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Live, Hope, Love

Roles
  • Lead Developer
Company/Client
  • Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting,
  • Bluecadet
Activities
  • Interaction Design,
  • Experience Design,
  • Content Strategy,
  • Development

The Emmy and Webby-winning website “Live Hope Love,” created by Bluecadet for the Pulitzer Center, memorializes poet Kwame Dawes’ journey to Jamaica, where he explored the experiences of individuals living with HIV/AIDS. The project used a blend of poetry, photography, video interviews, and music to create a deeply human and emotive online experience. The result was a space for people to engage with and understand the complex emotions and realities expressed in Dawes’ poetry.

National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences: News & Documentary Webby Awards: People’s Voice Communication Arts: Interactive Annual HOW Magazine: Design Annual Adobe: Site of the Day Knight-Batten Awards for Innovations in Journalism: Honorable Mention SXSW Interactive: Finalist, Best in Show Webby Awards: Best Photography, Honorable Mention Webby Awards: Best Art Site, Honorable Mention

The Client

The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting in-depth, high-impact journalism that addresses critical global issues often underreported in mainstream media. Founded in 2006, the Pulitzer Center empowers journalists to cover pressing crises and promotes public engagement through innovative storytelling and educational initiatives.

Innovative Storytelling

Embracing new media and technology, the Pulitzer Center promotes innovative storytelling techniques, including multimedia presentations, virtual reality experiences, and interactive websites. These approaches make complex issues more accessible and engaging for diverse audiences.

A digital chapbook

Multiple avenues existed for visitors to reach Dawes' work, supporting casual browsing and creating room for discovery.

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Design and Interactivity

We crafted an interactive experience that respected and amplified the content. The design focused on allowing the poetry, images, and stories to speak for themselves without overwhelming the viewer.

A rich, reverent, multimedia experience

Created by Kim Quinn, the visual design for Live, Hope, Love tied Josh Cogan's photography to Kwame Dawes' poetry in a way that made them inseparable.

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Multimedia Integration

The website featured a synthesis of various media forms—vivid video interviews, extraordinary photographs, haunting music, and powerful poetry—all inspired by Dawes’ journey.

The poet's voice

The site featured recordings of Dawes reading his poetry and presented his words in a rolling transcript, creating a rich and accessible experience for all visitors.

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Incorporating the Author's Voice

The site featured recordings of Dawes reciting his poems, adding a personal and authentic dimension to the user experience.

Vital Voices

The experience framed Dawes' poems with views into the lives of the people he wrote about.

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Voices of the People

The production team returned to Jamaica to record the voices of individuals featured in Dawes’ poems, lending authenticity and depth to the narrative.

A human experience

Cogan's photography captured the Jamaica that Dawes experienced, a Jamaica separate from the all-inclusive hotels, manicured beaches, and high-end restaurants familiar to tourists.

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Photography's Role

Josh Cogan’s photography played a critical role in amplifying the sentiment of the poems while maintaining focus on the poetry itself.

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