Urban Green Lab
Communications
Building momentum for sustainability in every neighborhood
Urban Green Lab needed a clear, compelling way to communicate its theory of change, amplify its offerings, and grow its reach across Nashville. WOCC co-conspirator Nicole Kemp developed and led a comprehensive communications strategy that aligned messaging across channels, elevated social media presence, and translated sustainability concepts into inclusive, actionable steps. By adapting evidence-based strategies, refining language for accessibility, and designing multi-channel campaigns, we helped UGL engage communities historically excluded from environmental conversations—making sustainability tangible, inclusive, and actionable for all.
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Nicole provided strategic oversight and creative execution across multiple initiatives—Change Adds Up, Earth Month, Kitchens to Kitchens, Nashville Environmental Justice Initiative, and Todd Lawrence's TEDxLenoxVillage submission. She adapted evidence-based strategies and community engagement models, integrating them into inclusive marketing, design, engagement, and refinement processes. Moreover, she developed messaging and visual content that made sustainability concepts accessible to audiences beyond Urban Green Lab’s existing networks, building relevance in communities they had not previously engaged. This included tailoring campaigns to distinct audiences from sustainability-minded residents to neighbors who were unaware of the disproportionate impacts of environmental inequities while maintaining consistent branding and a values-driven approach.
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Change Adds Up: Educated Nashvillians aged 18–49 on household food waste through paid social campaigns on Twitter and Meta, inspiring small, everyday changes that add up to large-scale impact.
Earth Month: Delivered 30 days of actionable sustainability tips, resulting in high online engagement and broader community adoption of eco-friendly practices.
Kitchens to Kitchens: Produced a comprehensive resource hub for chefs to reduce food waste, including vendor-produced educational videos, downloadable posters, and a dedicated website.
Nashville Environmental Justice Initiative: Raised awareness of environmental inequities affecting Black neighborhoods through accessible, visually-driven storytelling.
Todd Lawrence TEDxLenoxVillage: Produced a TEDx talk connecting global sustainability education to local equity issues, amplifying the message to an international audience.
Collectively, these efforts adapted proven strategies to local needs, expanded Urban Green Lab’s reach, deepened community engagement, and positioned the organization as a trusted sustainability leader. The campaigns also strengthened the organization’s capacity to communicate sustainability concepts in ways that resonate across cultures, neighborhoods, and lived experiences.
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Worked closely with Urban Green Lab’s leadership team, community partners, sustainability advocates, researchers, videographers, muralists, and other sustainability stakeholders.
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Adobe Illustrator
Adobe InDesign
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Premiere Pro
Canva
WordPress
Earth Month infographic, laid out in Canva for wide staff access with elements designed in both Adobe Illustrator and Canva. (linked to blog post)
Social media gif for the Change Adds Up media campaign
Social media gif for the Change Adds Up media campaign
Nashville Environmental Justice Initiative website
Chef videos for the Kitchens to Kitchens restaurant food waste awareness campaign
Todd Lawrence's TEDxLenoxVillage video