Vital VOICE was a St. Louis–based LGBTQ+ lifestyle publication covering community, culture, entertainment and advocacy. As its intern-turned-editorial-designer, I collaborated with the editorial team to shape monthly issues alongside advertising, digital content, campaigns and paid social.
In 2016, I led a visual refresh designed to make the publication feel more cohesive, contemporary and readable. The system gave recurring content a consistent foundation while leaving enough flexibility for each story and personality to have a voice of its own.
The refresh began with the parts of the magazine readers encountered every month. I redesigned the impressum, publisher’s letter, calendar and other recurring features using a clearer approach to typography, spacing, hierarchy and image treatment. Together, these updates helped the publication feel more polished and connected from the opening pages through the final departments.
Rather than relying on one rigid template, I developed an adaptable visual framework that could accommodate interviews, community reporting, entertainment features and event coverage. Familiar elements created continuity between issues, while flexible layouts allowed individual stories to take on their own tone.
A publication with this many subjects, contributors and perspectives needed a recognizable voice of its own—but it could not feel repetitive. The system balanced dependable editorial structure with room for expressive photography, typography and pacing.
The goal was not to make every story look alike, but to make radically different stories still feel unmistakably like Vital VOICE.
The design system also needed to function under the practical demands of monthly publishing. Stories arrived with different lengths, image styles, contributors and production needs, so layouts had to be flexible without losing their hierarchy or identity.
Recurring page structures provided reliable starting points for the editorial team while reducing the need to reinvent every department each month, making it easier to focus attention on the people, ideas and stories.
The refresh gave Vital VOICE a more unified editorial presence across print and digital touchpoints. It created a flexible foundation for monthly production while supporting stories that ranged from personal and celebratory to practical, political and community-focused.
Although Vital VOICE has since ceased publication, the magazine served as an important platform and connector within the region’s LGBT+ community. The experience also shaped how I continue to approach design: build a clear system, make room for personality, and never lose sight of the people on the other side of the page.
Editorial design and monthly visual direction
2016 editorial identity refresh
Cover, feature and recurring department design
Publication advertising and sponsored content
Web, email and social media graphics
Event guides and promotional materials
Digital asset management
Intern oversight and event-production support
Publishing, editorial direction, client management: Vital VOICE
Photography: Vital VOICE Contributors
