No Se Puede

Designing a Movement Rooted in Culture, Community, and Action

No Se Puede is more than a phrase — it’s a collective response to the barriers that Latino communities in Michigan continue to face. What began as a powerful rejection of “no se puede” (“it can’t be done”) grew into a statewide movement celebrating Latino resilience, contributions, and leadership.

Brand Robear led the visual identity, campaign creative, and storytelling strategy that helped activate this moment across sectors — from policy and advocacy to education and grassroots organizing.

A woman with glasses and a patterned blouse is speaking into a microphone during a conference or seminar, with a large group of people sitting at round tables in a wood-paneled room.
A man giving a presentation in a conference room with a large projection screen, surrounded by seated attendees, near large windows showing trees outside.
A woman in a white blouse and blue patterned skirt standing with hands clasped in applause at a formal event or conference, with attendees sitting at tables in the background.
A woman with dark hair speaking passionately during a discussion at a conference or meeting, with two men in business attire listening to her.
A woman with red nail polish and multiple rings writes on a sticky note with a black pen. Her hand is on a white table with a piece of paper, a water bottle, a box, and a phone visible in the background.
A large conference room filled with people seated at round tables, attending a presentation with a large screen at the front displaying a slide titled 'Understanding Treatment: Our Anniversary Week.'
A woman with curly hair speaking to a group in a meeting room with large windows and natural light.
A man with glasses and tattoos talks during an interview in a room with wooden walls and red chairs.
Four people seated in orange chairs during a podcast interview, wearing headphones and speaking into microphones, with a large window and potted plant in the background.
Women engaged in a discussion during a conference or workshop, with tables and materials in a well-lit indoor setting.
A man wearing headphones sitting in front of a microphone during a recording or interview, with a window and greenery outside.
Group of five women and one man standing in front of a large banner with messages in Spanish and English that say, "No se puede sin nosotros" and "We can't without us," smiling for the photo.
Three women standing in front of a backdrop with the words 'No Se Puede Sin Nosotros' and 'Without Us' repeated. The woman in the center is wearing a beige sports jersey with the number 10 and a medal, while the women on either side are wearing patte
Group of six diverse people posing together in front of a backdrop with the text 'NO SE PUEDE SIN NOSOTROS' repeated multiple times.
A diverse group of people seated around round tables in a conference room, attentively listening to a woman speaking with a microphone in front of a projector screen displaying a presentation titled 'Breakout Discussion'.
A speaker with a microphone addressing a diverse audience seated at round tables in a conference room with wooden paneling and colorful abstract artwork.
A group of diverse people seated around a round table in a conference room, participating in a discussion or workshop. A large screen displays the title "Table Introductions" and prompts for participants to introduce themselves, where they are coming
Conference room with attendees seated at round tables and a presentation setup in the foreground with a laptop, microphone, and monitors.
Colorful sticky notes on a whiteboard titled 'Infrastructure + Capacity' outside near a grassy area and trees in the background.
A poster on a glass door with colorful sticky notes about 'Communications + Narrative Change'. The poster is outside with green trees and grass visible in the background.

Our Role

  • Brand Identity Development

  • Visual Language & Poster Design

  • Messaging & Narrative Strategy

  • Campaign Toolkits

  • Digital & Social Assets

The Approach

We started by listening — to organizers, educators, families, and young people. From those conversations, we built a visual system that honored cultural heritage while speaking in a modern, accessible tone.

Inspired by historical farmworker movements and contemporary organizing, the campaign used bold typography, warm colors, and symbolic elements (like raised fists, monarch butterflies, and rooted trees) to build recognition and emotional resonance.

We crafted bilingual tools and visuals that could be easily adapted by community partners statewide. Our system was designed to show up across print, social, web, and in-person events — from youth-led rallies to policy roundtables.

Impact

  • 150+ community members joined the launch event

  • Campaign materials reached audiences across 9 cities

  • Visuals were adopted by schools, nonprofits, and health organizations

  • The project sparked intergenerational conversations about identity, power, and belonging

  • NoSePuedeMovement.org became a hub for stories, actions, and cultural celebration

Why It Matters

Latino voices are often erased or sidelined in Michigan’s public narrative. No Se Puede flipped that script — placing lived experience and cultural pride at the center. We didn’t just design a campaign. We helped create a platform that tells our stories, on our terms.