The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Breakfast is one of Metropolitan State University of Denver’s (MSU Denver) annual events. Met Media works with other MSU Denver departments to create the yearly event. Met Media’s Creative office chooses a student designer to take the lead in designing the campaign from start to finish with the help of the MLK Jr. Peace Breakfast committee as well as guidance from Kathleen Jewby the creative director of the Met Media Creative Crew. It commemorates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and also acknowledges faculty, staff, students and community advocates who strive to push his dream of peace and equality with peace awards.
After participating in the 2019 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Breakfast I asked to design the 2020 Peace Breakfast. I had already envisioned the theme and was shuffling with titles in my head. What became a persistent thought was the idea of water and how it flowed with elegance yet is strong enough to shift landscapes over time. I also thought of how important it is yet overwhelmingly taken for granted.
When I think of the fight for equality and peace water metaphorically embodies the thought and push behind it. With the worlds current environmental challenges revolving around water with climate change, the Flint, Michigan water crisis as well as the fight for Indigenous farmers rights to water and land among the many other issues I was even more convinced that the convergence of peace water flowed perfectly. The title, The Act of Fluidity is a metaphor that uses “act” as a force behind the movement of for societal change and fluidity is the vessel and character of that change. This idea can be visually seen as we imagine the civil rights movement and flood of people peacefully marching in the streets in one accord with a unified mission. Enveloping the March as one drop was important to show unity and to also visually explain the title as a fluid act pursuing justice, peace, equality, equity and anti-hate.
I was also asked to speak on the themes title as it was unique with the use of a water metaphor. I explained my dream of the theme and how amazed I was of the outcome and how it flowed into place with hard work, a unified team and an ebb and flow of responsible communication between the committee, myself and other entities such as the MSU Denver dance department who performed an interpretive ensemble at the event.
I learned so much in the seven-month process of building this event. The production and editorial process and working around setbacks to avoid a larger setback. I also learned the importance of designing for the audience rather than aesthetics such as using larger type sizes after hearing critiques of prior events that many who attend are more seasoned in age as well as accustomed to church pamphlets which have larger type sizes and is typically as large as the standard 8.5”x11” folded piece of paper. Accommodating the needs of the audience was more important than a focus on aesthetics though it was adjusted not neglected.
