This project involved the design of a research and advocacy publication for the California Tribal Families Coalition(CTFC), titled What Do We Know About Native Youth in California’s Juvenile Justice System. The report was developed as part of a collaborative effort with California’s Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR) to better understand and document how Native youth experience the state’s juvenile justice system.
The publication serves as both an informational and advocacy tool, centering Native youth voices while supporting CTFC’s mission to protect the health, safety, and welfare of tribal children and families—core components of tribal sovereignty and governance. The design was intentionally structured to elevate lived experience alongside research, ensuring the content remained human, grounded, and accessible.
A key design decision was the prominent treatment of pull quotes drawn directly from Native youth narratives. By increasing typographic scale and visual emphasis, these voices are foregrounded throughout the publication, allowing personal testimony to guide the reader through the data and analysis. This approach reflects both the subject matter and my personal connection to the work, informed by growing up in Los Angeles and witnessing how minority communities are disproportionately impacted by the justice system.
Using my expertise in print and publication design, the layout balances professionalism with cultural competency—employing clear hierarchy, disciplined grids, and thoughtful pacing across pages. The result is a publication that supports advocacy, reinforces credibility, and honors the responsibility of designing within sensitive community-centered contexts.
Tools: Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop
Deliverable: Multi-page research and advocacy report
Focus: Publication design, typographic hierarchy, youth-centered advocacy
Deliverable: Multi-page research and advocacy report
Focus: Publication design, typographic hierarchy, youth-centered advocacy
