Lindsay Constantino
Inclusion: X, G, Q
Concept & Research
As children grow up they learn how to think and act from those around them, so it is important they are taught how to accept and include others. This book aims to help children (and adults!) become more aware of how they speak and act, and how to be more welcoming to their peers. In order to learn more about interactive experiences targeted towards kids, we visited the Strong Museum of Play. This really showed me just how tactile and intuitive children can be.
G is for Geography
The environment where people live and grow up may have a very big effect on how people live. These pages will show kids that not everyone thinks or feels the same for many different reasons (family, culture, nationality, etc). In order to help the younger audience understand this concept better, I used the metaphor of different animal kingdoms and ecosystems. The way humans think and feel can differ based on their environment, just like how animals from different areas think, feel and act differently based on their surroundings.
Q is for Queer
These pages will highlight the LGBT community and their reclaiming of the word “queer”. The main goal of this spread is to tell kids that it is okay to be queer. We also want the users to feel being queer is something that should be celebrated and should make them proud. By learning about these different identities, they can better understand and include others.
X is for X-Chromosome
Although everyone in the world is different and it may seem like there is absolutely no common ground with some people, we all have an X-Chromosome. Some have 2, some have 1 and some have a Y, but deep down we can all find one similarity in each other. This spread will be focused on a scientist in his lab, looking at DNA on a microscopic level. As we go through this book and talk about including others regardless of differences, it is important to remember the similarities we have as well.
Recap
This experience was both exciting and challenging from the moment it was presented to us. Put in a group with 8 other people, I had a difficult time balancing everyone’s different ideas, perspectives and feedback. Although it took some time, we all learned how to function cohesively, setting certain restrictions without limiting our creative freedom.
Downloadable Assets
You may use the below assets created for this project provided via Figma as long as you give attribution, share your outcomes, and if your use is non-commercial in nature.
