The importance of giving back to the community is not something lost on Joyce Walker. Her ReJoyce Academy is a Seattle based non-profit organization dedicated to supporting local youth in more ways than just basketball. For Joyce, the organization is a way to instill her life lessons and hard-earned wisdom into the next generation of young girls in Seattle’s racially and ethnic diverse Central District and beyond.

Joyce herself grew up in this area of Seattle. As a Senior at Garfield High School in 1980 she averaged 35 points per game and set still-existent state wide scoring records en route to winning a Washington State basketball title. She continued setting records while playing for Louisiana State University on her way to a pre-WNBA professional career in Italy and Germany as well as being only the third woman to join the Harlem Globetrotters. She returned to Garfield to coach the girl’s basketball team to a state championship in 2005 and has been an integral part of the community.

ReJoyce Academy is hosting an inaugural  basketball clinic and community event. This upcoming clinic is an exciting first, Joyce is launching her new Queens of the Court girls empowerment program, back where it all began, The Dog House. In honor of this special occasion of Garfield’s OG GOAT of Women’s Basketball returning home there will be a celebration of the current Queens of the Court, including 3-Time State Champion Lady Bulldogs, as well as paying it forward for the community’s next up-and-comers.

This is where Oblique comes in as we were given the opportunity to design a logomark for this event as well as accompanying items like t-shirts. Our approach to the design was to create something bold and powerful that’s tough and edgy. A main focus was to create a logo that is both empowering and reflective of the girls’ experience in the urban Seattle area. The goal was to design something the girls, their parents and community supporters alike would be proud to represent. 

Our solution uses a graffiti writing style approach to the type treatment paired with a bright & electric color palette. Behind the type is a stylized scribble of X’s and O’s reminiscent of a basketball play book that references the game itself but not prominent as the organization represents more than just basketball. Overall the logo portrays an athletic, streetwise, “don’t f**k with me because I’m a girl” energy that, like the organization, empowers the girls and the community. 

Joyce loved the work we did for Queens of the Court so stay tuned for a rebrand of the whole ReJoyce Academy!

Learn more about the amazing work of Joyce Walker, the ReJoyce Academy and Queens of the Court at rejoyceacademy.org. 

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