PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Youth violence is not a problem of individual choices, but rather a manifestation of the frayed social fabric. The project showcases blankets produced in a workshop titled, “The Memory Project” that was designed to address the problem of youth violence in the City of South Bend. The design solution is a workshop that supports a series of memory blankets created by the hands of mothers that have experienced loss due to violence or lost a loved one to violence in the city of South Bend. Using stitching, embroidery, fabric painting, applique, and patchwork, these blankets celebrate the lives of the children lost by recapturing their lives through memories pieced together. The workshop brings together various community partners like the Center for the Homeless, The River Bend Quilt Guild, and Mamas Against Violence that support the participants involved with this workshop. The aim is to empower these women and to help them recognize the power of their narratives. The resulting pieces are at once commemorative and an act of defiance against the perpetrators of violence. While loss persists but these pieces help memories triumph. Every blanket is a tribute to the transformative journey from grief and loss to resilience and empowerment.
PROJECT INFORMATION
Entry Type: Single Entry
Channel: Print
Primary Role of the Designer: Designer as change agent
Client Relationship: Unknown (NA) / Other (if other, please explain) The client is the community where the problem of youth violence resides.
Intention of the Project: Unknown (NA) / Other (if other, please explain) The goal is to address the systemic issue of youth violence in our community by working collaboratively with law enforcement, city government officials, community leaders, and community members affected by such violence. The design intervention includes the workshop called, "The Memory Project".
Development Budget: More than $50,000
Production/Execution Budget: More than $100,000
Source of Funding: Other (if other, please explain) The project is funded through generous grants from the Jessie DuPont Foundation, Community Foundation of St. Joseph County, the City of South Bend, and the Center for Social Concerns (University of Notre Dame)
Typefaces: Hand cut, drawn, painted, store bought fabric type
Paper:
Materials: Felt, thread, wool, fabric paints, appliqué, cloth patchwork
CREDIT INFORMATION
Creative Director: Neeta Verma
Art Director: Neeta Verma, Kathy Williamson, Linda Harper
Designers: Heidi Bell, Beverly Brown, Kisha Jacobs, Rose Redding, Lillie Redding, Ruth Reese, & Shanette Smiley
Researchers: Brian Fogarty, Ethan J. Fridmanski, Meagan Hughes
Developers:
Copywriter:
Illustrator:
Photographer: Steve Toppe
Printer:
Producer:
Other Credits: Steve Camilleri, Executive Director, Center for the Homeless; Bobbie Woods, President & CEO, Mamas Against Violence; Takisha Jacobs, Chief Ambassador, connect 2 be the change
Mitigating Youth Violence: The Memory Project
Category
Social Design
Description
Winner - 365: AIGA Year in Design (2021)
Title: Mitigating Youth Violence: The Memory Project
Design Firm/Agency: Neeta Verma
Client Industry: Unknown (NA) / Other (if other, please explain) The project is for the community undertaken through four grants awarded for the project.
Client Location: South Bend, Indiana, US
Juror Comments
“It took some discussing during the jury process for this entry to be considered. In the end, a majority was open to the idea that good design could also mean creating a successful, meaningful process as a response to an observed need—in this case one that allows participants to create a memorial quilt—without having the actual output being judged against international design norms.” —Jan Wilker
Self-Identified Distinctions: Design for Good
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