independent reporting and documentary photography project exploring queer and trans lives across geography, culture, identity, community and belonging.
Through intimate interviews and original photography, the project documents people in the fullness of their lives—the places they call home, the communities they build, what they carry with them and the lives they are creating.
Project Inquiries
LET'S WORK TOGETHER
Reporting + Photography
Original reporting and documentary photography can bring people, places and experiences into focus in ways that traditional organizational content often cannot. Services include research, interviews, profiles, long-form features, field reporting and original photography for publications, nonprofits, advocacy organizations and mission-driven projects. Written and visual storytelling can be commissioned independently or developed together as a cohesive editorial project.
Strategic Communications
Strong communications begin with knowing what you need to say, why it matters and who needs to hear it. Strategic communications support can include messaging and narrative development, campaign communications, communications planning, content strategy and guidance around major organizational moments. Each project is shaped around an organization’s goals, audiences and values, with an approach informed by experience across journalism, advocacy and nonprofit communications.
Writing + Media Relations
From shaping the story to getting it in front of the right people, writing and media relations support is tailored to the needs of each project. Services include feature and profile writing, op-eds, press releases, talking points, media materials, reporter outreach, pitching and press strategy. The focus is on strong writing, clear messaging and thoughtful media engagement that helps organizations communicate with credibility and reach the audiences that matter.