My Role:
•Full-time Communications Manager at GLIDE
•Led creative direction and design execution for the campaign
•Sourced archival materials and led all illustration and layout efforts
Key Deliverables:
•Custom digital illustration honoring Rev. Cecil Williams, incorporating his handwritten notes, historic photos, and key quotes from his sermons
•Adaptations for public-facing materials including invitations, flyers, banners, and limited-edition commemorative pins
Rev. Cecil Williams is a San Francisco icon. In 2019, Rev. Williams turned 90, and GLIDE wanted to celebrate in the community. For his Birthday, I created custom digital artwork highlighting the GLIDE values and samples of Cecil's sermons and quotes. I scoured the GLIDE archives to find source materials, including photos, old sermons, and handwritten notes, all of which were compiled to create something one-of-a-kind.
It was an absolute honor to create something like this to celebrate this landmark birthday. The artwork was used in invitations, public flyers, emails, banners, and buttons. The art debuted and was larger than life-size at a community birthday party where the Tenderloin was invited to celebrate.
Photos by Alain McLaughlin.
Impact:
•Created a deeply personal and visually compelling centerpiece that resonated with longtime community members and newcomers alike
•Artwork was used throughout GLIDE’s communication channels and physical spaces to foster a sense of pride and continuity
•The birthday event drew large attendance and press, reinforcing GLIDE’s ongoing connection to its founding vision and values
