Surviving the Mic

What Surviving the Mic does

Surviving the Mic (StM) is a founder-led, Black/femme/non-binary-led private nonprofit organization founded in 2014 in Chicago by Nikki Patin. Its mission is to amplify and support the voices of survivors of harm, with a priority focus on gender-based violence and intersectionality. The organization serves survivors of harm — particularly Black survivors, survivors with disabilities, and LGBTQ survivors — and a secondary segment of organizations and educational institutions seeking trauma-informed programming. Core offerings include monthly virtual writing workshops ('Virtually Together'), open mics and curated theatre/poetry performances, the 'Surviving Social Distance' digital zine, and a consulting/coaching service ('How To Make A Brave Space Consulting') for schools, correctional facilities, and community organizations. The Survivor Alignments/Brave Space Framework is the organization's proprietary methodology, published under a Creative Commons license requiring attribution.

The organization's platform is intentionally low-tech: a WordPress website, Zoom-based virtual workshops, and physical event spaces in and around Chicago. All programming has been free to participants since inception. Revenue is generated through a mix of grant funding (from entities such as Third Wave Fund, The Network, 3Arts, Loft Literary Arts Center), individual donations (via the Givebutter platform), founder investment, and an early-stage paid consulting/booking service. The organization has operated on a volunteer basis since founding, with the first two full-time hires planned as part of a five-year strategy (2025-2030) that also includes new publications (StM Book, StM Anthology, StM Podcast), a physical venue with a 100-seat black box theater and 30-seat workshop room, and the resumption of in-person programming in the latter half of 2026.

Name

Surviving the Mic

Legal name

Surviving the Mic

Website

https://survivingthemic.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Surviving the Mic is a Chicago-based nonprofit founded in 2014 that provides free writing workshops, performances, publications, and consulting to amplify survivors of harm, with a priority focus on gender-based violence and intersectionality.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Arts and Survivor Advocacy Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

akta.pro primary industry

Writing Critique Groups & Peer Workshops (EDAMAMAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Peer Support, Recovery Coaching & Sober Living Services (HLAFACAN)

Keywords

• Survivor advocacy services
• Trauma-informed workshops
• Community arts programming
• Performance poetry events
• Brave space consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Free Programming: All Surviving the Mic programming has been offered for free since 2014. The organization is funded through grants, donations, and founder investment rather than participant fees.
2. Grants and Donations: Funded primarily by Founder/Executive Director Nikki Patin with support from operating grants, programming grants, and community donations. The five-year plan includes securing operating grants to establish a steady administrative foundation.
3. Donations: Individual donations accepted via givebutter platform. The organization also accepts donations of time and resources from supporters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Surviving the Mic is a Black, femme, and non-binary led nonprofit organization that delivers free writing workshops, open mics, curated performances, and publications designed to amplify the voices of survivors of harm. It also provides consulting and booking services to organizations seeking trauma-informed programming and survivor-support education.

Product overview

Surviving the Mic is a survivor-led organization offering a portfolio of programs centered on amplifying the voices of survivors of harm. Core offerings include monthly Writing Workshops (Virtually Together), Poetry and Performance events, and a digital Zine (Surviving Social Distance). The organization also provides consulting services for organizations seeking trauma-informed programming. Planned future offerings include The StM Book, StM Anthology, and StM Podcast.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Virtually Together: Monthly virtual writing workshop series facilitated by Mojdeh Stoakley and supported by the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Assault.
• Surviving Social Distance

Products and services

• Writing Workshops (Virtually Together) Two-hour workshops for survivors of harm exploring the experience, impact and nuances of harm. Includes craft of written and/or performance work, with a mini-salon for participants to present their work. Monthly virtual sessions supported by an Illinois state-certified crisis counselor.
• Poetry and Performance (Open Mics and Curated Performances) Open mic events and curated performances featuring survivors of harm, including spoken word, poetry readings, and theatrical performances showcasing survivor artistry.
• Surviving Social Distance Zine Digital zine featuring poetry, prose, and visual art from survivors, created through a Third Wave Fund grant and curated and edited by Victoria Rose.
• How To Make A Brave Space Consulting (Book Us) Consulting and booking services for organizations seeking trauma-informed, survivor-affirming spaces. Topics include creative writing workshops, performance poetry facilitation, trauma-informed programming, restorative justice, violence prevention, healthy relationships, and intersectionality.

Named customers10 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (CAASE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAASE generously supports monthly virtual writing workshops 'Virtually Together' that happen the third Thursday of every month via Zoom. The organization also supports an Illinois state-certified crisis counselor during all workshops.
• Chicago ReaderminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSurviving the Mic has curated series of poems for the Chicago Reader, providing publication opportunities for survivor artists.
• Chicago Artists CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNikki Patin has sat on funding and review panels for Chicago Artists Coalition.
• ArtsWork FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNikki Patin has sat on funding and review panels for ArtsWork Fund.
• Arts + Public LifeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNikki Patin has sat on funding and review panels for Arts + Public Life.
• ThreewallsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNikki Patin has sat on funding and review panels for Threewalls.
• City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special EventsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNikki Patin has sat on funding and review panels for the City of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.
• Elastic Arts FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNikki Patin is an Elastic Arts Dark Matter Arts Resident, representing Surviving the Mic's ongoing residency with the foundation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• A Long Walk Home: Chicago-based nonprofit that uses art, activism, and education to end sexual violence and support survivors. Closest comparable to Surviving the Mic in geography, survivor-centered mission, and arts-based methodology.
• Project NIA: Chicago-based nonprofit focused on restorative justice, youth diversion, and ending youth incarceration. Comparable to Surviving the Mic in Chicago base and harm-centered intervention philosophy, though more focused on juvenile justice than arts programming.
• Storycatchers Theatre: Chicago-based nonprofit that creates original theater with system-involved and incarcerated youth. Directly comparable to Surviving the Mic in Chicago base, arts-for-marginalized-populations methodology, and jail/prison programming footprint.

Emerging players

• Headlong Dance Theater: Philadelphia-based socially engaged dance and performance company that uses embodied practice for community dialogue. Comparable to Surviving the Mic in using performing arts as a vehicle for social engagement with marginalized voices, though in a different city and modality.
• ArtEquity: Los Angeles-based nonprofit that supports artists and arts organizations working at the intersection of art and social justice. Comparable to Surviving the Mic in arts-driven anti-oppression values and consulting/training offerings, though serving a wider arts ecosystem rather than survivor-specific workshops.

Regional players

• Free Spirit Media: Chicago-based nonprofit providing media-arts education and storytelling programs to young people in underserved communities. Comparable to Surviving the Mic in Chicago base and arts-as-empowerment model, though focused on youth media production rather than survivor writing.

Others

• A Blade of Grass: National arts-and-culture funder that supports artists working on social change. Thematically adjacent to Surviving the Mic as a fellow arts-for-justice organization, but functions as a grantmaker rather than direct service provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/surviving-the-mic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Surviving the Mic