poster illustration

Empty the Shelters Campaign with Housing Our Neighbors

In 2020, I was commissioned to create a series of posters highlighting leaders experiencing homelessness and surviving in shelters during the pandemic to contribute to a multi-year long campaign by Housing Our Neighbors (HON) and other housing and public health advocacy organizations to fund alternative shelter space in hotels and city-owned property. The fight for permanent, dignified, affordable housing continues in our city. 

One of the HON leaders, Kathy Marks (pictured below with short brown curly hair)passed away during the process of drawing her portrait in October 2020. Below are remarks from Rachel Kutler, a  HON volunteer coordinator, to remember Kathy:

"We are heartbroken to share that Kathy Marks, an incredible individual and beloved HON leader, unexpectedly passed away last week. Kathy joined HON this last year, and dove into the work like she had been a member of our family for years. She testified at our Truth Commission event in July, delivered petitions to City Hall, and was a true leader at the Pinderhughes shelter. She was dedicated to the work of housing justice - she never missed a meeting since our first HON meeting at the shelter, and organized her friends to attend too. Kathy was a talented writer and speaker. Before a meeting or event, she liked to write out her speech beforehand and practice it over and over again until she had it right. She was an encouraging teacher and helper, who wanted to see the people around her grow. We will remember her as a warm and calming friend, measured and defiant. She had a witty sense of humor and was not afraid to call you out, but always in the nicest way. She was kind and generous to everyone around her. We are devastated that Kathy lost her life in the shelter she was fighting so urgently to get out of. May her memory be a blessing and a reminder to keep fighting."

War on terror timeline with the justice for muslims collective

"Shattering Justice & Re-Making the Muslim Threat: A Visual Timeline of the War on Terror" is a visual timeline commissioned by the Justice for Muslims Collective, in partnership with The Sanctuaries DC. 

The exhibit features a carefully curated poster series that outlines the many policies that have targeted Muslims since 9/11. All research was conducted by Dr. Maha Hilal, with visuals co-created by Muslim artist Zaynub Siddiqui and myself, focusing on design, composition, and color. 

The goal of the exhibit is to highlight how entrenched Islamophobia has been throughout the War on Terror and the expanding apparatus of state violence.  Complementing the exhibit, Justice for Muslim Co-Director Dr. Maha Hilal presented a keynote talk discussing the implications of the War on Terror, and the conceptualization of the timeline as a means of resisting state violence.  In addition,  The Sanctuaries DC, hosted an interactive session on cultural organizing.  The series of posters began in 2018 continued to grow until 2021 and be used in different political education settings. 

Collective Action for Safe Spaces (CASS)Poster Series: SAFE BARS

Collective Action for Safe Spaces, based in DC, commissioned me to illustrate portraits of femme-identified local organizers from 2016 - 2018 who hold identities targeted by public harassment as part of their Safe Bars and Anti-Street Harassment public campaign. These posters were wheatpasted in the streets, printed on subway cars, and posted in bars that have undergone safer spaces intervention training to give people tools and options to respond to harassment when it occurs, and build a culture that helps prevent it.

Campaign posters with Baltimore Transit Equity Coalition

I have volunteered with the Baltimore Transit Equity Coalition, a multi-racial and community-led organization that advocates for all transit riders across MD to gain equal access to public transit, from 2015 - 2021 by creating graphics for various campaigns and events. Below are a few highlights! Please visit www.moretransitequity.com to learn more about current efforts to establish a Baltimore Regional Transit Authority, or BRTA.