Train In My Shoes
We were tasked with responding to one of the most pressing civil rights issues of our time: the rise in anti-transgender legislation across the U.S., particularly those targeting transgender participation in sports. The goal wasn’t just awareness — it was action. Our mission was to create a strategy that opened up real dialogue and invited people into the conversation with empathy, understanding, and purpose.
Client
22Squared
Category
Brand Strategy // Art Direction
We centered our concept around storytelling and symbolism — using sport, something that unites and inspires, as a lens to explore exclusion. We asked: What if the stories of trans athletes were impossible to ignore? From that, we developed a multi-platform concept grounded in visual art, education, and community-sourced expression. At the heart of the idea was a traveling exhibition — a space that honored trans athletes’ achievements and shed light on the harm caused by discriminatory laws.
Our solution unfolded across several touchpoints. First, we created an immersive installation featuring portraits and stories of transgender athletes who had been directly affected by recent sports legislation. We then extended the impact through school-based programs, designed as safe spaces for dialogue among young people — tomorrow’s lawmakers and community leaders. To personalize the campaign even further, we developed a microsite where supporters could submit photos and testimonials of customized sneakers — a metaphor for individuality, movement, and taking a stand. Each shoe told a story. Each story added weight.
By 2021, the political climate had grown increasingly hostile toward the transgender community, with sports becoming a focal point in a wave of discriminatory legislation. Trans athletes — especially youth — were being sidelined both literally and figuratively. The issue was complex and deeply personal, but mainstream conversations often reduced it to misinformation and fear. We needed to humanize the impact and make space for real, inclusive dialogue.
Through storytelling, symbolism, and participation, we created a space where empathy could thrive. The installations gave visibility. The school programs nurtured discussion. And the website allowed anyone, anywhere, to show support and solidarity through something as personal as a pair of shoes. Together, these elements formed a movement, not just a message — inviting people to see the individuals behind the policies and inspiring a collective step forward toward justice.
