You don’t have to be a hero to make a difference in a person’s life—sometimes just being there to support, listen, and simply show up for someone can have a powerful impact. This was the message that six students from the UO Chapter of Design for America—an interdisciplinary club that uses creative solutions to address social issues in the local community—were trying send to UO students through their Not a Hero campaign.

 

Through this project, the Design for America UO Chapter partnered with Lane County Division of Youth Services and Centro Latino Americano—a local bilingual, multicultural agency that serves Latino families in Lane County—to address the issues of youth crime and juvenile justice through mentoring programs. The objective of the project was to create awareness on the UO campus, specifically among the student body, about mentorship opportunities at Centro Latino Americano. The team designed an installation to display on campus in the quadrant across from the Lillis Complex. The installation included four easel-like boards, with the front of the boards displaying the campaign’s slogan, Not a Hero. On the back of the boards were graphics, information about juvenile justice, as well as space for students to leave thoughts, quotes, or names of people they know who have been affected by the issue.

 

The installation was on display for two days, with members of the team on-hand to answer questions, collect contact information from students interested in mentoring, and distribute campaign stickers designed by the team. The Not a Hero campaign inspired meaningful conversations about mentorship, while also connecting youth interested in helping make a difference in teen’s life, with the opportunity to do so. The team designed and distributed 900 stickers and collected contact information from nearly 50 UO students interested in mentoring with Centro Latino Americano.