Creative Content
When I am flying solo, my primary media for communications are written and spoken words (but I am also trying to dabble more in audio production and music). I work in many different formats: reports, articles, essays, opinion/commentary, fiction, speeches, website copy, scripts, presentations, explainers, press materials, and strategic plans, among others.
I write about my work and I also cover more personal topics such as my life and family background, curly hair (yes, this is a big topic with many layers, pun intended), music, death, and whatever else fires my imagination.
When I am working on a team (and I really really love to work with creative teams!) my media formats get much more expansive: for example, video, animation, explainers, commercials, data visualizations, website development, and guerrilla marketing.
Among my more provocative projects: stock photos and b-roll of responsible adult marijuana use, a made-up sex symbol with multiple online dating profiles to encourage younger people to vote, and performers dressed in Prohibition Era costumes descending upon the United Nations headquarters to draw attention to the failures of the war on drugs.
The Prohibition Times
Dressed up at the UN in prohibition era costumes with a group of performers to hand out copies of a letter signed by global leaders calling for an end to the war on drugs.
Marijuana Stock Photos
Produced a series of free stock photos with Ripple Strategies of normal, everyday adult marijuana use to encourage the media to stop using stoner stereotypes for their stories about marijuana policy and legalization.
Shirtless Ryan
Created a fictitious sex symbol with local activists, promoted with ads and online dating profiles, to get young people out to vote for Measure 91, which legalized recreational cannabis in Oregon.
Multilingual COVID prevention
Managed partnership between ad agency TBWA\Dublin and NGO Translators without Borders to create social media campaign highlighting the need for COVID-19 prevention messages in under-served languages.
Articles
Malayalam Girl Power
My mother has never offered me a whole lot of information about her relationship with my father. He was an international graduate student in chemistry at Michigan State University. She was an undergraduate student in urban planning. It was the 70s. He had...
Blindian Skin
Two moments touched me in my identity feels at the airport in Goa: 1) I saw an ad for sunscreen with a very pale woman (at least ten shades lighter than nearly any locals I have encountered since I have been in Southern India) promising to let you enjoy the sun...
Russians, Latenight Parties, French Chic and Techno – “Is this India?”
Before my trip, an Indian friend told me not to expect to find anything in particular on my visit to India and not to be bound by any specific expectations. She said I would see vast contradictions and it would be impossible to simplify India into one thing or even a...
Universal Brown Girl
I have what I refer to as the “universal brown girl” look. I have caramel brown skin, dark brown eyes and black curly hair. As far as global diversity goes, I may posses some of the most geographically non-specific physical traits possible. If I keep my...