Editorial illustration
Illustration was a relatively new visual medium for NPR’s newsroom when I first began on the science desk in 2014. Together with my colleague LA Johnson, we set out to build a larger community of diverse artists to conceptualize NPR’s reporting.
We started a Tumblr account called NPR Illustration to tap into the network of freelancers creating content on that platform. We attended ICON conferences and met artists who were increasingly doing comics journalism. We brought on NPR’s first illustration interns. And over time, along with other visual editors at NPR, we built connections with freelancers who brought fresh perspectives to NPR’s reporting.
Some of the examples shown here are pieces I art directed from The Marshall Project and Kaiser Health News, non-profit news sites that frequently collaborate with NPR.
invisibilia podcast
The NPR podcast Invisibilia explores the invisible forces shaping human behavior, ideas, beliefs and assumptions. As an art director on three seasons of the podcast, I worked with hosts and producers on visually translating each season’s unique theme into compelling, emotional art.
I worked with artists Marina Muun, Sara Wong and Kristen Uroda over three seasons.
Episode art was used to promote stories on NPR.org and Apple podcasts. The art was shown at live listening events and used on promotional items sold in the NPR gift shop. I also worked with a small team to produce an animated short film of one story with artist Lily Padula. This was later recognized by the Society of Illustrators with a gold award in animation.
comics journalism
You’re Wearing It Wrong: A Refresher on Mask Safety (NPR, 2020)
NPR graphics journalist Connie Hanzhang Jin pitched a comic on masking as a way to revisit the kinds of masks out there and the best ways to wear them. I worked with them to edit the storytelling and hone the format to work for both the site and Instagram.
View the full comic on npr.org here and the Instagram version here.
when does pregnancy begin? (npr, 2023)
Foods that have been extracted, processed and reassembled now make up nearly 70%. And while ultra-processing makes foods shelf stable, delicious and convenient, there are health concerns linked to diets high in UPFs. However, they shouldn’t all be vilified.
refugee scientist (npr, 2017)
Two NPR reporters returned from an assignment in Germany with an incredible story of a scientist who had fled Aleppo in 2013 during the Syrian refugee crisis. He ended up in Germany where he was able to put down roots as a researcher and ultimately reunite with his family. The graphic narrative format allowed us to take readers into his experiences as they happened. I produced the script and comic journalist Erik Nelson Rodriguez illustrated each piece. Where we could, we used photographs as the basis of the illustrations.
After it published, the comic caught the attention of curators at the Library of Congress who chose to archive it within their collections.
View the full comic here.