This project is dedicated to reminding the public of the depth and history behind the land that they live and vacation on. Those who have native blood and rightfully deserve a say in the land of their ancestors have been silenced. But the conversation needs to take place.
The hope behind this project was to inspire awareness and respect for these cultures who mourn the loss of something sacred. Change isn't made without conversations. The goal of this project was clear... create something that inspires conversations.
Tote Bag:
Just by viewing this design, you are probably reminded of the "Thank You" plastic bags that you've personally interacted with. I wanted to create a deeper, more impactful, and reality check twist to this easily recognizable design. There is a cheapness mentally connected to these plastic bags and I wanted to imitate and elevate that correlation. This land that was stolen has been treated as cheap, when in reality it is priceless to the cultures who rightfully deserve ownership of it. These bags are made out of durable materials and made to last. A representation that these cultures are still enduring, still fighting, and still deserving of recognition and rights.
Water Bottle:
These water bottles are a way for people to remind those around them that the land they are living and vacationing on has a story... this land is stolen. I wanted to create something that will be used and carried around daily, to open up that conversation and remind people of this truth.
Shirts/Hoodies:
A great way to start a conversation has always been clothing. People are way more likely to ask you a question related to your shirt than randomly ask you. As with everything else, the hope is that this apparel will inspire conversations about the land and rich cultures behind it. It's a stylish conversation starter, and something to wear proudly.
Color & Typography:
When thinking about the colors we needed to utilize, I was inspired by the "urgency" factor. A warning, so to speak. Red encapsulates this perfectly. As far as keeping the illustrations in gray-scale, we were inspired by history and the aging that black and white photographs represent to us.
Typography was a huge part of this project, seeing that it would quite literally be the thing to start up conversations. I chose a san-serif typeface that was closely related to the typography found on the "thank you" bags to keep a sense of familiarity and boldness.