Client
Verizon
Revolt TV
Year
2024
Role
Identity
Illustration
Character Design
Background Design
Social media graphics
Icon Design
Recognition
INSTAGRAM
FACEBOOK
REVOLT.
PR NEWSWIRE
ATLANTA DAILY
School is Back in Session!
It was time to celebrate the students and alumni of HBCUs! I partnered with Revolt and Verizon to design a vibe-filled welcome-back tour — featuring live performances, custom merchandise, and music — to kick off the new school year. The tour traveled to HBCUs in Houston, Atlanta, and Baltamore/D.C., connecting with thousands of students and alumni through culture, design, and sound. Guests included up-and-coming rappers shaking the underground scene and local musicians from each state
The project: A homage to the HBCU culture
As the visual designer and illustrator for the tour’s identity system, I developed the brand visuals, created custom characters, backgrounds, and iconography. I translated the creative direction across both digital and print assets. I collaborated closely with the Verizon and Revolt creative teams to ensure designs were production-ready and adaptable for the multiple-stop tour.
The Approach:
Since the project centered around HBCU communities, I approached each character design with deep respect and love for Black culture. My goal was to create characters that felt like real people you’d meet on campus — ensuring authenticity, accurate representation, and relatability.
I researched campus fashion, culture, and design trends across HBCUs, incorporating details that reflected the individuality and pride of students. During development, I gathered feedback from peers and HBCU alumni to ensure the visuals resonated authentically — focusing on energy, inclusivity, and celebration.
Solution:
The tour’s creative direction demonstrated how art and cultural storytelling can strengthen emotional connection and representation. Merchandise featuring my designs sold out at several tour stops, and the campaign’s visuals generated enthusiastic engagement on social media, with posts receiving over thousands of impressions across Verizon and Revolt’s event channels. The project became a reminder of how visual storytelling and cultural design can turn branded experiences into genuine celebrations of community, pride, and creativity.
Naming & VISUAL IDENTITY
Meet the HBCU Crew-Character Design
I created the HBCU Crew characters to represent the collective diaspora of HBCU culture — celebrating individuality, pride, and the vibrancy of student life. Each character embodies a unique personality and story that reflects the diversity and creativity found across HBCU campuses.
From top left: Naomi, Amaya, Jada, Harlem, Sol, Trey, Malik, Noah, C.J., and Dante — each designed with vibes, styles, and energy to capture the essence of authentic campus life and community.
Physical Assets
The HBCU Crew’s characters, icons, and backgrounds were brought to life through merchandise like t-shirts, hoodies, tote bags, and wristbands, as well as flyers, staff badges, cups, and signage. Each asset reinforced the tour’s energy, creating an immersive experience while bringing together the HBCU students and alumni.
Background Design
Meet the HBCU Crew-Character Design
An HBCU schoolyard is alive, active, and full of personality. These backgrounds were designed to capture the vibrancy of student life — showing the different social groups, cliques, and how each character fits within these environments.
I started by designing the backgrounds first to establish the energy and tone of each space, which then inspired the creation of the characters — ensuring their personalities and interactions felt authentic and grounded in the campus experience.
Icon Set
The iconography set was inspired by chic, everyday campus elements — from a Verizon-coded phone and stylish glasses to AirPods Max, and culturally significant symbols like the Black fist. These icons were designed to feel authentic and relatable, reflecting objects and motifs that students would actually encounter on campus, while adding personality and cohesion to the tour’s visual identity.
