Who is She?11- Emily Pilloton

Emily Pilloton is a designer from the Bay Area who founded a non profit organization that teaches design, engineering, construction, and problem solving called "Project H". As her bio reads, she was inspired by the fictional TV maverick/problem solver with a toothbrush and a wire; MacGyver! She studied architecture and building, and went on to work on design projects that were not only beautiful, but served a purpose. Some of her projects include building water drums with folks in Africa-BUT, I don't get the vibe from her that she's going in and solving people's problems or viewing anyone as less than or poor. Rather, she is going in and working with people, combining their knowledge and hers to collaborate on a design solution to a problem. Take for instance, the classes her organization currently teaches in Berkeley to empower young girls and their mothers to build!! By putting a drill in their hands she is shifting minds and breaking expectations. I found out about her through the documentary "If you build it" which followed her and designer Matthew Miller as they revolutionized what a high school class could be, by building things with their hands, engaging students, and inspiring new ideas about who they could be.

Sources: If you build it (documentary), Ted Talk (video), Lecture CIDIM (video)

If you build it-Project H

Awesome documentary i just saw on Netflix! An awesome org started by Emily Pilloton

One Land, One People Poster-YT

This is a poster illustration I created for Oakland's Youth Together recently to help them guide their students towards the proper resources at Castlemont High School's "One Land One People" center. Having worked in an OLOP center I know that they play a key role in helping kids find social justice, pride, awareness, conflict management, and so many more things. So what better way to put the call out?

Youth Together Poster/Certificate/Postcard

Can't believe I slept on putting this up before the event. Here are some things I illustrated/designed for Youth Together in Oakland California. I love YT because of the hands on approach they have always had with the schools and youth they work with. They also hold a special place in my heart because they maintained something called the Ethnic Studies Conference where youth from all over the Bay Area could come and receive an alternate lesson about African, Asian, or Raza studies, activism, art, and more; even if only for one day. Congratulations to their graduates of 2013.

Character 18-The Golden Child

Wouldnt it be fresh if they did a remake of "The Golden Child"?! This is a re-design of an illustration I originally did for The Akonadi foundation poster contest.Didn't win, but will be entering again next year! Props to the winner Ernesto Yerena and to Akonadi! I wish more organizations offered contests like these. Keep pushing.Keep positivity!

Character 10-Storm

Was sketching this the other day and thought of "Storm" from the X-Men immediately. It's definitely not Halle, but its my post Afro Punk feeling of what she would look like if she lived on Lexington ave..Feel me on this one.

Afro Surfer Dude

A piece I created as a sketch for the child of a friend of mine, that turned into something else.I redid it for the Galeria De La Raza show and I really like how it came out. I hope to be painting some murals that are a little less explained like this soon.