Space to Belong
Community Visibility & Digital Experience
Client
Google
Services
- Experience Strategy
- Content Strategy
- Interactive Storytelling
- Editorial Direction
- Messaging Development
Space to Belong | Community Visibility & Digital Experience
Helping LGBTQ+ spaces stay visible when community mattered most.
I helped create Space to Belong, a digital experience for Google designed to spotlight and support LGBTQ+ spaces across the U.S. at a moment when many were under severe strain.
Helping LGBTQ+ spaces stay visible when community mattered most.
I teamed with BlackRock to transform iShares into a more energized, educational, and user-centered platform for ETF investors of all experience levels. For iShares.com, we created a more branded and engaging digital experience that clarified the value of ETFs, helped investors understand how these products fit into their broader strategy, and made the iShares offering feel more relevant, accessible, and distinctive in the market.
Services
- Experience Strategy
- Content Strategy
- Interactive Storytelling
- Editorial Direction
- Messaging Development
Helping LGBTQ+ spaces stay visible when community mattered most.
I helped create Space to Belong, a digital experience for Google designed to spotlight and support LGBTQ+ spaces across the U.S. at a moment when many were under severe strain.
Services
- Experience Strategy
- Content Strategy
- Interactive Storytelling
- Editorial Direction
- Messaging Development
The Approach
In early 2020, search interest in LGBTQ-friendly venues had reached a high point. But once the pandemic took hold and lockdowns began, many of the spaces people relied on for safety, connection, and community started appearing on Google Maps as temporarily closed or permanently shut down. For LGBTQ+ people—especially those outside major metropolitan areas—these spaces were far more than businesses. They were places of belonging, visibility, support, and identity.
The opportunity was to use Google’s own platforms and data to respond in a way that felt both practical and human.
The Approach
In early 2020, search interest in LGBTQ-friendly venues had reached a high point. But once the pandemic took hold and lockdowns began, many of the spaces people relied on for safety, connection, and community started appearing on Google Maps as temporarily closed or permanently shut down. For LGBTQ+ people—especially those outside major metropolitan areas—these spaces were far more than businesses. They were places of belonging, visibility, support, and identity.
The opportunity was to use Google’s own platforms and data to respond in a way that felt both practical and human.
The Approach
In early 2020, search interest in LGBTQ-friendly venues had reached a high point. But once the pandemic took hold and lockdowns began, many of the spaces people relied on for safety, connection, and community started appearing on Google Maps as temporarily closed or permanently shut down. For LGBTQ+ people—especially those outside major metropolitan areas—these spaces were far more than businesses. They were places of belonging, visibility, support, and identity.
The opportunity was to use Google’s own platforms and data to respond in a way that felt both practical and human.
The Solution
Rather than simply surfacing locations, we created a digital experience that gave these spaces a voice. The site featured stories from founders and operators across the country, sharing why they built these spaces, who they serve, and what makes them meaningful to their communities.
The experience also encouraged action. Visitors could discover LGBTQ-friendly spaces through Google Maps, learn about the people behind them, and support them by visiting, sharing, and leaving reviews online to help strengthen visibility. We also helped highlight inclusive business attributes—such as LGBTQ-friendly signals and all-gender restrooms—so that users could more easily identify spaces that felt welcoming and affirming.
The result was a digital platform that combined storytelling, discovery, and community support. It used Google’s ecosystem not just to map places, but to elevate them—helping vulnerable community spaces stay seen, supported, and easier to find when they were needed most.
The Solution
Rather than simply surfacing locations, we created a digital experience that gave these spaces a voice. The site featured stories from founders and operators across the country, sharing why they built these spaces, who they serve, and what makes them meaningful to their communities.
The experience also encouraged action. Visitors could discover LGBTQ-friendly spaces through Google Maps, learn about the people behind them, and support them by visiting, sharing, and leaving reviews online to help strengthen visibility. We also helped highlight inclusive business attributes—such as LGBTQ-friendly signals and all-gender restrooms—so that users could more easily identify spaces that felt welcoming and affirming.
The result was a digital platform that combined storytelling, discovery, and community support. It used Google’s ecosystem not just to map places, but to elevate them—helping vulnerable community spaces stay seen, supported, and easier to find when they were needed most.
The Solution
Rather than simply surfacing locations, we created a digital experience that gave these spaces a voice. The site featured stories from founders and operators across the country, sharing why they built these spaces, who they serve, and what makes them meaningful to their communities.
The experience also encouraged action. Visitors could discover LGBTQ-friendly spaces through Google Maps, learn about the people behind them, and support them by visiting, sharing, and leaving reviews online to help strengthen visibility. We also helped highlight inclusive business attributes—such as LGBTQ-friendly signals and all-gender restrooms—so that users could more easily identify spaces that felt welcoming and affirming.
The result was a digital platform that combined storytelling, discovery, and community support. It used Google’s ecosystem not just to map places, but to elevate them—helping vulnerable community spaces stay seen, supported, and easier to find when they were needed most.
