GRADEX Showcase

Special thank you to Ivy Nguyen & Meiyi Fang for the collaboration of research on this project.

Obregón, Jean-François. “It Ain’t Lit out Here.” A Voice For Transit, 27 Mar. 2023.

#ItAintLitOutHere emerged as a call to action project fueled by the social injustice of insufficient lighting in Toronto. Navigating downtown at night, especially as a female, often induces a constant sense of vigilance. Inadequate lighting exacerbates safety concerns, as diminished visibility gives rise to potential hazards. Like many other women in the downtown area, I've encountered safety issues such as being followed or uncomfortably approached in areas rendered 'unseen' due to poor visibility.

My project unfolds as both a social media campaign and a compelling copy ad designed to raise awareness about lighting disparities in Toronto. The Copy Ad, titled 'If You're Reading This It's Too Dark,' cleverly draws inspiration from Toronto-native Drake's iconic 'If You're Reading This It's Too Late' album cover, instantly resonating with my target demographic. Leveraging glow-in-the-dark print, the ad strategically highlights poorly lit areas, with a specific focus on TTC shelters and stops, given the recent surge in crime rates within the TTC.

To reinforce the call to action, a dedicated website accompanies the campaign, providing users with a platform to report lighting outages directly to Toronto Hydro or the TTC. Additional call-to-action buttons on the website promote safety tips for walking alone at night. The #ItAintLitOutHere hashtag serves as a unifying symbol, encouraging social media users to share photos of poorly lit areas, broadening the reach of the campaign and amplifying the message against this prevailing social injustice.