From the release:

Like most Americans, we at ITAL/C are outraged by what is — and what has been going on in this country. We are horrified by the murder of George Floyd that was recorded live for all the world to see. We stand with activism, justice, and equality.

But police discrimination and brutality against African Americans is only the tip of the iceberg. The fact that black people have been disproportionately affected by Covid-19 alone, a virus that inherently doesn’t see skin color is evidence enough of a broken system that favors some and punishes others. We are fed up.

In lieu of donating to an organization, we want to roll up our sleeves and use our skills to help rebuild our local Los Angeles community starting with small businesses, which we believe are the beating heart of our nation.

We are offering our services free of charge for two black-owned businesses in Los Angeles. For some context, a rebranding project by ITAL/C can usually cost anywhere from $20,000 – $100,000+, depending on the scale of the business and set of deliverables.

We strongly believe in the power of design and its impact on business (we see it first hand with all of our clients over the years), and we seek to work with partners who share that belief. What we are offering here is not a first come first served scenario, we are asking for applications for a “design grant.” We are a small design shop and are highly selective about the projects we take on and the clients we work with. It’s an intimate process and we pride ourselves on smooth collaboration. That takes the right partners with a shared vision.

If you are interested in working with us, here is how to apply:

Email us at designgrant@italic-studio.com

Tell us about your business. What’s it called? Where are you located? What do you do/sell? How long have you been in business here in LA? Is it brick & mortar? A startup? Have you been impacted by the pandemic over the last 3 months? What type of design and branding services do you need right now? A rebrand (logo + style guide)? Mural or signage? Printed collateral? Digital collateral?

Please submit responses to all of the above questions by July 1st. We will then review all applicants and select two businesses to partner with by July 15th.

We look forward to hearing from you. Much love to all our fellow Angelenos.