Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordon Moses.
Hi Jordon, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I have always been a storyteller. In my early 20s, I did a lot of work around arts based organizing and consciousness raising. This eventually involved a larger vision to build a vessel to support other creatives. I co-founded Blackbird Revolt in 2017 in Duluth, Minnesota. We founded it because there was a gap in services provided to nonprofits and community organizations related to graphic design. Billions of dollars are spent every year selling products or brands to people. We wanted to leverage our skills to promote causes that improve our communities and move us toward collective liberation. We started as two cofounders working from our home offices. Now we’re an 8 person team with a brick and mortar in Minneapolis.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No. We operate a business with a very specific brand. We are abolitionists. This turns off a large portion of the market as most business, especially corporations, are not interested in the values we hold. We put liberation, justice, and community above all else. This limits the amount of larger contracts we can pursue. It also turns customers away who may not be interested in supporting our approach to the work. That is a huge challenge. But this is a challenge we chose. What’s the point of creating something that extracts or harms community. We want to see a thriving future where everyone is honored and can live in abundance.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We specialize in graphic design, video production, and sign fabrication. These 3 pillars make up the core of our work. Our bread and butter is branding and print design.
We are so proud of the projects we choose to take on and the community partners we collaborate with. People come to us because of our values, and we say yes because of theirs. It’s a gift to get to do work that supports climate justice, housing for all, education, and racial justice, to name a few.
We are also incredibly proud that every member of our team is compensated equally and 100% of our premiums are paid. We also work 32 hour weeks. We do this because of our values. We also want to normalize that reality. If a small firm of 8 in Minneapolis can do this, every major corporation could implement those policies tomorrow. We want people to see that and understand that your job should recognize your humanity first. Our employers need us, not the other way around.
Any big plans?
Our plans are to grow sustainably and become a creative production house in which client work is only a portion of what we due. In the future, we intend to host larger exhibitions, events, and produce creative material that tells deeper stories within our communities.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://blackbirdrevolt.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackbirdrevolt/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackbirdrevolt/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackbirdrevolt/
