The Instagram Infographic Industrial Complex

How to create and share information and infographics on social media platforms like Instagram without exploiting relevant issues for engagement.

Let's learn how to bring action into the digital world, instead of noise and spectacle.

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We're a B Corp. You're a B Corp. So why aren't we working together? (Hint: we could be.)

We're the Agency for B Corps

Are You a B Corp? Then We Should Be Your Agency

Our identity is based on the deeper meaning we find in our life. Meaning comes from examining your own beliefs and core values to learn what is important to you.

When speaking of meaning and identity, it is indispensable to understand that the principle of meaning is found in the purpose of any act or sequence of acts. Whether we are driving to the grocery store or whether we try to see the entire largely unknown course of our lives stretch before us, no action or actions make sense unless they are aimed at a destination. 

Crisis of Meaning

Hear from the Emancipation Park Conservancy, in coversation with The Black Sheep Agency, about the historical significance of Juneteenth and how this celebration continues into present day.

A Juneteenth Story and Celebration

How Emancipation Park Conservancy is making its mark on the community

This is a blog about how human truth is found in both marketing and comedy, humor and satire.

It's funny because it's true

Comedy, like marketing, requires human truth.

Here at Black Sheep, we believe you need time to step away from your desk and give your brain a reset. And so we're making mandatory time off a reality.

Mandatory Time Off Is Our New Normal

We need time to rest and come back ready. 

A deep and semi-unscientific look into how designers simplify in order to create.

Why Do Designers Wear Black?

Color runs through our veins as designers but we don’t wear it on our sleeves. 

Hey—are you ready to work with clients that matter? With experience writing and managing for brands and organizations with a detailed approach? Cool. Please apply.

We are hiring: Account Manager

Hey—are you ready to start your career in branding and marketing? With an insatiable desire to be organized and always learning? Cool. Please apply.

We are hiring: Account Coordinator

What responsibility does advertising have for supporting a creative middle class? We're about to find out.

Yearning for a Creative Middle Class

There's nothing wrong with finding some middle ground. 

The Black Sheep Agency Stands in Opposition to SB7

We as a Texas business would like to affirm—loud and clear—for all our State elected officials that we do not support the passage of SB7.

Speaking up and speaking out about the preservation of expanded, accessible voting rights 

Vanity metrics are great, sure, but how can we measure real social change?

How to Measure A Movement

Tangible social impact data is like the holy grail for organizations aiming for real-world change. It can also be frustratingly elusive and hard to capture accurately. So, how do we fix that?

A deep-dive into the history, complexities and clarity that comes with logos.

Why Are Logos A Thing?

Let's throw it back to the very beginning of logo design.

BEEPLE EXPLAINS: What is an NFT ?

NFTs have had an unbelievable impact on the digital art scene, but is it worth our time?

Should we care about NFTs?

Every day, there’s something new in the world of NFTs. 

Allyship comes with an ongoing commitment to addressing communities authentically.

Here's to All Women

Women’s History Month might be coming to a close, but we’ll be celebrating women all year long.

Lifting as we climb: Shining a light on a woman who helped shaped the Houston we all love

Christia Adair's lifelong commitment to expanding equity and access for her community is an inspiration. Adair championed women's rights and equality for African Americans.

Christia Adair had an immeasurable impact on Houston.

TIMOTHY OMUNDSON (FT. SELMA BLAIR) (2020) | Inside of You Podcast w/ Michael Rosenbaum #insideofyou

It's hard to navigate stress, especially when you've got an autoimmune disease. Community Organizer Torey Brown writes about how she gets through tough times.

This Too Shall Pass

Stress is difficult to manage, especially with an autoimmune disease.

Annie Dillard says “how we spend our days, is of course, how we spend our lives." It's been a year since we had to change how we spend our days, how can we change our perception of time, and make it work for us?

Time by any other name

iOS 14. Facebook. Apple. And us. Who will win as tech giants battle it out for our data and our future?

Facebook vs. The World

This year marks our 5th as a B Corporation, joining over 3,800 companies that push back on business and economic models that put profits over people.

Better Business is a B Corp

We deserve a world (and workplace) that gives a damn about something bigger than profits

No matter your impact space, the last few years have taught us that our causes are interconnected. Researchers are now dealing with what the White House calls “converging crises” across industries. As a purpose-driven organization, we’ve spent years discussing everything from environmental racism and climate change to education and housing. But until recently, we hadn’t yet looked into an issue that’s affected by all of the above: food insecurity.

Food insecurity affects millions of all ages and backgrounds across America, particularly impacting the BIPOC community and hitting kids especially hard after millions have lost access to free school lunches. 

The pandemic has only exacerbated the fragility of the inequitable American food system. In 2022, the Census Bureau reported a 41% increase in households saying they did not have enough to eat after Congress stopped pandemic relief programs. 

That's over 40 million people who are experiencing hunger—or the fear of hunger—on a regular basis. With rising food and housing costs, that number is only expected to grow. 

Food insecurity is the lack of consistent access to enough nutritious food to maintain an active and healthy life. This can include not having enough money to buy food, living in an area without access to healthy food options or experiencing disruptions in food supply due to natural disasters or other crises.

According to Feeding America, the causes of food insecurity are complex and include:

Systemic racism and racial discrimination

The devastating effects of food insecurity

Access to fresh, healthy food is a basic human need and a social determinant of health and wellness. Without equitable access, we see an impact on:

Health: Without nutritious foods, people are at an increased risk for chronic health conditions like diabetes, heart disease and mental health disorders—particularly as many turn to cheap, caloric-rich foods in lieu of fresh, prepared meals.

Education: Children who experience food insecurity are more likely to have lower academic achievement, be suspended or expelled and suffer from behavioral and emotional problems. 

Financial wellness: Food-insecure households often spend over 25% of their income on food, making it challenging to budget other expenses like housing, healthcare, education and utilities. This is more harrowing given that food-insecure households also spend more on healthcare due to their poor diet.

Words matter. Food deserts and food apartheid are related terms you have probably heard but are distinct concepts.

Food deserts refer to geographic areas where residents lack access to affordable, healthy and fresh food, often due to a lack of grocery stores or other food retailers. These food deserts can occur in both urban and rural areas and affect people of all races and income levels.

Food apartheid, on the other hand, refers to a systemic and intentional form of discrimination in the food system that leads to unequal access to healthy food based on race and income. This terminology recognizes that food access is not simply a matter of geography but a result of historical and ongoing inequities in the food system, including racism, poverty, and systemic inequality. 

There are organizations across most major cities to fight these issues, namely urban farms and dedicated neighborhood markets. However, given the multiple converging crises, issues like food insecurity are often overlooked in favor of more hot-button issues. That’s where all of us can step in.

What can social justice-minded people do to help solve food insecurity?

While food insecurity offers no easy solutions, there are many ways to get involved.

Poverty USA offers some smart systemic change recommendations:

Reduce food waste - we throw away 30% of the food we produce

Here are a few ideas you can engage with at the individual level:

Find your nearest co-op (like Plant It Forward) and volunteer and shop there

Call your representative to advocate for policies that support access to healthy, affordable food.

Support local farmers and community gardens

Educate yourself and others about the causes and consequences of food insecurity

Donate to organizations that are working to address food insecurity, such as Feeding America or the World Food Programme

Food insecurity is incredibly complex, but it’s one area we can actually make great progress on as individuals. Supporting these local, fresh food sources improves the entire community’s health—AND it means more delicious, interesting meals on your plate. That’s a win for everyone. 

What is food insecurity and what can we do about it?

Food insecurity is a complex issue affecting millions of Americans, with systemic factors like poverty, racism, and geography playing a major role, but there are steps we can take to combat it.

The Black Sheep blog is turning up the volume on community engagement, social media strategy, Houston happenings and what it means to lead a purpose-driven life.

The Black Sheep Agency | Social impact and nonprofit blog

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We're not shy.

The Politics of Food Access