Our History

Let’s Breakthrough began with a bold idea: use culture to change culture—to make discrimination and violence unacceptable and build a culture of justice, dignity, and equality. In the U.S., and beyond, we promoted rights of women and girls, along with racial justice, immigrant rights, and more, using a potent mix of media, arts, tech, and leadership training to reach millions of people where they are and inspire them to take bold action to challenge the status quo. 

We envision a world in which everyone lives with dignity, equality, respect, and justice. We believe that promoting equality of genders is a pathway to promoting the human rights, and the humanity, of all people. 

Breakthrough India which was created by Mallika Dutt around the same time, continues this work, while Lets’ Breakthrough in the U.S. supports organizations worldwide that carry the same vision forward.

Highlights from our history

1. Founding action / Mann Ke Manjeere
Breakthrough in India began when founder Mallika Dutt launched the first-of-its-kind Mann Ke Manjeere, a chart-topping, award-winning music album and video about women’s dreams. The story of a woman leaving an abusive marriage to become a truck driver reached more than 100 million households across South Asia and millions more worldwide. This bold fusion of pop culture and human rights set the tone for the organisation’s strategy: use culture to change culture. 

2. Rights Advocates (India and U.S.)
From the start, Lets’ Breakthrough paired media with grassroots leadership. In India with their support, 650+ students got trained as peer leaders in 2004–05, reaching 100,000 youth who continue to challenge patriarchal norms in their communities. In the U.S., productions like Waking the American Dream and Speak Up! Act Up! used theater and music to spark national dialogue on immigrant rights and civic engagement, while gatherings like Why Can’t America Have Human Rights? brought 70+ partner groups together to demand dignity and justice.

3. Games for Change: ICED, Homeland Guantanamos, America 2049
Breakthrough was a leader in games for change. ICED (I Can End Deportation) reached 28 million through global press and hundreds of thousands of downloads, putting players in the shoes of immigrants navigating detention and deportation. Homeland Guantanamos pushed players to investigate abuses in detention centers. America 2049 brought human rights into Facebook gaming, featuring stars like Margaret Cho and Victor Garber, and immersing players in a dystopian future to inspire action in the present.

4. Bell Bajao / One Million Men
Launched in India in 2008, Bell Bajao (“Ring the Bell”) invited men and boys to interrupt domestic violence. The campaign reached 130+ million people in India, with youth advocates traveling 80,000 km in video vans to engage 2.7 million face-to-face. Holding the hands of Lets’ Breakthrough, it went viral worldwide, won a Cannes Silver Lion, and inspired adaptations in China, Pakistan, Peru, and beyond. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon became its first Global Champion, and by 2013, Ring the Bell: One Million Men. One Million Promises rallied men on six continents to take concrete action.

5. Be That Guy
With bold placements in iconic dude-heavy spaces, Breakthrough’s Be That Guy animation challenged sports fans to call out harassment. Debuting on Jumbotrons at the Daytona 500 and Indy 500, the campaign measurably increased viewers’ willingness to intervene. A follow-up PSA series at Green Bay Packers tailgates reached millions more, proving that mainstream sporting arenas can be powerful platforms to shift public standards.

6. Dudes Against Violence Against Women: Because DUH
This sold-out live comedy series (2014, 2015, 2018) in New York City featured all-male lineups—from Judah Friedlander to Roy Wood Jr.—flipping the script to show that “dudes” can be allies against gender violence. These events leveraged humor and pop culture to reframe men as visible, vocal partners in challenging harmful norms.

7. #NoMayPac
In 2015, Breakthrough seized global attention around the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao “fight of the century” with the viral #NoMayPac campaign. Launched just three days before the bout, it reached more than 50 million people with the message that domestic violence is unacceptable, reframing the conversation toward accountability for athletes and the institutions that celebrate them.

8. Action Lab, Breakthrough Voices, Our Stories, Breakthrough Spotlight, We Count, and more
In the U.S., Lets’ Breakthrough has built platforms where young leaders and artists drive culture change. Action Labs convened students to design media campaigns against violence. Breakthrough Voices amplified artists like Alicia Jamison, whose “Black Girl Magic” poem drew tens of thousands of views. Our Stories: In Vivid Color spotlighted the dreams and activism of girls and gender-nonconforming youth of color through film, mentorship, and media partnerships. Breakthrough Spotlight and We Count! further connected art, narrative, and civic action—mobilizing youth of color, LGBTQ+ youth, and immigrant youth to vote, create, and imagine new futures of justice.

9. Consolidating, Greater Focus, Strengthening the Work in Global South

With this reach history and experience, Let’s Breakthrough is developing as the organisation that supports and strengthens organizations dedicated to girls’ and women’s rights in the Global South, especially focusing on India, South Asia, and Africa. Let’s Breakthrough will work towards sustaining path-breaking work in these countries towards creating greater opportunities for girls to complete education, delay marriages, and follow a career pathway.  It will create exciting opportunities for organizations to learn from each other and replicating the successful models thus creating happier communities where young women fulfilling their dreams and aspirations become the new normal.