Brief: Create a campaign for CALM to educate people that commit microaggressions on the harm done and how to change their behaviors accordingly.

Research: I wanted the message to come directly from those who have experienced micro-aggressions to those committing it, so I sent out an open form asking people to list things people have said or done that they have experienced as micro-aggressions. For the initial round of this project, I asked for micro-aggressions based on race and gender, but I could see this project expanding in the future.

Concept: Micro-aggressions are, well, micro. Viewed individually, they can seem so minor, but again and again over time, they can seriously damage a person’s mental health and wellbeing. I used repetitive visuals and headlines like “death by a thousand cuts” to get this point across. 

Design Choices: My solution to draw viewers in was to create something visually interesting and unique, but friendly. To connect with the audience and land the message once I have their attention, I let real people and their stories take the lead. Each piece of torn paper is a real, direct response I received. I overlapped and filled the frame to emphasize the repetition. The final campaign has a friendly and playful tone to encourage empathy and create an environment where people can be forgiven and learn from their mistakes.