Benjamin Jancewicz
Benjamin Jancewicz (born May 1983) is an American graphic artist, designer, and photographer based in Baltimore. He is known for his culturally rooted illustration work, advocacy on Indigenous language and representation, and widely acclaimed public health communications campaigns for the Baltimore City Health Department.
His work has been featured in national outlets including Slate, USA Today, The Baltimore Sun, Radio-Canada, NBC News, and BmoreArt. He is the founder and creative director of Zerflin, a Baltimore-based design agency.
Early life and education
Jancewicz was born in New London, Connecticut, and grew up in various countries and remote communities as the child of missionaries, including time with the Naskapi people in Kawawachikamach, Quebec. He later identified as a Third Culture Kid (TCK), which influenced his global perspective on design and identity.[1] He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Arts from Messiah University (formerly Messiah College).[2]
Career
Graphic design and illustration
In 1999, Jancewicz founded Zerflin, a creative agency focusing on socially conscious design and storytelling. His illustrations combine typography, portraiture, and political themes. He was featured by Culture Trip in 2016 as one of “10 Emerging Contemporary Artists From Baltimore to Know.”[3]
Public art and activism
Jancewicz received national attention in 2017 for a viral social media campaign drawing attention to the Maryland state flag's Confederate symbolism. His campaign sparked widespread debate and was covered by The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Magazine, Baltimore Fishbowl, and WUSA9.[4][5][6] He proposed an alternative flag design to remove Confederate elements and wrote, “I want history, especially the history of white supremacy in Maryland, to be laid open and bare.”
Public health communications
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jancewicz served as the creative lead for the Baltimore City Health Department's social media campaigns. Alongside Director of Communications Adam Abadir, he became known for using memes and humor to communicate public health guidance, aiming to combat misinformation. One of the campaign’s signature slogans was “Salad Doesn’t Cure COVID, Connor.”[7] The campaign was featured by national and local media, including Slate, USA Today, and The Baltimore Sun.[8][9] In an interview with Baltimore Magazine, the duo described their collaboration as rooted in cultural fluency and quick response: “We’re not gonna be anyone’s punching bag,” Jancewicz said. “There was just a mountain of people being devil’s advocates for a parasitic viral organism.”[10]
Indigenous media and cultural work
Jancewicz currently serves as Creative Director for the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach and Communications Consultant for the Naskapi Development Corporation. He documents life in Northern Quebec through photography and video, working to preserve the Naskapi language and community memory.[11]
In 2025, his photography was featured in BmoreArt during “Rise Bmore,” a cultural event commemorating the tenth anniversary of Freddie Gray’s death and the Baltimore Uprising.[12]
Media appearances
Jancewicz was featured in a 2017 NBC News photo essay titled “#LovingDay,” highlighting interracial families. He discussed parenting his biracial son and the importance of identity formation in a racially unequal world.[13]
Selected positions
- Digital Content Manager, Baltimore City Department of Transportation (2022–present)
- Creative Director, Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach (2023–present)
- Communications Consultant, Naskapi Development Corporation (2024–present)
- Founder and Creative Director, Zerflin (1999–present)
Personal life
Jancewicz lives in Baltimore. He is fluent in Naskapi and French, and uses his creative work to explore themes of race, identity, community memory, and social justice.
External links
References
- ↑ "TCK Talent: Benjamin Jancewicz". The Displaced Nation. April 26, 2016.
- ↑ "Benjamin Jancewicz Portfolio". Retrieved 2025-06-19.
- ↑ "10 Emerging Contemporary Artists From Baltimore to Know". Culture Trip. 2016-08-24.
- ↑ "Activist draws attention to Maryland flag's Confederate ties". The Baltimore Sun. 2017-08-03.
- ↑ "Hogan Defends Md. Flag After Controversy Over Confederate Ties". Baltimore Fishbowl. 2017-08-24.
- ↑ "Raising a Controversy". Baltimore Magazine. 2016-07-20.
- ↑ Craven, Julia (13 August 2021). "The Guys Behind "Ginger Ale Can't Cure COVID, Derrick!" Explain All". Slate.
- ↑ "Baltimore vaccine campaign goes viral for being 'authentic'". USA Today. 2021-08-18.
- ↑ "Memes, gifs and vaccine clapbacks". The Baltimore Sun. 11 May 2021.
- ↑ "Get to Know the Baltimore City Health Department's Dynamic Social Media Duo". Baltimore Magazine. 2021-06-12.
- ↑ "Un Américain chez les Naskapis" (in français). Radio-Canada. 2025-03-31.
- ↑ "Rise Bmore Marks the Tenth Anniversary of Freddie Gray's Death". BmoreArt. 2025-04-30.
- ↑ "#LovingDay: Fathers Talk to Their Bi-Racial Sons". NBC News. 2017-06-12.
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