Heart of Roots
Mobile art and cultural center
Heart of Roots is a cultural experience design project that brings Latino culture to life through interactive events, storytelling, and community design. The project is built around a mobile cultural hub that travels to parks, festivals, and community events to connect people with their heritage and make culture more accessible. Heart of Roots includes games, art, merchandise, and digital experiences, all designed to encourage participation, reflection, and celebration of identity.
Latino communities have long faced systemic underrepresentation and marginalization in cultural spaces across the United States. Historically, Latinos were treated as outsiders, denied equal rights and access to education, and their cultural identity questioned (López, 2011). Today, many Latino immigrants and their families still experience discrimination and inequity, with over 10 million Latino children impacted (Journals of Chicago, 2016).
Grand Rapids reflects this national issue. Although the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan provides critical social services, it does not focus on cultural celebration or community creativity. A survey of 40 community members, both Latino and non-Latino, confirmed a strong desire for a space dedicated to Latino heritage through art, workshops, performances, and interactive events.
Heart of Roots was created to meet this need. The project reimagines a traditional cultural center as a mobile cultural hub that can travel to parks, festivals, and public spaces, making cultural celebration accessible, interactive, and community driven. It invites all people to connect, learn, and create together, honoring Latino traditions in an inclusive and modern way.
The project started with brainstorming and exploration, beginning with the idea of a permanent cultural center and later evolving into a flexible mobile experience that could travel to different communities and meet people where they are. The name Heart of Roots was chosen to represent how culture moves with us and grows as we share it with others.
The visual identity was built around a heart and root symbol, warm earthy colors inspired by Latin American nature and art, and typography that blends tradition with modern design. A key visual element was a large illustration that celebrates the diversity of Latin American cultures through characters, plants, and symbols, creating a visual anchor for the brand.
The design system expanded to include many touchpoints: sticker sets, merchandise like shirts and tote bags, event flyers, and a social media content plan. A major part of the project was a fully designed website prototype, created to serve as the digital home of Heart of Roots. The site brings everything together and allows people to explore events, shop products, and learn about the mission from anywhere.