Getting the Word Out on a Critical Report During a National Crisis.
Company
The Steve Fund
Industry
The Steve Fund, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to promoting the mental health of young people of color, formed a multi-sector task force of thought leaders to develop recommendations for mitigating the mental health risks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Steve Fund Crisis Response Task Force has outlined ways that higher education, along with a range of stake-holders including nonprofit organizations, mental health experts, students, philanthropy, the private sector and policymakers can and should step up to help students of color.
Crisis Response Task Force using Social Media Amplification
01 Project Goals
Amplifying Support for a Social Media Campaign to Advance Mental Health Equity for Students of Color
This initiative builds on the recommendations of the Steve Fund Crisis Response Task Force by leveraging social media as a powerful tool to support the mental health and well-being of students of color during times of crisis, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
The project brings together higher education institutions and a broad coalition of stakeholders—nonprofits, mental health professionals, students, philanthropic organizations, private sector partners, and policymakers—to increase awareness, share resources, and drive collective action.
At its core, the campaign focuses on designing a distinctive and engaging visual identity that cuts through the noise of crowded social media environments, ensuring critical messages reach and resonate with target audiences. In parallel, it emphasizes scalability by creating adaptable digital assets optimized for all major platforms, enabling consistent and widespread dissemination.
Areas of Focus
Through strategic design and coordinated communications, the project aims to elevate visibility, foster engagement, and mobilize support systems for students of color. Our focus was on three important areas:
- Design for Engagement
Design a compelling, unique and easily recognizable visual identity for the campaign so that content would stand out in a crowded social media feed during Covid-19 pandemic. - Scaling Efforts
Create assets to scale to proper size on all major social media networks. - Active Engagement
Include select excerpts from the Task Force report on assets to highlight important points and encourage influencers to contact The Steve Fund for help.
Social Media Content
View the Entire Campaign Collection
02 Direct Results
Providing a stand-out experience
This campaign translates the recommendations of the Steve Fund Crisis Response Task Force into a dynamic, social media–driven initiative aimed at supporting the mental health of students of color during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond. By uniting higher education institutions with a diverse network of stakeholders—including nonprofits, mental health experts, students, philanthropic partners, private sector leaders, and policymakers—the effort focuses on raising awareness, sharing critical resources, and encouraging meaningful action.
Central to the campaign is a strong, visually compelling identity designed to stand out in crowded digital spaces and foster engagement. Select excerpts from the Task Force report were strategically incorporated into campaign assets to highlight key insights and prompt influencers and institutions to connect directly with The Steve Fund for guidance and support.
The campaign was executed from late 2020 through the first quarter of 2021, with content tailored for seamless scaling across major social media platforms. This approach enabled consistent messaging and broad reach. The result was significant engagement, with the client reporting a high volume of requests to access the full report and consult on strategies to support students of color during and after the crisis—demonstrating the campaign’s effectiveness in driving awareness and action.
Final Results
- Communications Schedule
Campaign ran from end of 2020 through Q1 2021. - Engagement and Reporting
Client reported tremendous engagement and numerous requests to share the detailed report and consult with schools on how to help during and after the crisis.