Chosen sketch, and a few others that didn't make the cut

America's economy runs on data. What Trump’s firing of a top data chief means for California Economists and others worry about politicizing jobs and inflation data after Trump firing of Bureau of Labor Statistics chief and nomination of partisan replacement.

Quick and dirty illustration for @calmatters.org: What Trump’s firing of a top data chief means for California, reporting by @levisu.bsky.social

calmatters.org/economy/2025...

And one of the initial rough sketches

Color palette inspo:

We caught companies making it harder to delete your personal data online – The Markup Dozens of companies are hiding how you can delete your personal data, The Markup and CalMatters found. After our reporters reached out for comment, multiple companies have stopped the practice.

New illustration for @themarkup.org and @calmatters.org : Colin Lecher and @tmap.bsky.social reporting on how more than 30 companies hid their opt out pages from Google search

Rapid response graphic.

The rise of generative AI has intensified the harms of non-consensual distribution of intimate imagery (NDII). CDT’s recent report examines how 8 major platforms handle NDII—and where their reporting processes fall short. cdt.org/insights/rap...

And because we're a union in a remote workplace, we need Zoom backgrounds and profile pictures. Thanks for reading!

As well as horizontally.

I had a wonderful graphic design mentor who taught me that every logo should be able to be adapted to a single-color version and a greyscale version.

When we first merged, we incorporated some pinks from @themarkup.org's branding palette into the petals of the poppy. But I wanted to find a more cohesive way to use The Markup's pink tones. I took inspiration from linocut prints and Shepherd Fairey's stencil-like, graphic approach to shading.

I love the CA poppy being a symbol for our guild. It's a resilient wildflower that blooms under the harshest conditions. Flowers have historically always been used as a symbol for solidarity.

New logo redesign for CalMatters & The Markup Guild, now that we've ratified our first contract

Poster for the movie Vertigo showing a silhouette of man falling in the middle of a white spiral

Referencing the legendary Saul Bass

5 California bills that are trying to tackle insurance denials for mental health One poll of Californians last year found that more than 80% of respondents wanted the governor and legislature to increase access to mental health treatment.

New illustration for @calmatters.org: Insurance denials can devastate mental health patients. California is considering how to fix that. Reporting by Jocelyn Wiener.

calmatters.org/health/menta...

Illlustration of 4 panels of a multi-racial working class; the top left shows a bearded Sikh man driving a car; top right shows an older Asian woman on a laptop, bottom right shows a Black man holding a scanner at a packing warehouse; bottom left shows a Latina woman wearing a call center headset; a circular vignette of a security camera is at the center.

New cover illustration for @cendemtech.bsky.social: What Do Workers Want? A CDT/Coworker Deliberative Poll on Workplace Surveillance and Datafication

Art direction by Tim Hoagland.

I love when you catch one of these unintentionally weird layouts

Sketches below

Cover illustration of a smartphone showing a warped grid and a recording button; the phone is surrounded by a “LIVE” icon, a warning icon in front of a cloud of smoke, chat bubbles, image icons, an eye, a video, a voice note; Tetris-like blocks are interspersed between all the elements.

New cover illustration for @cendemtech.bsky.social's report on child sexual exploitation and abuse prevention on livestreaming platforms. Art direction by the wonderful Tim Hoagland!

Hire them! www.beckderesse.com

California lets defendants challenge racism in court. Few have succeeded California judges approved only a handful of attempts by defendants to have their cases altered because of racial bias.

Stunning new illustration for @calmatters.org by Beck Deresse: judges are one of the biggest obstacles in achieving racial justice under CA's Racial Justice Act.

Rough sketches:

How California keeps transgender student athletes on the court as bans unfold across the country California is increasingly tangled in the nationwide fight over transgender college athletes competing on teams of their gender identity.

New illustration for @calmatters.org: How California keeps transgender student athletes on the court as bans unfold across the country calmatters.org/education/20...