Copyright 2007-2012
Built with Indexhibit

NPR’s Studio 360 is a weekly radio show with an eclectic approach to examining the arts and popular culture. The show has a series on rethinking icons for the 21st century.

My investigations into redesigning the visual identity of America yielded more questions than answers. I struggled to reach conclusions on how we might reduce the personification of our enormously diverse citizenship to one image.

To attempt to personify America through one personality ignores the multitude of perspectives present in our diverse culture. To redesign an antiquated image of our country is to remain rooted in traditions and struggles of the past. We need to define a new patriotism. We need to look forward.

Kid America is bursting with potential. Kid America looks toward the future with hope, with optimism, with an unrelenting determination to make things better. Kind-hearted, headstrong, full of good intentions, naive, fearless, makes bad decisions sometimes, willing to risk scraped-up knees to climb to the tip-top of the highest tree: the demeanor and outlook of a child propels us fearlessly into what lies ahead.

Thank you to Kate Bingaman-Burt for facilitating this project.

I received the honor of runner-up in the design challenge! See my submission, along with the true blue winner here.