Afford—Ability

Afford—Ability strives to address the complex and layered aspects of what it means to be ethical and sustainable in the current Western and North American political and economic state. It encourages the public to come together against the commodification of social movements for capital gain and the unfair judgment of those who have effectively been ‘priced-out’ of ethical living due to systemic barriers.

The campaign aims to make ethical living accessible and affordable by way of public demand for government and corporate responsibility that calls for infrastructure which removes systemic barriers rather than reinforcing them.

Through the lens of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Afford—Ability questions the implications that stem from sociopolitical institutions of classism, to capitalism, neoliberalism and affordability—while exploring ideas of guilt, responsibility, morality, and judgment.

The design of the printed and digital materials is centered around low-cost, high quantity, sustainable, and accessible materials. The aesthetic takes inspiration from punk and feminist zines of the early 80’s and 90’s, experimenting with scanning, warping, risograph printing methods, and DIY binding.

What we do as individuals is powerful, but when we come together, we are capable of great change. This campaign brings the collective political power and community to the forefront of social & environmental dialogue. Together we work to inspire, educate, inform, and empower one another to continue to do better, for all people.

Services

Research
Campaign Strategy
Print Publication
Web Layout
Copywriting

Awards

DESIS Radical Sustainable Innovation:
The DESIS Radical Sustainable Innovation Award honours student projects that best demonstrate how design can “activate, sustain, and orient processes of social change toward sustainability” (Jégou & Manzini 2008). The award was established in 2019 by the Emily Carr DESIS Lab.

Emily Carr DESIS Lab Award Announcement