GRAPHIC DESIGN FOR JUSTICE
¡Buen Provecho! is my social impact design project that uses storytelling to increase visibility and patronage of the POC and Latinx-owned businesses associated with the Portland Mercado, a hub of food and service businesses owned by the POC community, located in Southeast Portland.
The project has two parts:
1. A coupon booklet for the Portland Mercado
2. A website linked to QR codes posted at participating Portland Mercado businesses. (Due to lack of funding, the website is no longer active.)
ROLE: Creative Director, Graphic Designer, Website Designer, Project Founder, and Organizer, Design Thinking Methodology.
PURPOSE:
-Highlight the inherent value in Latin American Food
-Make meaningful connections between Latinxs and the rest of the Portland community, and
-Increase visibility of Latinx and POC-owned businesses in Portland
How does Buen Provecho work?
When at the Portland Mercado, look for the QR codes posted at the participating businesses. Scan the QR code with the ¡Buen Provecho! logo and you’ll be directed to a webpage with information, photos, and an interview with the owner of that business.
Buen Provecho began in 2017 as an initiative to create a for-sale coupon booklet for the businesses at the Portland Mercado. The booklet not only includes discounts but also interviews and other activities to incentivize people to visit and eat at the Portland Mercado. For logistical reasons, we were not able to print the coupon booklet and instead decided to only use QR codes to drive traffic to the content about the vendors on the website.
I directed the coupon booklet project using design thinking principles, involving the vendors at all stages of the development. I designed the booklet, conducted the interviews with a colleague, Erin Stevanus, and received support from other creative professionals in the Portland area to make the booklet a reality. 100% of the profits (after operating costs) would have been donated back to the Portland Mercado (if the coupon booklet had been printed, distributed, and sold).
Visit the Portland Mercado at 7238 SE Foster Rd., Portland, OR, 97206, to enjoy the community and delicious food.
All photos taken by: Isabel Martinez of Plug Interactive. Contact her for your photography and video editing needs!