Construimos Junts
Construimos Junts was launched in 2021 as a small business. This children's project arose from the need to provide antiracist resources and information to caregivers. The main goal was to create a platform that compiles practices that can be implemented in daily life, making it easier for caregivers to confidently pursue revolutionary parenting. In this journey, I decided to create the first diverse flashcards for the Ecuadorian market. We want children, starting at 6 months old, to see themselves and their diversity celebrated through their everyday toys.
Role
Founder and designer
Team
Manuel Canto, illustrator
Constraint
Keep the cost in the short budget.
Product Development
Context
In Ecuador, it becomes a real challenge for children of color, including those who are black, brown, indigenous, or of Asian descent, as well as those with disabilities or different body types, to see themselves represented in their toys, stories, basically in their daily life. Caregivers face the difficult task of finding everyday spaces where a fair representation of the diverse people that exists in our world. From a very young age, children are exposed to aesthetic and cultural norms that perpetuate prejudices and biases.
This is why I designed "Mis Primeras Flashcards Diversas" an educational product with a social focus. Our goal is not only to promote intellectual development but also to strengthen the human side of children. We aim to provide an option that reflects the beauty of our children, serving as an affectionate, sensitive, and respectful tool to show them that the world is diverse. Through their everyday toys, we want children to see that they can find themselves and their diversity celebrated.
Research and Design Process
Flashcards
The design research conducted, help us determined the style and aesthetics of the flashcards. According to a study published by the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), characters in children's stories and novels have a greater emotional, psychological, and moral impact on children when they represent real human characters.
In children’s literature, it's common to address “diversity” using animals, objects, or characters that are almost humans, as seen in books like "It's Okay to Be Different" or "La Mar de Diferentes". When choosing the style of hand-illustration through watercolors, we knew it would have a significant impact on children because they can actually see their peers and themselves reflected in the cards.
In creating these flashcards, we aim to place diverse children in daily contexts—being happy, eating, taking a shower, laughing. Diversity shouldn’t always be treated as a deep story where the “different people” need to be treated equally or accepted. Our goal was to normalize all types of children doing basic tasks, being normal kids.
Packaging & Product Testing
For the flashcards, we tested various materials. Understanding that our product is designed for children as young as 6 months old, it needs to be durable enough for the cards to endure even if they are put in their mouths. We also aimed to make them aesthetically distinct from other toys in the room so that caregivers can easily locate them, reducing the risk of the flashcards getting lost. It was crucial for us to create a high-quality product that lasts for years.
Our goal was to maintain the watercolor theme, but this time using digital brushes to preserve harmony while introducing a variation in the finish. We conducted packaging design tests to choose the option that fulfills function, aligns with the aesthetics, and stays within the budget.
Out in the market
Proudly, I can say that the project, which began as an Instagram account promoting information related to anti-racist parenting, concluded with the successful launch of its first children's product in the market. The initial batch sold out in less than three months. We elaborated an online guide with games and activities for the flashcards. Additionally, we designed a website to streamline the purchasing process, enable the direct download of the guide, and sketch the process for a future fundraising plan to launch an app. Currently, the overall project is on hold.
