Many Americans live privileged lives. They can’t relate to the horrors inner-city youth endure daily. To help America empathize, a children’s book was created using inner-city children’s real-life experiences of drug abuse, violence and hunger to create a children’s book. The book, “Welcome to My Neighborhood,” consisted of three illustrated bedtime stories “A Good Man,” “Dinner Time” and “My Older Brothers,” each telling a different child’s story — one of drug abuse, one of violence and one of hunger. Each horrific yet true story came to life using the child’s own words, but was put into a format everyone could relate to. It was a book written by children, yet not suitable for children. The book was distributed to key policymakers, funders and media outlets asking them to donate their time, money and power to help put an end to stories like these.
Individual Credits:
1. Debbi Vandeven VML Global Chief Creative Officer SAME
2. John Godsey VML Chief Creative Officer
3. Aaron Evanson VML Executive Creative Director, Art Director
4. Jennifer McDonald VML Executive Director, Client Engagement
5. Laura Picicci VML Supervisor, Client Engagement
6. Matt McNary VML Art Director
7. Nate Bowers VML Copywriter
8. Bill Patterson VML Channel Director, Public Relations
9. Laura Brand VML Channel Supervisor, Social Media
10. Freddie Wise VML Print Production Manager
11. Davey Gant Davey Gant Illustrator
12. Judy Rush realfake Founder
13. Natalie Bluhm realfake Digital Lead
14. Jon Bazata RW2 Productions Director of Editorial
15. Eric Bacus RW2 Productions Director of Visual Effects
16. Brandon Phillips Liquid 9 Composer (ONLY INLUDE FOR RAIDO & VIDEO)
17. Jim Wheeler Owner / Sound Design & Mix Wheeler Audio (ONLY INLUDE FOR RAIDO & VIDEO)
18. Paige O’Connor Youth Ambassadors Co-Founder, Executive Director
19. Tiffany Poor Lynch Youth Ambassadors Co-Founder, President
20.VMLY&R, 6 years ago
