When NEPA Pride Project announced an open logo contest, I entered with a concept rooted in Appalachian landscape and queer history — and won.
NEPA Pride Project is a visible and beloved force in Northeastern Pennsylvania’s LGBTQ community. Through its annual Gayla fundraiser, the organization channels queer celebration into direct support for the arts.
The new mark and identity I designed fuse the spirit of the Pocono and Endless Mountains with LGBTQ identity. The “n” mark draws on both the region’s name and the rainbow, an iconic symbol of the movement, creating a memorable form that feels regional yet resonant with the queer people everywhere.
Color plays an important role in celebrating place and people, too. June Day reflects green summer ridgelines during Pride Month; Pocono Mountain Purple evokes their winter silhouette. Together, the palette offers a distinctive, memorable take on the green–indigo–violet half of the Pride flag.
Ultimately, I designed this identity and mark to not just to represent a queer community, but my own queer community—one rooted firmly in the Appalachian soil and as enduring as the mountains themselves.
Description to come.