Crafting a narrative driven by data
Rockefeller Foundation 2020 Annual Report graphics
For Rockefeller Foundation’s 2020 Annual Letter, Blue State was tasked with creating graphics that detailed the focus and direction of the organization under Dr. Shah’s leadership. As the lead designer for this project, I wanted to ensure that the designs supported the tone of Rockefeller Foundation’s vision for the organization. These graphics were produced with the help of fellow Blue State designers, Kate Starr, who supported the execution of the graphics, and Hannah Cusworth, who worked on the majority of the animated assets. My goal for the visuals was to feel personal, yet reputable. The data is clean and accurate, with sources listed within each graphic. I created bespoke hand-drawn elements and added photo-clips to feel more human and sincere.
The initial focus for this Annual Letter was centered around energy poverty and how much of a positive impact reliable access to energy can be for communities. Our team quickly turned these graphics around in February 2020, however, another global crisis was making waves.
“Right now, we’re living through a pandemic of devastating speed, scale, and severity. Meeting this moment will take all of us working together to overcome the crisis and resolve the deeper inequalities it has exposed.”
COVID-19 rapidly dominated the public’s focus, for good reason. The narrative of the Annual Letter needed to be updated, but the heart of the letter remained untouched: the devastation that the world’s most vulnerable communities experience is largely preventable.
