Climate Change Mural Mentorship
Team:
Sana (Me): Product Designer, Youth Mentor
Diya: Founder, Mentee
Team of 6 students
Impact
Mentored artist and managed project
Secured mural location
Developed AR mural experience.
Created project website
Secured partnership with Urban Sprouts
Tools:
Adobe Aero
Wix
Google Suite
Duration
February 2024 - Present
The Problem
Air pollution in the Bay Area is a critical public health crisis, disproportionately impacting communities of color. Traffic-related air pollution contributes to over 2,500 deaths and 5,210 new childhood asthma cases annually. In West/Downtown Oakland, this pollution causes half of all childhood asthma cases. To address this urgent issue, my mentee, Diya, sought to create a mural that raises awareness and inspires change.
Art As Activism
Art possesses a unique power to transcend barriers and evoke emotional responses. Historical examples, such as Keith Haring's AIDS awareness campaigns and Picasso's anti-war works, demonstrate art's ability to inspire action and drive social change. By leveraging this potential, the Persistent Planet climate change mural aims to engage the community and foster awareness of the urgent issue of air pollution.
My Role: Mentor & Design Lead
As a Product Designer and Youth Mentor at Her Idea, I partnered with Diya to bring her climate change mural project to life. My role encompassed mentorship, project management, and design leadership. I guided Diya in securing a mural location through outreach efforts and developed a comprehensive website to support her project and organization. Additionally, I introduced the concept of an AR mural to enhance the overall impact and engagement.
AR Mural: Enhanced Experience
I created an augmented reality mural accessible through a QR code. Once scanned, viewers are presented with a virtual slideshow that complements the physical artwork. This interactive experience provides additional context about the mural, including relevant climate change statistics and information about our partner organization, Urban Sprouts. The slideshow also includes clickable links to both the Persistent Planet and Urban Sprouts websites. The AR mural was developed using Adobe Aero and is currently awaiting implementation at the mural site.
Website Development
I designed and developed a website for Persistent Planet using Wix.
To ensure alignment with the project's visual identity, I created initial wireframes and mockups in Figma and iterated on the design with the mentee. To streamline the content management process, I built a flexible website template allowing the mentee to easily update text and images. The website effectively showcases the mural and provides essential information about climate change.
Website Heading Design Options: I made some heading options for the homepage so
my mentee could look though and decide which website aesthetic she wanted to go with.
Website Heading Design Options (Contiuned)
Homepage Design Options: I made some design options for different sections of the
homepage. I did this so we could have a good format for the content.
Outreach & Partnership Development
To support my mentee's vision, I initiated a comprehensive outreach campaign to secure a mural location and build essential partnerships. This involved contacting numerous community gardens and climate change organizations. Additionally, I connected her with a local muralist to provide expertise and guidance during the initial project stages. Through persistent efforts, I successfully established a partnership with Urban Sprouts, securing a prime location for the mural.
Next Steps:
The mural is currently in production. Upon completion, I will install the AR experience to enhance viewer engagement and interaction with the artwork.
Reflection:
Mentoring Diya on this climate change mural project has been incredibly rewarding. I've enjoyed supporting her creative vision and making a tangible impact on the community. Addressing climate change and environmental justice is a critical issue, and I'm proud to have contributed to raising awareness through this project.
Thanks For Reading!
Climate Change Mural Mentorship
Team:
Sana (Me): Product Designer, Youth mentor
Diya: Founder, Mentee
Team of 6 students
Impact
Mentored artist and managed project
Secured mural location
Developed AR mural experience.
Created project website
Secured partnership with Urban Sprouts
Tools:
Adobe Aero, Wix, Google Suite
Duration
February 2024 - Present
The Problem
Air pollution in the Bay Area is a critical public health crisis, disproportionately impacting communities of color. Traffic-related air pollution contributes to over 2,500 deaths and 5,210 new childhood asthma cases annually. In West/Downtown Oakland, this pollution causes half of all childhood asthma cases. To address this urgent issue, my mentee, Diya, sought to create a mural that raises awareness and inspires change.
Next Steps
The mural is currently in production. Upon completion, I will install the AR experience to enhance viewer engagement and interaction with the artwork.
Reflection
Mentoring Diya on this climate change mural project has been incredibly rewarding. I've enjoyed supporting her creative vision and making a tangible impact on the community. Addressing climate change and environmental justice is a critical issue, and I'm proud to have contributed to raising awareness through this project.
Art As Activism
Art possesses a unique power to transcend barriers and evoke emotional responses. Historical examples, such as Keith Haring's AIDS awareness campaigns and Picasso's anti-war works, demonstrate art's ability to inspire action and drive social change. By leveraging this potential, the Persistent Planet climate change mural aims to engage the community and foster awareness of the urgent issue of air pollution.
Outreach & Partnership Devlopment
To support my mentee's vision, I initiated a comprehensive outreach campaign to secure a mural location and build essential partnerships. This involved contacting numerous community gardens and climate change organizations. Additionally, I connected her with a local muralist to provide expertise and guidance during the initial project stages. Through persistent efforts, I successfully established a partnership with Urban Sprouts, securing a prime location for the mural.
Website Development
I designed and developed a website for Persistent Planet using Wix.
To ensure alignment with the project's visual identity, I created initial wireframes and mockups in Figma and iterated on the design with the mentee. To streamline the content management process, I built a flexible website template allowing the mentee to easily update text and images. The website effectively showcases the mural and provides essential information about climate change.
Website Heading Design Options: I made some heading options for the homepage so
my mentee could look though and decide which website aesthetic she wanted to go with.
Website Heading Design Options (Contiuned)
Homepage Design Options: I made some design options for different sections of the
homepage. I did this so we could have a good format for the content.
Website Heading Design Options: I made some heading options for the homepage so
my mentee could look though and decide which website aesthetic she wanted to go with.
Website Heading Design Options (Contiuned)
Homepage Design Options: I made some design options for different sections of the
homepage. I did this so we could have a good format for the content.
Website Heading Design Options: I made some heading options for the homepage so
my mentee could look though and decide which website aesthetic she wanted to go with.
Website Heading Design Options (Contiuned)
Homepage Design Options: I made some design options for different sections of the
homepage. I did this so we could have a good format for the content.
Website Heading Design Options: I made some heading options for the homepage so
my mentee could look though and decide which website aesthetic she wanted to go with.
Website Heading Design Options (Contiuned)
Homepage Design Options: I made some design options for different sections of the
homepage. I did this so we could have a good format for the content.
AR Mural: Enhanced Experience
I created an augmented reality mural accessible through a QR code. Once scanned, viewers are presented with a virtual slideshow that complements the physical artwork. This interactive experience provides additional context about the mural, including relevant climate change statistics and information about our partner organization, Urban Sprouts. The slideshow also includes clickable links to both the Persistent Planet and Urban Sprouts websites. The AR mural was developed using Adobe Aero and is currently awaiting implementation at the mural site.
Thanks For Reading!
My Role: Mentor & Design Lead
As a Product Designer and Youth Mentor at Her Idea, I partnered with Diya to bring her climate change mural project to life. My role encompassed mentorship, project management, and design leadership. I guided Diya in securing a mural location through outreach efforts and developed a comprehensive website to support her project and organization. Additionally, I introduced the concept of an AR mural to enhance the overall impact and engagement.