Hope
About the Business HACES is a nonprofit based in Lake County with 20 years of experience providing navigational support and expertise. Department of Justice-accredited, HACES specializes in immigration law and offers expert guidance on immigration cases. Operating on three pillars—legal, education, and health—HACES divides its services to address different aspects of clients’ lives, aiming to improve their overall quality of life. My role Contractor. (July 2020 – May 2023) The Marketing & Development Coordinator oversees the marketing department and is responsible for creating all event visuals. Assisted by a marketing intern. (June 2023 – Present) Project Date July 2020 – April 2025 Duration HOPE is a work in progress, continually taking on new forms as new poses are created. Project Brief Maria Elena Jonas, Founder and CEO of HACES, envisioned her organization with a mascot representing and relating to the immigrant journey. She desired to create a unique mascot that would differ from the commonly used symbol within the immigration niche, a butterfly. Maria Elena chose a swallow, a popular migrant bird known for its resiliency and loyalty. I was entrusted with bringing this vision to life and collaborated closely with Maria Elena and Ron, President of the Board of Directors. Together, our goal became to create a friendly mascot that resonated with clients and remained true to the HACES brand. This mascot would serve as a brand ambassador, bringing appeal and intrigue while correctly informing new audiences about HACES, its services, mission, vision, and values. The mascot would elevate brand awareness within Lake County. Phase 1: Gathering Requirement / Research 01 Gathering Requirements Empathized with stakeholdersDefined stakeholders expectations Understood project goals/scope Empathized with stakeholders HACES stakeholders include clients, board members, donors, foundations, employees, and volunteers. A key characteristic of the future mascot would be its ability to empathize with the audience it addresses, with the ultimate goal of forming meaningful connections. For that reason, it was essential to create a well-developed character that carried the essence and values of the brand. Defined stakeholders expectations What do all HACES stakeholders have in common? A deep respect and value for the immigrant. HACES stakeholders are part of HACES because they believe in the: Mission of “providing expertise and navigational support for immigrants and citizens to become knowledgeable, empowered members of society. “ Vision of being a “community leader in services to immigrants, dedicated to building a just and prosperous society where equal opportunity and representation are accessible to all.” Understood project goals / scope The HACES mascot needed to connect to stakeholders’ hearts. For this reason, it was decided that the mascot’s name would be “Hope.” She would embody the struggles and aspirations of immigrants who migrate to the United States. As HACES’ mascot and symbol, Hope would serve as a communicator between the organization, the community, and stakeholders. 02 Research Based on the stakeholders’ expectations, I conducted additional research to ensure that a swallow would be a strong symbol to represent the HACES brand. The swallow needed to serve as a symbol that immigrants from all backgrounds could recognize and connect with. Through research, I discovered that the swallow is widely known across European, Asian, Latino, and African cultures because of its migratory nature. Its recognizable traits—such as making long journeys, showing adaptability, and remaining loyal to one mate—give it a consistent symbolic meaning across cultures. It is often seen as a representation of new beginnings and prosperity, as it signals the arrival of spring. These qualities made it the ideal symbol for this project. For more context, please take a look at the excerpt above from the HACES Brand Style Guide I wrote in 2020. READ MORE Phase 2: Development Personality When developing the mascot, my first step was to consider which human characteristics could be adapted to a swallow’s natural animal traits. I wrote statements like the following: Because it’s a migratory bird that makes a long journey (an animal trait), it is resilient, hopeful, and adaptable (human traits). Because it migrates during the spring (an animal trait), it has been culturally associated with new beginnings and can therefore be hopeful and trusting in its journey (human traits). Because it has a consistent migration path (an animal trait), it can possess confidence in its personal journey, determination, and be strong-willed (human traits). My second step was to identify the emotions Hope would experience. Hope could be happy, excited, hopeful, or calm. Lastly, I thought of poses Hope could do to embody these emotions. Perhaps when she is excited and hopeful, she is flying towards a destination. When Hope is happy, she can smile or spread her wings. When Hope is calm, her face can be poised and relaxed. She can be standing. Role As previously mentioned and established by the HACES team, Hope would serve as a brand ambassador, representing HACES and communicating with the audience on its behalf. In this role, she would often take on the ‘Teacher’ persona, sharing information and educating others. Given her enthusiasm, she would approach this responsibility with energy and passion. The Hope Story Founder and CEO Maria Elena Jonas created the Hope story. This element in Hope’s character development gave her a background, and she was able to relate to the immigrant journey. The following image is taken from the 2020 brand style guide. READ MORE Video Listen to Founder & CEO Maria Elena, me, and Board President Ron talk about the development of Hope. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CccS0RJiRZI&t=47s Phase 3: First Hope Iteration Creation Date: July 2020Used from: July 2020-April 2022 Sketches After doing research and developing Hope’s character, I decided Hope would be specifically a Barn Swallow. When I first sketched Hope, I drew her proportionally correct to an actual Barn Swallow found in nature. I wanted her to appear like a cartoon, yet still retain natural characteristics. My goal was to draw a friendly bird that could also be serious. ColorDuring the time Hope was created, HACES was defining its brand as a whole. Previously, HACES had been identified with
