4 Seasons of Reconciliation Awareness Campaign

To promote SAIT’s 4 Seasons of Reconciliation course—offered in partnership with First Nations University of Canada—I was tasked with creating an awareness campaign to engage students and staff across campus. The course responds to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, offering transformative education in a free, three-hour format.

Client: SAIT – Natoysopoyiis Centre for Indigenous Engagement
Role: Lead Designer
Deliverables: Poster, pull-up banner, postcard, bookmark, social graphics, internal newsletter graphic
Year: 2024

Strategy and Concept:
Listening First, Designing Second

In this phase, I developed a visual strategy to communicate the importance of Reconciliation Education and Indigenous awareness at SAIT. My goal was to raise awareness of the free course while fostering understanding, respect, and meaningful engagement within the campus community.

The design process was shaped by both collaborative consultation and personal learning. I worked closely with SAIT’s Director of Indigenous Engagement and the Natoysopoyiis team to ensure all creative decisions were culturally respectful and aligned with Indigenous knowledge systems and protocols. At the same time, I was completing the Indigenous Canada course through the University of Alberta. That learning deeply informed my approach, offering valuable insights into Indigenous histories, symbolism, and ways of knowing.

Rather than imposing a visual direction, I approached the work with humility and reflection—listening, researching, and iterating to ensure the final concept honoured the intent of the course and resonated authentically with SAIT’s diverse audiences.

Learning While Creating

While developing this campaign, I was simultaneously completing the Indigenous Canada course through the University of Alberta. This parallel learning journey offered critical insights that shaped both my visual language and design approach. It deepened my understanding of Indigenous histories, symbolism, and ways of thinking and learning. For example, the idea of using a wampum belt-inspired motif for one of the icons was directly influenced by teachings on treaty relationships and oral tradition. Every element—from icon structure to color use—was chosen to reflect Indigenous ways of knowing, not just to meet design trends or stylistic preferences.

Icons that Mean Something

To bring the course’s six learning outcomes to life, I created a set of custom icons—each one thoughtfully designed to reflect a specific theme. These weren’t just decorative symbols; they were visual metaphors rooted in Indigenous knowledge and storytelling. Together, the six icons form a central star or flower shape—a visual symbol of connection, learning, and growth.

Coming Together Through Learning

Together, the six icons form a central star or flower shape—a visual symbol of connection, learning, and growth. Each icon represents one of the course’s key learning outcomes, and when brought together, they reflect the holistic nature of Indigenous education—where knowledge is interconnected, relational, and rooted in lived experience.

This formation is more than decorative. It symbolizes a journey: as learners move through the course, they begin to see how each theme—history, worldview, personal bias, continuity, reconciliation—interrelates. When all six outcomes are understood together, they create a fuller picture of truth.

For non-Indigenous learners especially, this design invites reflection on the humility required to engage in reconciliation. It represents how learning is not linear but layered—and how, by honouring Indigenous teachings and perspectives, we can come into better alignment with one another, rooted in respect, understanding, and a shared commitment to change.

Designing with Intention and Respect

The campaign needed to feel unique but still fit within SAIT’s brand. I leaned into the existing blue palette—not just for consistency, but because blue holds deep meaning in many Indigenous cultures. It’s linked to water, spirit, and peace—values that aligned beautifully with the course. I paid close attention to layout, spacing, and tone, creating visuals that felt calm, clear, and respectful. With feedback from both the SAIT Marketing team and Indigenous Engagement, we refined the look through several iterations to get it just right.