SIREN brought us on to create visuals for their annual research meeting—a project rooted in meaning and transformation. As always, we began with our collaborative intake process: a detailed questionnaire followed by deep research to uncover a concept that would speak to the heart of their mission.
While I don’t often share the early concept phase, this journey sparked some particularly striking visuals worth showing. These concepts were inspired by SIREN’s ongoing work to apply a racial equity lens to social care research—important, complex work that we aimed to represent through abstract visual elements, as requested.
The result was a series of thoughtful, symbolic directions that helped lay the foundation for a bold and resonant final piece.
Concept 01
This concept weaves together three distinct figures to form a unified whole—symbolizing the power of collective perspective. It embodies the spirit of community and reflects a simple but profound truth: If what we did to others directly affected ourselves, we would treat each other more fairly.
The central figure depicts a colorful, welcoming gathering of diverse individuals thinking and moving as one. More than just an image, it visually expresses SIREN’s guiding principle: “We aim to feature speakers who represent a diversity of social identities, lived experiences, perspectives, and professional roles.”
It’s a celebration of unity without uniformity—a visual reminder that inclusion deepens insight, and that our differences, when honored, make us stronger together.
Concept 02
This concept reimagines a classic bar chart—often used to compare data—as an abstract cityscape, blending the language of research with the rhythm of community life. The bars stand tall not just as data points, but as structures built on inquiry, symbolizing the analytical foundation behind social health equity research.
Rising from this city are multicolored arms reaching skyward, representing the diverse individuals that make up society. Their upward motion suggests aspiration, unity, and collective progress. Together, the elements form a symbiotic landscape—where data and humanity are not separate, but deeply interconnected.
Concept 03
This concept humanizes the data by placing a person—rather than cells—under the microscope. The figure, a woman looking upward, challenges the traditional perspective of scientific inquiry, reminding us that behind every data point is a human being.
It echoes SIREN’s commitment to “creating space for these conversations without leading them,” while also reflecting their powerful call to action: “We must take an unflinching look at the field and ask hard questions of ourselves, particularly about how racism shapes social care practice and research—and how these impacts often remain invisible to those with socially privileged identities (e.g., white, male, native English speaker, heterosexual, white-collar professional, etc.).”
Overall, the image portrays a researcher engaging in deeper, more critical reflection—set against a vibrant, healthy environment that represents the ideal outcome of such introspection and accountability.
