A communications agency staying committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and racial and climate justice in the face of authoritarianism and oligarchy.
In just the first half of 2025, we have seen the complete annihilation of DEI offices/functions within the Federal government; dismantling of much needed public services/programs related to affordable housing, medical and scientific research, international aid, public health, education, and protections for workers, consumers, and the environment; loss of rights for trans and nonbinary people, and other marginalized groups; complete disregard for due process through government-sanctioned abductions; further erosion of reproductive rights; and the loss of health insurance for up to 17 million of Americans.
And we all know what’s listed above isn’t even close to all of it. The harm is incalculable, especially, to Black and Indigenous people and people of color. So, what can we do to fight against it as a small agency that dedicated the last decade centering its work on equity? We double down and continue the fight, of course.
Here are some examples of our recent and past engagements with clients who are also doubling down on their mission for justice, progress, and equity.
Fighting for our civil liberties
ACLU-DC
Early in 2024, ACLU-DC initially engaged Provoc to provide creative communications for raising awareness for their work in DC for DC Homerule, legal and safe abortion access, rights and justice for historically underrepresented individuals, and rights of incarcerated individuals. However, in January 2025, ACLU-DC pivoted this work to focus on raising awareness about immigrant rights during ICE raids, the right of due process, rights of trans and nonbinary people, and the protection of our rights to protest and speech. To-date, Provoc has created over 100 pieces of creative assets, and worked with numerous local and nationally-recognized influencers to create content to help spread awareness.
Investing in our well-being; from early childhood through adulthood
A philanthropy in early childhood advocacy
We’re currently collaborating with a brand new organization that funds grassroots organizations and activities around critical early childhood education, advocacy, policy-making, development, and health. They are shifting their model to move past outdated and burdensome bureaucracies and requirements into a trust-based philanthropy; measuring success based on the insights of those who know best—the grantees themselves. Although this model isn’t a new concept, the branding and communications developed by Provoc will highlight this organization’s impact to prospective funders and grantees, and other philanthropic organizations. The change we seek is about shifting resources and power so that organizations who have historically been left out of funding opportunities, and the communities they serve that have been marginalized by generations of systemic racism, will have the opportunity to build better lives for themselves. Their story needs to be told to inspire a shift in grant-making and allow more stories like this to unfold.
Brain Health Action with AARP and the Brain Health Action Collaborative
Since 2023 we’ve been in deep collaboration with AARP, developing a campaign to raise awareness for brain health with Brain Health Action, an unprecedented coalition of over 30 of the foremost aging organizations including the American Heart Association and Hilarity for Charity. We set out to target three different audiences: 1) employers/relationship to work, 2) music, arts & design, and 3) healthcare & prevention. Our goal was not only to raise awareness for actions and strategies to maintain brain health but to also ensure that the content was reaching and connecting with those younger than 50 years old in the Black, Latino, AAPI-HN, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Middle Eastern, and North African communities. By engaging younger folks in aging, we help to ensure they are prepared to be better caretakers for the elders in their lives and communities, but also better prepared to take care of their own brain health as they age.
Divesting from banks actively harming our planet
Instigating a $6.5 Billion Divestment from Planet-Harming Financial Institutions
In mid-2024, Provoc co-designed and co-led “Climate Finance Action Toward a Just Transition,” a 12-Week learning and action cohort with 45 B-Corps representing $6.5 billion in revenue. Through working groups, more than 65 personalized coaching sessions, peer-to-peer learning sessions, and expert-led convenings, these organizations learned effective and efficient ways, and the ethical reasons to divest their banking, 401k retirement plans, and business insurance from companies invested in activities that are harming our planet. The program achieved immediate and substantial results: 30% of participating B-Corps had already made shifts in their financial practices by program completion, with another 40% committed to making changes within the next year. Over 90% of the participants reported they would recommend the cohort to a colleague or peer. We believe in order to fight for the health of our planet, businesses must first take their money out of the hands of those who profit from the destruction of our environment.
Bank for Good EU, Spain, France, & Germany
The big 4 US Banks – JPMorgan Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo, Bank of America – pumped $146 billion into fossil fuels in 2022 alone and $1.4 Trillion since 2016. European banks have poured EUR1.3 Trillion into fossil fuels since the Paris Agreement was adopted. In early 2024, Provoc designed, developed, and launched a new website for Bank for Good EU and its subsidiary sites in Spain, France, and Germany. Subsequently, we worked with their teams to develop a communications strategy and toolkits. Similar to the work we did for Bank for Good US, the mission of Bank for Good EU is to encourage consumers to switch their banking to financial institutions that have committed to not do business with any companies or projects engaging in fossil fuel extraction or infrastructure, via loans, share and bond underwriting, asset management, or advisory services. The website includes a directory, which allows users to search for banks in their own region. By switching their banking and other financial business to climate-conscious institutions, consumers can ensure that their money is not directly funding the destruction of our environment.
Dismantling systemic racism in health and healthcare
A local foundation for health equity
Provoc is currently working with a health foundation focused on eliminating health inequities and transforming the health system in a red state. As part of their mission, the foundation is conducting a statewide public polling, for which Provoc is responsible for developing communications strategies and plans to ensure that they are able to reach Black and Brown people, and the most vulnerable residents to get their input on how to bring equity into their state’s health systems. Initial findings have shown, regardless of political affiliations, an overwhelming majority of respondents view costs of living, healthcare, and housing as the top three problems in their state. And nearly everyone reported they have had no meaningful influence over their community leaders in the past year. People are hurting and feeling ignored by their leaders; we are working hard to ensure all of their voices are heard.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
RWJF remains one of the most powerful and staunch voices for health equity and dismantling structural racism. Provoc has been a proud communications partner to RWJF since 2021. We developed the campaign branding and strategy for its Annual Message, which included the developments of the campaign narrative, a website, and creative assets, as well as the implementation of the outreach/promotion strategy of the campaign. We supported RWJF in the development of their new strategic framework through a multi year process. To help articulate their messaging we created a series of videos to communicate the organization’s vision on how we can bring health equity to America, and how RWJF is transforming health over the course of a generation in collaboration with communities, grantees, and partners to achieve accountable and equitable health and healthcare systems, healthy and equitable communities, and economic inclusion for family wellbeing. RWJF has continued to remain steadfast and vocal in their opposition to structural racism, and they have reaffirmed their focus on health equity in recent months. The position and the actions they have taken since election night in November 2024 is a prime example of doubling down in a time of need.
Creating resources for grassroots changemakers and small business owners
A large institution
Provoc is currently working with a large institution that supports economic growth in exurban and rural communities in New England that have historically been underfunded. They are striving to create an inclusive economy through a three-pronged approach: 1) Learning networks for small business owners, 2) support and capacity building for small businesses/organizations, and 3) capital innovations that seek public/private funding models to share and reduce risk while creating more opportunities. Provoc, to-date, has developed website copy and talking points to reach the community leaders and members to participate in programming.
Racial Equity Here
Provoc worked with Racial Equity Here, a national movement and initiative led by Race Forward, Living Cities, and the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE), to create a critical coalition for organizations to find partners and collaborators who are values-aligned, stand firm in their resolve, and continue the fight. We developed and implemented an interactive map that provides a directory of nonprofit, government, and private institutions that have explicitly committed to advance racial equity by dismantling structural racism. In 2023, we also designed and helped to write the Housing Justice Toolkit to provide a comprehensive messaging guide for local and grassroots organizers to advocate for housing justice in their communities. Provoc has been a proud partner of Race Forward for nearly a decade and serves on its national advisory committee to to develop the calls to action for their biannual Facing Race conference.
Provoc is ready to stand beside our clients, help guide their voice, reach the right audience, and maintain momentum on the fight for a more just and equitable world. Let us know when you’re ready.