aNNUAL REPORTS

Los Angeles Civil Rights Dept.

Client: LA CIVIL RIGHTS DEPARTMENT, Annual Reports

Transforming Annual Reports into Civic Storytelling (2021–2024

(2025 coming soon)

The City of Los Angeles Civil + Human Rights Department has a powerful mission — protecting Angelenos from discrimination, ensuring equity across the city, and providing the resources for people to directly use in case they experience discrimination — but their communication materials weren’t reflecting that impact.

Their annual reports were filled with data, legal frameworks, and government language that few residents could emotionally connect to and felt closer to an internal document.

The challenge was deeper than design — the department needed a way to translate policy into people-centered stories, to make Angelenos see that these programs directly shaped their everyday lives.

THE APPROACH

We approached the reports as chapters in a living world — a three-year narrative arc that could evolve with the city itself.

( wORLD BUILDING APPROACH )

We transformed dense bureaucratic language into accessible civic storytelling. Every section became a story about community empowerment — spotlighting real voices, initiatives, and outcomes rather than abstract policy terms
We treated each annual report not as an isolated document, but as a building block in a larger communications ecosystem. Each report felt like an addition to an ongoing series of previous reports we did to tell a bigger story. By aligning design systems, tone, and hierarchy across all three years, we created continuity and recognition — turning a government report into a consistent civic ritual.
Each year’s theme responded to the cultural moment — from racial equity to economic justice — ensuring the Department’s communication stayed relevant to what Angelenos were experiencing in real time.
The reports evolved from informational PDFs into cultural artifacts of accountability and progress.
- Perception Shift: The Department went from being perceived as a bureaucratic office to an accessible REAL resource for individuals regarding matters of justice and equity in LA.
- Behavioral Shift: Other city departments began referencing the reports as models for accessible public communication.
- Internal Impact: Staff and leadership expressed renewed pride and alignment, describing the process as a “mirror” that finally reflected the humanity behind their work.
- Momentum Indicator: The continuity across three years built long-term public trust and recognition — residents began to associate the department’s visuals and tone with integrity, not red tape.
The annual report became more than documentation — it became an evolving world of civic transparency and inclusion.