Indigenous Pact redesigned to improve Native Americans’ health outcomes

The organisation hopes to create health equity for American Indians and Alaska Natives within the space of one generation. It was rebranded by global design consultancy Elmwood, a move that follows on from the launching of its Community Care service aimed at pairing Indigenous Pact’s existing consultancy with a series of on-demand medical resources.

The model, which was created in collaboration with tribal leaders, hopes to provide on-demand medical resources for US natives. By providing tools, technology and personalised, direct care, Indigenous Pact hopes to fight back against what it claims to be ‘underfunding’ by the wider healthcare sector at the expense of native communities.

By working closely with Aimee Brenkus, Indigenous Pact’s co-founder and an Oneida tribe member, Elmwood hoped to ensure authenticity in its design. The design agency made use of the native star quilt, a pattern which includes purple triangles. The new logo was derived from this design concept, while an additional logo was also crafted to represent the service model itself.

“We believe that health is the foundation for building strong communities,” says Indigenous Pact CEO and co-founder Kurt Brenkus. “Achieving health equity in one generation demands equitable access, experiences and care. It’s insufficient to simply replicate existing, inadequate systems. Through the establishment of Indigenous Pact Community Care, we are transforming the culture of Tribal healthcare.”

Meg Beckum, executive creative director at Elmwood, explains, “The fundamental principle of sovereignty has always been vital for Native American communities. This design brief was particularly challenging as we aimed to respect that need for independence while simultaneously emphasising the idea of collective power.”

She adds, “In developing a new brand identity for Indigenous Pact, our goal was to create a unifying theme. This rebrand project sought to highlight the collective strength of Native American voices within a system that has often let these communities down.”