We Are J'Ouvert
Creative Direction, and Multichannel Campaign Development
Brooklyn's J'Ouvert is a pre-dawn celebration rooted in Caribbean tradition, but for years its cultural significance was buried under public safety concerns and negative press coverage.
The 2015 Labor Day weekend became a turning point when Carey Gabay, a member of Governor Cuomo's administration, was fatally shot in the hours surrounding the celebration. The incident prompted a citywide reckoning with how J'Ouvert was being characterized, and a coalition led by the administrations of Mayor de Blasio and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams formed to change the narrative.
I joined the campaign in 2017 as part of a small creative team, owning all design and image selection from the start. After a pause during the pandemic, Yvette Rennie of J'Ouvert City International invited me to return as the sole creative. I expanded my role to include copywriting and social media, and launched wearejouvert.com in June 2024.
The Challenge
When I joined, the flyer in circulation. As the coalition's goals came into focus, it became clear that J'Ouvert's audiences were distinct: longtime participants who needed safety updates, the broader public who needed cultural context and an introduction to the tradition, and everyone in the vicinity who needed a reason to engage safely. The creative system grew to match — three posters, each with a specific job, built from a shared visual identity.
