CREATIVITY
THE POWER OF VISUALS TO CREATE A MESSAGE
DARLEEN
✹
MEXICO CITY
✹
DARLEEN ✹ MEXICO CITY ✹
Hola! I’m Darleen.
I’m here so that you can join me on a journey to develop your creative thinking for change-making. I know it can be hard to tap into our creative and artistic side, but I promise that you have it in you and I’m gonna help you share it with the world.
I am a first generation Mexican-American. Growing up as part of two cultures, with two languages, two histories allowed me to blend and mix so many beautiful experiences.
Being bicultural was challenging because I never felt like I neatly checked one box of belonging. Now that I’m older I realize that this has allowed me to take a diversity of perspectives and experiences into what I do. We are not meant to fit neatly into a category and it is these multiplicities that make us strong in what we have to say. It is from these experiences that I am coming to SHIFT to offer you a variety of content so that you can navigate your own journey of sharing your vision with the world.
1
What are people saying about this cause? And what can I add to the conversation?
“The opposite of social justice is ignorance and inaction.”
TIP
Create your own personal library of resources about your topic. Images, books, quotes, articles and videos are all great resources that you can always go back and reference. This allows you to know what is being said about your cause and where you can expand efforts.
👆 Why You Engage in Activism?
Go to page 10
👆 Look through this list of organizations, See which are related to your cause, get inspired and build a network!
EXERCISE
Try this! Search “Social Justice issues in (your country or area of interest) and see what comes up, make a note of what topics you find and where your cause fits in.
Now, more specifically, search (your social cause) in your country/internationally and see what comes up. Make a list of movements and strategies that are working with your cause and see what you can learn from them.
Create your own personal library of resources about your topic. Images, books, quotes, articles and videos are all great resources that you can always go back and reference. This allows you to know what is being said about your cause and where you can expand efforts.
2
How can I encourage others to get involved in my campaign?
👆 Recruiting Activists
Go to page 54 - 59
👆 Preventing Burnout
Go to page 60 - 63
BRAINSTORM
BRAINSTORM! Make a list to outline the common obstacles you may encounter while trying to engage the community. Read through the list below and compare it with what you wrote.
What are some lessons learned about community organization and change?
👆Communication is key to spreading your message so this is helpful to get started.
TIP
Be SMART about getting others involved, you want to design actions and content that are:
Specific: State what you will do/what you want others to do for your cause using action words.
Measurable: Provide a way to show evidence of what you’ll do for your cause in terms of numbers.
Achievable: An action that is attainable and realistic for you or others to act on.
Relevant: Something that clearly relates your cause with the lives of people, make it personal and show them that it definitely impacts them.
Time based: A specific time in which you or others will complete the action.
3
What types of resources do I need for a successful campaign?
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
👆 Arthur Robert Ashe Jr. was an American professional tennis player who won three Grand Slam singles titles.
TIP
Resources come in many forms, from tangible to intangible, it’s important to think clearly about what you have around you and use anything and everything you can towards your goals.
Material resources: Objects like a computer, printer, camera, cellphone, anything physical that can be useful.
Social Resources: Networks can help you with material resources as well as spreading your message, attending events, etc.
Skills and Talents: Personal abilities and experiences that you can draw on to help you in your cause.
👆 Assessing Your Tactical Repertoire
Go to page 52
👆Fill out this worksheet to get a specific idea of what skills and resources you can count on, and which you might need to develop or work on to find.
4
There’s public space everywhere.
How do I put that to good use for my campaign?
Be creative about what public space means and how you can use it. Public space is everywhere. Don’t be afraid to use it.
What is a public space? Public space is a place that is open and accessible to people without a fee. It relates to the idea of a social space because people can interact and engage in that place in different ways.
👆👆👆 Art, Protest, and Public Space
👆 This reminds us what public space consists of and gives us examples from around the world of how public space is used within social movements.
👆An interesting example of how art interventions in the streets can serve to bolster a movement's social memory and participation using George Floyd’s case as an example.
TIP
Use of public space takes many forms. It can look like:
- Educating others by sharing information in interesting ways (written, art, theater, etc.). Giving others the chance to explore their own thoughts and feelings about the topics.
- Advocating for legislation by providing opportunities for people to learn about the history and impact of legislative change and the positive effects it can have. Analyzing proposed legislation in relation to your cause and assess the extent to which it will have an impact.
-Creating signs and posters using any kind of art, photography or video. The use of blogs and social media sites like Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat, memes and online petitions are some examples of how online content can incite quick and effective action.
👆A great zine on how to protest safely, effectively and with purpose.
5
How can I use visuals to spread my message on social media and stand out in the crowd of content?
I can’t emphasize enough the potential of social media for activism, but it’s very visual-heavy so you definitely want to make sure that you are exploring all possibilities with photos and videos when sharing on social media.
“Social media is about sociology and psychology more than technology.”
👆Learn to develop a plan for social media diffusion in under 30 minutes!
THINK ABOUT IT!
Storytelling is all about the content, the emotion and the visuals!
Content: What are you saying about your cause?
Emotion: What do you want people to feel about your cause?
Visual: How are you sharing the message through images?
TIP
What types of visual content will you be needing?
Visual content: Things like images, videos, GIFS, reels, posters, flyers, stickers, etc.
Make a list of possible content you'll need and this way you'll have a better idea of what to make to spread your message. This will depend on the platforms and spaces you are using to spread your campaign.
ANSWER THIS
When incorporating/designing a visual for your cause, consider the following:
Color: What colors are appropriate to your message? It’s not necessarily about how colorful or not the visual is, but more about color being used in favor of the message.
Font: What font will you use? Try to limit it to two. You can also use fonts for emphasis.
Composition: Where will information be placed? A good idea to indent info towards the left – it makes it easier to read
Hierarchy: Font, size and color are strategies to allow us to see what info is the most important – use this to use advantage.
A well-thought out visual will draw people in and make them interested about your message. If it’s TOO visual, it might distract from what you are saying and if it's TOO simple, it won’t catch people’s attention. That’s why it takes time to figure out the sweet spot for your specific need. It’s useful to ask: would this be something I would share/repost/retweet?
EXERCISE
# it! Using hashtags on your posts is key to getting your message across to new users.
Create a master list of hashtags by groups of 15 to 20. Pick from these lists, switch them up on a rotating basis. Have a nice mix of general and niche hashtags. Interact with people and accounts using these hashtags as they could be potential followers.
6
How can I design my campaign and what tools can I use?
Take a look at these series of posts and interventions I’ve made for social media so you can get an idea of the many ways to share a message →
THINK ABOUT IT!
Storytelling is all about the content, the emotion and the visuals!
Content: What are you saying about your cause?
Emotion: What do you want people to feel about your cause?
Visual: How are you sharing the message through images?
👆This excerpt from the Effective Activist Zine shows a series of options of strategies you can use
7
There’s so much to do.
How do I make a good plan?
A creative strategy is like a 'big idea' or creative theme that runs throughout your campaign. Think of it like a TV series you love. The 'big idea' or 'creative theme' is what the show is about, the look and feel of it and the show's core message. The episodes are then like content, but they all relate back to those core creative themes.
TIP
Organize: in every shape, way and form that you can! If this means having a special calendar, planner or journal, do it! This is key to track your progress. You have to manage your time and resources to make it work.
Commit: it really does take a lot of perseverance and patience. Success is just beyond your comfort zone.
Fail: remember that failure is necessary for growth so instead of worrying about failing, focus on what you can learn and improve to move forward.
Empathize: put yourself in the audience’s shoes. What would serve and interest them?
👆 Effective Activist Zine: Effective Activist Planning
Go to page 90 to 103
👆 Effective Activist Zine: Components of Effective Activism
Go to page 18 to 21
8
What should I do when I’m out of ideas?
“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it – they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while.”
EXERCISE
STOP: Mental health check-in!
When you’re stuck in a rut and feel like you can’t think anymore, it’s a sign that you’ve been working extra hard to get your message out. You DESERVE a break, some time to relax – this is a reminder that time spent on you, relaxing, resting, is never a waste of time.
DO THIS!
Go for a walk. Clear your mind and breathe
Play! Do something you don’t do that often, something leisurely and maybe a bit challenging to stimulate other parts of your brain and body.
MAKE A LIST
Oftentimes, we burn ourselves out because we think we have to be working all the time. Work smarter, not harder. Take some time and reflect on the following questions:
What accomplishments, goals, tasks have you completed this week?
What is one thing you are proud of that you were able to do this week?
What is something that didn't turn out the way you wanted to? What strategies can you try next time so that it works out?
“Now that you’ve gone through these resources, developing and creating a visual story for your cause doesn’t seem that daunting right?! Developing strong visuals and knowing how and where to share them can make a big difference in gaining momentum for your message. It’s not so much about making a pretty picture, but more about developing a whole idea and intention to get people to connect with your cause. An emotional reaction to your visuals will generate a connection with the audience and will make them want to take action.
Becoming familiar with your own creative process and how you work takes time and practice. A good combination of organization, applied with clear goals and intentions, can help you become comfortable with creating powerful and captivating visuals. Working with these ideals can be challenging, so remember to be patient with yourself and take time when needed to prevent burnout. You can always refer to this guide for inspiration and guidance on making your message. Now go out into the world and share your cause with potent visuals! You got this!”
- Darleen