Joy Schendledecker
Joy Schendledecker for City Council District 3
Narrative
Joy, a non-traditional candidate, wanted her campaign to project warmth, approachability, and a distinctly feminine aesthetic in a political landscape often dominated by masculine and corporate design.
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Design Mechanics
The campaign used a soft yet confident color palette—warm reds, muted pinks, and earthy tones—that blended political symbolism with accessibility. Typography was chosen for clarity and friendliness: bold sans-serifs for headlines paired with lighter, humanist fonts for body text. This balance communicated strength without losing approachability.
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Imagery centered on the reinterpreted left-wing rose, borrowed from the Socialist Party’s iconic rose-and-fist logo. By extracting the rose and softening its presentation, the design conveyed solidarity with progressive traditions while emphasizing care and connection over combative imagery. Consistent graphic treatments, such as circular motifs and rounded edges, reinforced the themes of inclusivity and community.
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Narrative and Impact
The campaign wove design seamlessly into its political message. Joy emphasized solidarity and community care as the foundation for building a fair, just, and equitable society. Her slogan, “Justice in All Things: People, Housing, Environment,” anchored this vision and tied it to practical priorities. By presenting a visual identity that invited rather than intimidated, Joy’s campaign broke from tradition and positioned her as both authentic and forward-thinking.
Yes on Empty Home Tax
Yes on Empty Home Tax Campaign
The Empty Home Tax Campaign presented a bold, grassroots identity that matched the urgency of Santa Cruz’s housing crisis. With a measure targeting second homes left vacant for most of the year, the campaign embraced a “tax the rich” spirit, arguing for housing as a public good rather than a commodity.
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Design Approach
Unlike traditional campaigns with polished, institutional branding, this effort leaned into a warm and non-traditional visual style that immediately signaled its grassroots nature. Bold colors—deep oranges, bright yellows, and strong reds—were paired with thick, blocky fonts that felt direct and unapologetic. Pre-designed assets were adapted to create a consistent but flexible toolkit, allowing organizers to produce posters, flyers, and digital content quickly without sacrificing impact.
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The visual strategy centered on attention-grabbing appeal, aiming especially at younger renters who felt the direct consequences of Santa Cruz’s inflated housing market. By keeping the design loud, warm, and easy to replicate, the campaign maximized visibility and reinforced the urgency of the measure.
Narrative and Impact
The campaign narrative framed the tax not as punishment, but as a practical tool to make housing more equitable and expand supply in one of the nation’s most expensive markets. Its grassroots design and messaging tapped into frustration over housing injustice, channeling it into collective action. By speaking directly to renters and younger voters, the campaign made the housing crisis personal and actionable.
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The Empty Home Tax Campaign demonstrated how design can function as both a tool of persuasion and a signal of values—urgent, bold, and unapologetically on the side of the community.
