America 250 began with a broad idea: travel to rural communities, listen to the people living there, and bring greater attention to stories often left out of national conversations. There was no existing visual direction, and the tour needed to launch quickly. I was responsible for turning that starting point into an identity that could support the project as it developed.

“A Nation on Fire” was presented as the central concept for the tour, but it did not yet have a visual direction. I translated that idea into a bold editorial system that could carry the urgency of the project without relying on traditional patriotic imagery. I then extended the direction across social graphics, event materials, and the tour’s ongoing needs.

The system was also designed to center the local journalists, organizers, and leaders closest to each story. I have continued to extend it across social graphics, event materials, and other needs as the tour grows.