Growing Food By and For Angelenos

Rooted Horizons:

Project Name:
Rooted Horizons Food Report

Role:
Lead Designer

Timeline:
3 months (initial report), 2 months (follow-up)

Project Overview:

"Rooted Horizons: Growing Food By and For Angelenos" is a collaborative report by the Los Angeles Food Policy Council and Larta Institute exploring innovations and challenges in urban agriculture across Los Angeles County. Its follow-up, From the Ground Up: Rooted Horizons One-Year Check-In, documents the progress of urban growers addressing food insecurity and climate change through grassroots farming initiatives.

I led the design of both publications, shaping their visual direction and execution to clearly communicate complex ideas while reinforcing Larta’s mission. For the follow-up report, I also extended the visual system into digital formats, including a social media carousel and an accompanying webpage to expand reach and accessibility.

The Challenge:

Both reports needed to translate complex, data-heavy content and community-driven initiatives into visually clear and engaging formats. The original report required balancing storytelling, data, and accessibility under tight production timelines. The follow-up report presented the additional challenge of refreshing the visual approach while extending it into digital channels to maximize engagement.

Design Approach:

Collaborated with subject-matter experts to gather content and visual assets.
Developed cohesive editorial layouts that balance narrative, data, and accessibility.
Designed a refreshed visual system for the follow-up report, maintaining consistency while adding new visual energy.
Extended the report into digital formats, including a social media carousel and a companion webpage, to increase audience reach and engagement.
Applied typography, hierarchy, and color intentionally to make complex ideas approachable and visually compelling.

Outcome & Impact:

Delivered clear, engaging visual narratives that highlight the transformative role of urban agriculture.
Reinforced Larta’s mission and the value of community-driven solutions in building resilient food systems.
Extended impact beyond print through social and web formats, broadening audience access and engagement.
Created a replicable design system that could be adapted for future reports or communications.