An art book about Palestine & Israel activists’ personal stories, promoting the power of listening
Peace & International Relations
Timeline
3 months
Impact
3 publisher interests, 200 readers, 6 reading events
Graphic designer, Editor
What I did
Illustration, Visual Narrative, Concept Development, Audience Definition
How do we understand each other, even in the most difficult times?
I felt powerless in front of conflicts, at home, at school, and in society. But during a trip to Israel and the West Bank, seeing peace activists listen to me and respond changed my mind: I have a voice.
And more than that, by listening to complex opinions, I realized: Others, too. All of this realization came from listening.
Through this experience, my team and I created an art book that conveys the message: “Listening is powerful.” The book is called “ROOTS.” Like the roots of a tree, we aim to spread grassroots action of listening, opening readers’ hearts to different truths.
Choosing watercolor to transform hesitation into curiosity
In a topic surrounded by hopelessness and powerlessness, curiosity is the first conversion. We needed to help readers not only learn, but also to empathize with real people.
This began by transcribing two peace activists’ personal stories of moving from the single story to embracing complex truths in one heart. Then we brought international students’ journal entries from the Middle East trip to tell how each person’s truth matters. Then we brought watercolor illustrations to ease readers into listening, feeling, and reflecting.
The result: More curiosity, a sense of safety, and engagement with the content.
IMPACT
3 publisher interests
30 readers
200 interests
ROOTS, an art book, has removed walls for readers who had felt powerless in the face of conflicts, sparking curiosity by focusing on individual experiences rather than large-scale conflicts. We are in the process of publishing the book and expanding it into a documentary.
I’d love to lend a hand!
But you might be wondering if we’re a fit, right?
Explore my work, learn about me, or let’s set up a
short call to talk about your challenges.
Or, you can reach out to me here: asuka@uni.minerva.edu
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