/ Work

Weaving Words with Identity – Designing JASS’ Feminist Writing Guide

with JASS (Just Associates)

Client

JASS (Just Associates)

Relationship

Since 2021

Services

Visual Design, Illustration, Print and
publication Design

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Weaving Words, Honoring Roots

A guide that doesn’t just inform, but invites, connects, and celebrates feminist storytelling from the Global South.

Introduction

At We Are Stories Studio, we believe that design is not just about aesthetics—it’s about honoring the voices, values, and cultural roots of the people we design for. When JASS (Just Associates), a global feminist movement-building organization, approached us to design their new Feminist Writing Guide, we knew this would be a project rooted in intentionality, identity, and joy.

Designing for feminist organizations means shaping not just how things look—but how they feel, how they move, and how they hold space for many voices. This was about co-creating a guide that would be used by community leaders, grassroots storytellers, and movement builders alike.

About JASS

JASS (Just Associates) is a powerful global network of activists, educators, and movement-builders rooted in the Global South. Their work spans continents and communities, cultivating feminist leadership and transformative change. With deep ties to local contexts and a commitment to bold, justice-driven storytelling, JASS has always centered the lived realities and cultural expressions of the women and communities they work with.

You can learn more about their work here: justassociates.org

Objective

To design a feminist writing guide that feels like an extension of JASS’ soul—visually rich, deeply grounded in their values, and accessible to activists and movement partners around the world.

Our goals were to:

Use JASS’ existing brand identity in fresh, vibrant ways.
Honor the textile patterns and visual languages of the regions JASS is rooted in.
Make the guide welcoming, navigable, and full of life.
Ensure every visual choice amplified the feminist values embedded in the writing.

Our Design Approach

We started by immersing ourselves in JASS’ visual identity, previous publications, and their brand guidelines. We understood quickly that design for JASS isn’t ornamental—it’s cultural, political, and alive.

Working with Textiles as Identity

One of JASS’ most powerful visual elements is its use of traditional textile patterns from the regions it works in—a symbol of connection, resistance, and heritage. Rather than use these only as decorative motifs, we integrated them into the illustrations themselves.

Each section of the guide was visually punctuated with textile patterns that “wove” through the pages, connecting ideas and stories. We treated them not as background design but as characters in their own right, each carrying regional symbolism and spirit. The textiles guided our composition choices and brought an intentional rhythm to the document.

Creativity Within a Brand System

While we stayed true to JASS’ brand palette and typography, we infused playfulness and movement into the layouts. The writing guide is full of energy, and we wanted the design to reflect that: dynamic text blocks, hand-drawn flourishes, layered textures, and illustrations that felt personal and celebratory.

We considered how each visual element could reinforce the guide’s central themes: authenticity, boldness, care, and imagination. The result was a design language that danced within the boundaries of brand consistency.

This was a guide written by and for feminist storytellers. We ensured the design felt just as expressive.

Illustration Style

Our illustrations were inspired by:

Feminist protest art and zines.
Hand-stitched textiles and embroidery traditions.
Storytelling circles and oral traditions.

We created visual narratives that echoed the guide’s themes of voice, liberation, collective power, and embodied knowledge. Shapes and colors were chosen to echo softness and strength—simultaneously inviting and assertive.

Rather than a sterile manual, the guide became a visually rich, warm, and accessible resource that invited participation and collective wisdom.

Challenges & Reflections

Balancing creativity with consistency: It was important to work within JASS’ existing brand system while still creating something that felt new. We found that the textiles became our creative anchor, allowing us to innovate without straying.
Global resonance: JASS works across Africa, Mesoamerica, Southeast Asia, and the U.S. We had to ensure the design was culturally respectful, resonant, and relevant across these geographies. Our design choices were guided by deep listening and research, with feedback loops to ensure authenticity.
Designing with care: This was more than a visual task. It was about holding space for the many voices and hands that had shaped the guide. We designed as allies, not just creatives—always asking how the visuals could honor the labor behind the words.

Outcome

The final guide was warmly received by the JASS team and their partners. It felt joyful, clear, and rooted. The design helped elevate the content while staying grounded in the community spirit that defines JASS’ work.

For us, it was a reminder that feminist design is not just about representation—it’s about reverence, collaboration, and weaving stories into every page. It’s about creating visual tools that carry intention, pride, and cultural grounding, helping people feel seen even before they start reading.