Do you do graphic design skills? Would you like to help a good cause?

The SSA is building a project called Secular Safe Zone that will emulate the successful LGBT Safe Zone campaign. Originally designed for high schools, the program will include online training sessions every month for teachers and other educators who wish to participate. Upon completion of training, these administrators will be sent Safe Zone materials such as posters or banners to hang in their classroom, announcing them as an ally to atheistic students. The high school environment is often hostile to non-believers. This program will give those students help. In early 2012 we will launch the program for high schools and colleges across the United States.

I could not possibly exaggerate how excited I am about this project. Everybody who reads my blog knows how passionate I am about making public schools a safer place for non-believers, and I think this is the most promising way to make it happen that has ever come along.

We’re now into the design phase, and the team working on the aesthetics for the project has decided that nothing produces unbridled creativity like crowdsourcing something. If you have graphic design skills and want to submit a logo for this program, you would have my undying gratitude. Your rewards would be the fluffy feelings of accomplishment that come with contributing to a good cause as well as credit for the logo’s design on the Safe Zone web site.

Now, here are the stipulations.

1. Colors

The SSA has a new branding scheme that uses specific colors. Check our web site to see how we use them. Here are those colors.

And, of course, white. These are the colors you may use.

2. Keep It Simple

We’re looking for something fun, yet simple. Try to keep busyness to a minimum.

3. Shape

The dominant shape should be neither a box or a triangle.

4. It’s Not String Theory

Keep it two-dimensional, please.

I don’t want to stifle creativity, but these are the parameters within which we need to work.

Submissions should be emailed to wwjtd21[at]gmail[dot]com. Do not post your submission publicly! Any submission that does get posted publicly will be unable to be considered. We also reserve the right to alter a submitted image to be more in-line with our growing vision for the project. If this occurs, credit will still be given to the original designer. The deadline for submission is Dec. 31, 2011. All submissions must be made in either .psd or .indd format.



That sounds cranky and picky, especially for somebody asking for free labor, but it’s what must be done. If you’ve got the skills, please help with this project. It would mean the world to me and it will help change things for the better for years to come.