Hayti Reborn Justice Movement
WORK CASE 6
AGENCY: Freelance
ROLE: Creative Director, User Experience Designer
HRJM Project Scope
Strategy and Messaging
Printed Collateral
Logo, Typography, Color
Iconography/Pattern/Illustration
Brand Guidelines
Web Design/Development
Making the steps toward turning a mission, calling, an organization into a ‘movement’ that delivers abundance.
Hayti Reborn Justice Movement (HRJM) is a nonprofit organization that was concepted in 2018 as the joint efforts of retired Durham Chief of Police Steve Chalmers and retired correctional facility warden Lisa ‘L.A.’ Jones. The organization is connected to the larger nonprofit ‘Hayti Reborn’ which serves the Durham area and focuses on the redevelopment of the urban area of ‘Hayti’ a historically African-American community which has suffered economic hardships and inequalities.
HRJM however is focused on helping the black and brown justice impacted individuals from the Durham, NC area. They help direct participants to service providers and partners providing all around services including Economic Development, Education/Vocation, Health and Wellness, Housing, Mentoring and much more.
The problems that needed to be solved
The task that I was given to help HRJM with was multifaceted. They were a relatively new organization that was tied to a larger non profit. They wanted to make sure there was clarity in their own identity as well as the ties and connections they had. Once we began to unpack and understand who and what HRJM stood for we could focus on the internal issues they had and were seeking to solve.
A distinct brand identity
that still connects to their heritage and origins
While (HRJM) exist under the larger Hayti Reborn organization, there is a desire to establish their own identity and sense of autonomy while still paying homage to the larger brand. The idea is to establish a relationship akin to that of two cousins rather than a carbon copy or child to parent.
Alignment on messaging
and understanding the organizations goals
Help HRJM understand who they are and what they provide. What is the overall communication strategy of this non profit. There are many ideas about what HRJM is and does but we need to unify these concepts in a way that can be easily understood.
Online platform that streamlines processes internally/externally
With their own identity and own mission and tasks HRJM needed to build their online hub. They needed a modern tool that aided them in the complex processes they have as a non profit while providing value to their intended audience.
Establishing brand messaging, tone and visual language
After conducting interviews, internal and external research and several facilitation exercises with HRJM staff I was able to create a central brand strategy. With this information I was able to give direction to the designer to begin exploring how to translate this into a new visual language.
Logo
The HRJM logo is intended to be a modern rendition of the original ‘Hayti Reborn’ logo. We wanted to craft a visual identity that felt sophisticated but also approachable. We want this to feel like home.
A Fresh Visual Language
The HRJM brand voice is a reflection of its core values and mission. It strives to be considerate, attentive and loving while also feeling crafted and candid. The color palette is based on the original Hayti Reborn palette but adjusted for better contrast and for my dynamic range. Some other neutral and earth tones to help soften things and bring some elegance without dismissing the vibrancy of the brand. Typography strikes a balance between feeling authoritative and approachable, we took the sentiment of ‘love with accountability’ into account when making these choices.
Building the online destination to power the movement
After finishing creating a new visual and new language for HRJM, I guided them through the process of building their new website. They initially had a rough outline laid out but needed to flesh it out as well as help in making it a useful tool for the organization both internally and externally. With their cooperation and help from my developer and project manager we were able to give them something that not only strongly showcased their message and ethos, but removed many of the hurdles that come with operating such a robust organization.
Features/Components of Site
Forms for new participants, partners, volunteers and media inquires
Section highlighting participants, staff or partner organizations talking about their experience with HRJM
Automated population of form submission information into organizations database with an email notification to necessary parties
Clear and segmented explanation of onboarding process for new participants and partners
Interactive timeline showing the history and legacy of HRJM
Donation module and page powered by ActBlue
Full roster of current staff with contact information
Content page for adding written and video entires surrounding news, announcements and recap of past events
Automated event population and display based on current ticketed and non-ticketed events connected to Eventbrite
Access to several resources and tools such as a custom built workforce development tool (view case study)
Another step forward for
the HRJM
HRJM had a website. It essentially was a page with the ‘Hayti Reborn’ website. They had previously tried to build their own website outside of Hayti Reborn, but needed assistance to bring the full vision to life. They wanted something to be proud of and something that could actually benefit their intended audience.
How did we make this transformation?
Clear user flow and information architecture: We developed a site map and laid out all the segments that we needed to cover or that we felt helped address our needs. With the client we made sure to organize segments in a way that makes it easy to find what you are looking for efficiently.
Content structure and copywriting: We needed to help better articulate their messaging. Their writing and content felt overly wordy and did not contain a tone that matched their brand. This was the opportunity to sit with the marketing department and craft the story that HRJM really wanted to tell.
Accessibility: We made sure the site was responsive with a mobile-first mentality allowing for those on a variety of devices to use. We also considered changes based on WCAG standards especially where color contrast and tap target size were concerned.
