A.W.A.R.E.
About:
A.W.A.R.E. (Always Watching for Asian Rights & Equality) is a Sacramento-based community-watch program designed to combat anti-Asian hate crimes by partnering with and incentivizing local businesses to actively protect community members. I served as lead designer on the campaign, overseeing the full development of the brand and its supporting materials from concept to presentation.
Team:
Led a 4-person design team in collaboration with William Chen, Jack Kuo, and Ulysses Tu.
Challenge:
Conceptualize, brand, and execute a fully realized awareness campaign — including identity, collateral, merchandise, photography, and a responsive website — within a one-month timeline.
My Process:
I led the campaign through a structured, end-to-end design process:
Research — Audited existing anti-Asian hate campaigns to identify gaps and opportunities for a distinct approach, which informed the decision to build a community-watch model targeting local businesses.
Concept Development — Developed the campaign concept, name, and strategic positioning around business accountability and community protection.
Visual Identity — Designed the A.W.A.R.E. logo and established a cohesive brand aesthetic.
Collateral Design — Produced campaign pamphlets and branded merchandise.
Art Direction & Photography — Directed and shot original photography featuring Asian-American community members, applying a black-and-white treatment to align with the brand's visual identity.
Web Design — Built a responsive website, prioritizing desktop layout before adapting to mobile.
Campaign Strategy — Developed a sponsorship plan and campaign budget to support real-world implementation.
Pitch Presentation — Compiled and presented the full campaign pitch to the client.
Result:
Successfully delivered a fully realized campaign within a one-month deadline. This project deepened my leadership capabilities — coordinating a multi-person team, navigating diverse working styles including supporting a teammate with a learning disability with inclusivity and patience, and executing a complex, multi-disciplinary workload with minimal precedent.
Duration:
1 month — research through final client presentation.
Research & Editorial Design
I designed a four-paged (two-spread) editorial that included a news article about how Asian-Americans are responding to the anti-Asian hate and resources for help.
Website Design
I designed the desktop version of the website and the mobile version using Adobe Illustrator in two weeks.
Desktop Version:
Mobile Version:
Merchandise Design
The Official Staff Vest shows that an employee will intercept acts of discrimination or a hate crime.
Our QR-coded stickers signify to people that the business is participating in our community-watch program, providing relief to visitors, which can also bring more business to the store/eatery.
Flashlight keychains will shine well in dangerous activities while traveling at night.
This small stress cube helps users feel more at ease while traveling through dangerous areas. It is small because it is meant to be travel-friendly and fit in pockets to be discreet about feeling nervous and wary.
Rechargeable phone cases are great for keeping the battery of your phone recharged, which may come in handy in case there is an emergency or a hate crime to report.
Our official hats let people know that the wearer knows about your mission and will do something if they see someone getting discriminated against or witness a hate crime.