The largest fundraiser each year for influential non-profit Academy of Friends is its Academy Awards Night Charity Gala. This high-ticket one-night event is the centerpiece of its efforts to raise funds, award donations, and encourage volunteerism that benefit a diverse set of HIV/AIDS organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area. For the 2020 event, the theme was “Ruby Red,” and they asked me to design the poster for the extensive public advertising campaign promoting the event.

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I had sole responsibility to translate the concept into original poster artwork seen all over San Francisco—on billboards, electronic kiosks and in bus shelters—as well as across social media. For the design, I chose to emphasize diversity as the goal of the event was to welcome everyone. I endowed the piece with a sexy, confident and luxurious feeling with the design of poses, patterns, colors and type. It was a true honor to see this poster featured prominently in the busiest urban corridors of the city, and at the event itself.