Trenton Circus Squad
Visual Identity, Website, Illustration
Identity and fundraising materials for a social circus nonprofit based in Trenton, NJ
Trenton Makes Circus
The Trenton Circus Squad connects youth from Trenton with youth from Princeton and other affluent suburbs. The Squad offers young people the tools to flourish as individuals and to strengthen their communities. Our particular focus was the representation of Black kids in a way that is celebratory but with a deep awareness of historical exclusion—from minstrelsy to institutionalized racism. The identity offers a portrait of integration built around values of equality, camaraderie, and service.
The Excitement of Circus
Because the nonprofit launched in the winter, we organized a photo shoot in Trenton at the Roebling Wire Works Factory—the place where the Brooklyn Bridge was manufactured—to capture the energy and excitement of this new circus. It was magical to see the transformation in the kids' personas as they selected and donned the costumes of their choice. Suddenly, they became more expressive and more free to really be themselves and to connect more deeply with others.
