María Alma is a visual designer who is especially interested in using design to translate social issues into meaningful narratives that inspire change. Her work is driven by a deep curiosity about how typography, materials, and systems can inform the way people engage with the world and relate to one another.

She has contributed to projects for institutions such as the International African American Museum, the National Air and Space Museum, and the Obama Presidential Center. Her exhibition design work and collaborations with small cultural and educational clients have deepened her appreciation for design as a tool to amplify underrepresented voices and create third spaces that cultivate connection, learning, and reflection.

María Alma graduated from Pratt Institute with a B.F.A. in Communications Design and a minor in Art History. She has also participated in short-term programs at Type@Cooper, Type Summer School, and the School of Poetic Computation. Originally from Mexico City, she now lives in Brooklyn, New York.

︎︎︎ mariaalma.guepi@gmail.com
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International African American Museum

Carolina Gold Gallery. Photo cred: Sahar Coston-Hardy/Esto Carolina Gold Gallery. Photo cred: Sahar Coston-Hardy/Esto Carolina Gold Gallery. Photo cred: Sahar Coston-Hardy/Esto American Journeys Gallery. Photo cred: Sahar Coston-Hardy/Esto Content mapping process for American Journeys Gallery American Journeys Gallery. Photo cred: Sahar Coston-Hardy/Esto Atlantic Worlds Gallery. Photo cred: Sahar Coston-Hardy/Esto Atlantic Worlds Gallery. Photo cred: Sahar Coston-Hardy/Esto


The International African American Museum (IAAM) is located on the waterfront site that was the port of arrival for nearly half of all enslaved Africans brought to North America in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The museum is dedicated to telling their stories and celebrating the contributions of their descendants.

The exhibition design team aimed to create an environment that honors the site’s history while supporting an array of exhibitions, events, and educational resources.

The New York Times wrote: “If such a museum expands the parameters of history, and this one does, that’s a lot. Which, I guess, is why I ended up on a visit awarding it my sincerest accolade: At closing time I didn’t want to leave”.
Role: Visual Designer
Company: Ralph Appelbaum Associates

Design Development - Installation

Press:
New York Times
Fast Company
Dezeen



Center of Family History Gallery. Photo cred: Sahar Coston-Hardy/Esto Graphic elevations used during the installation process African Routes Gallery. Photo cred: Sahar Coston-Hardy/Esto Samples created to test and select graphic techniques for all the galleries Gullah Geechee Gallery. Photo cred: Sahar Coston-Hardy/Esto Bringing historic artifacts into the museum during the installation phase Exterior graphics. Photo cred: Sahar Coston-Hardy/Esto Exterior graphics. Photo cred: Sahar Coston-Hardy/Esto Exterior graphics. Photo cred: Sahar Coston-Hardy/Esto