The Work

Three samples submitted in response to the Manager of Communications & Engagement opportunity at the Mississippi Early Learning Alliance.

Brief

RED SQUARED was commissioned by the Foundation for Mississippi History and the Mississippi Department of Archives & History to create a short documentary telling the overlooked story of three Black attorneys—R. Jess Brown, Jack Young, and Carsie Hall—whose civil rights work laid the groundwork for legal activism in the Deep South. We led the full creative process: from archival research and interviews to scripting, filming, scoring and editing a 30-minute documentary. Alongside the film, we developed a full campaign suite to elevate the story across platforms and public events.

Results

✱ Premiered the documentary in Jackson and successfully placed it in national and regional film festivals, including The March on Washington Film Festival, The Morehouse Human Rights Film Festival, The Jackson Film Festival and The Oxford Film Festival
✱ Won a Gold Award in the Southeastern Museums Conference for media production over $10,000
✱ Delivered a full brand system to support the documentary, from large-format posters and social templates to physical event collateral
✱ Helped reintroduce key legal figures into the broader civil rights narrative in Mississippi

Project Scope

✱ Documentary Film (Story Development, Interviews, Editing, Original Score)
✱ Trailer, Motion Graphics, and Archival Research
✱ Campaign Branding & Visual Identity
✱ Festival Assets, Press Kit, and Promotional Materials
✱ Event Design (Posters, Billboards, Table Stands, Print Collateral)

How It Started

The Mississippi Department of Archives & History and the Foundation for Mississippi History approached RED SQUARED with a challenge: tell the story of three unsung legal giants—R. Jess Brown, Carsie Hall, and Jack Young—and their impact on civil rights in Mississippi. What began as a short film evolved into a multi-platform campaign reclaiming their legacy.

Thought Leadership / Long-Form Essay

"The Film Industry Is Shifting. Mississippi Has An Opportunity To Build Now" Cultured Powered by RED SQUARED — 2026

Goal: To translate a complex, data-heavy policy and industry question into an accessible public argument — and use a cultural moment to advance a strategic conversation about workforce development in Mississippi.

My role: Sole author. Conceived, reported, and written independently as part of my ongoing thought leadership practice at RED SQUARED.

Outcome: Published to RED SQUARED's subscriber base and extended network of partners, funders, and collaborators across the state. The piece reflects the same approach I'd bring to MELA's coalition communications — taking complicated systemic questions and making them legible and urgent for a general audience.

[READ THE ESSAY →]

SAMPLE A: WRITING

SAMPLE B — VISUAL & DESIGN

Brand System & Campaign Visual Identity

The Defenders — Visual Identity, Social Graphics & Campaign Design RED SQUARED — 2022

Goal: To build a complete visual identity system for a short documentary on civil rights lawyers in Mississippi — one that could travel across film festival circuits, institutional placements, and digital platforms while remaining rooted in the film's subject matter and tone.

My role: Creative director and art director on the full visual system, developed in collaboration with RED SQUARED's graphic designer. Directed all design decisions including typography, color, motion graphics, and social asset architecture.

Outcome: The film premiered at the Morehouse College Human Rights Film Festival, where it won Best Short Documentary, and went on to screen at the March on Washington Film Festival, Oxford Film Festival, Jackson Film Festival, and additional venues. The visual system traveled with it.

[VIEW THE VISUAL SYSTEM →]

SAMPLE C — CAMPAIGN

Statewide Public Health Campaign

"I Got It!" — The Jackson Heart Study COVID-19 Vaccine Campaign RED SQUARED for The Jackson Heart Study — 2021

Goal: To build vaccine confidence among Black Mississippians during the COVID-19 pandemic through a culturally grounded, multi-channel statewide campaign — countering misinformation by centering trusted community voices rather than institutional ones.

My role: Lead strategist and creative director on all campaign elements, including brand development, video production, media planning, and community engagement strategy. The campaign spanned radio, statewide TV, billboards, digital ads, print, social media, and a dedicated campaign website.

Outcome: The campaign contributed to Mississippi achieving a 49% COVID-19 vaccination rate among Black residents, surpassing the national average of 37%. It was formally recognized by the Biden Administration's White House Task Force for its effectiveness in reaching Black communities. The partnership has continued well beyond the campaign, expanding into long-term health education work including the "Know Your Number" series and ongoing evergreen content distributed across clinics, schools, and community events statewide.

[VIEW THE FULL CAMPAIGN →]

Branding The Documentary

With the story locked and documentary developed, we looked to create a brand identity from the ground up, one that honored the gravity of the subject matter while positioning the project for festivals, education, and public programming. From full-size movie posters to digital templates and event materials, we gave the film a recognizable, elevated visual presence.

Blog

Our Approach

Our approach centers around clarity, efficiency, and a phased implementation structure designed to maintain alignment with existing messaging while expanding engagement.

Phase 4: Monitoring & Reporting

✱ DELIVERABLES:

Tracking of engagement and distribution metrics
Periodic activity summaries and performance reporting
Review discussions to guide adjustments and refinements
Recommendations for continued campaign extension

RED SQUARED partners with institutions to translate complex priorities into clear, human-centered communication. Our work spans public health, civic engagement, and community development across Mississippi.

Relevant engagements include collaboration with the Jackson Heart Study Community Engagement Center, communications and narrative development for the Delta Regional Food Business Center, and storytelling initiatives with the ACLU of Mississippi. We are currently supporting a public awareness campaign funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation focused on Medicaid expansion and stigma reduction. Click the link in each option to see examples→

Also see specifically a Communications Plan and an example of Sample Messaging Framework we completed for the Delta Regional Food Business Center.

Qualifications

We partnered with the Jackson Heart Study Community Engagement Center to design and lead a COVID-19 vaccine awareness campaign tailored to Black communities in Mississippi. The goal was simple: increase trust and access to accurate information. Our team built the full communications framework, from naming and messaging to creative assets and rollout, anchored by the campaign slogan “I Got It.” We developed a unified brand system that included videos, photography, web copy, digital and print collateral, social media toolkits, and community signage, all crafted to reach people where they live, work, and gather.
See our work with the Jackson Heart Study Here →
The ACLU of Mississippi came to RED SQUARED with a big vision: launch a statewide campaign to build deeper connection and recognition among Black communities across the state. While this phase of work served as early groundwork, our partnership focused on laying a strong foundation through community insights, a messaging strategy, and a suite of creative assets designed to guide and anchor future outreach.
See our work with ACLU of Mississippi Here→
We were selected as the communications and branding partner for this $400 million dollar federally funded national initiative dedicated to enhancing the resilience, diversity, and competitiveness of our local food system across the mid-South (Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, and East Texas). Our team created the visual identity and public website. While the project has been cancelled by the current administration, our deliverables remain foundational for a future full public rollout. This includes site design, internal newsletters, stakeholder narrative framing, and USDA-compliant brand development.
See our work with the Delta Regional Food Business Center Here → (PASSWORD: delta)

Budget Approach

The proposed budget prioritizes media placement and audience reach while supporting creative development and coordination required for campaign execution. Resources are distributed across stewardship, production, distribution, and materials to maximize impact within the available contract value.

Campaign review and alignment, planning meetings, project management, media coordination, reporting, and administrative oversight throughout contract period
Adaptation of existing campaign materials, development of supplemental graphics and messaging, limited multimedia production, and preparation of assets for distribution
Targeted digital, social, radio, and community media placement; scheduling and monitoring of distribution activity
Production of printed campaign materials and supporting physical assets aligned with established campaign identity

Total: 73,500.00

This total reflects the budget allocated in the RFQ over a multi-month project timeline. We are able to adjust pacing or consolidate deliverables based on final project priorities as agreed upon during contract negotiation.