
Storytelling and Empathy in Public Health and Social Change: Videos
Explore the power of empathy in addiction recovery through Lisa's story. This video, from Kehinde Bademosi’s CDC/Johns Hopkins/Baltimore City Health project, demonstrates how storytelling combats stigma.
Stephanie and Vernon's 62-year love story breaks barriers. Hear their journey as a heterosexual couple living with HIV, and learn how they prioritized physical and emotional well-being. Even after Vernon's passing in 2022, their story highlights the critical role of empathy and self-compassion in public health, offering hope and understanding.
This video is part of Kehinde Bademosi's pioneering storytelling work in Public Health, a project in collaboration with the CDC, Johns Hopkins, and the Baltimore City Health Department. Thanks to the many individuals who worked on this project.
#HIV #Love #PublicHealth #Empathy #Resilience #Hope
Italy, 2024. Ongoing. Penta’s Brighter Future Award is a global initiative to celebrate the champions working to improve health outcomes for those who are pregnant and children with infectious diseases worldwide. Over 10 million engaged with the campaign on social media. Winners emerged from Argentina, Guinea Bissau, Italy, the Philippines, Uganda, and the United States.

Baltimore, 2016. From left: Former Assistant Commissioner of Health, Dr. Patrick Chaulk, Former President of Maryland Institute of Art, Samuel "Sammy" Hoi, Photographer Dick, and American Filmmaker John Waters at #ProjectPresence - a CDC demonstration project
An award-winning documentary created for Penta during the COVID-19 pandemic, tracing the 30-year journey of the Penta Child Health Research Organization and its impact on maternal and child health.
Online workshop with Orange Academy brand experience students in Lagos, Nigeria
Client Reviews
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Kehinde both as a program partner and workshop participant. In both cases, Kehinde’s instruction was engaging, intuitive, and produced great results in a very short window of time. He helped my organization improve how we tell our brand story, which gave me new insights into our work. He made a potentially difficult challenge pretty simple, effective, and fun. I’d hire him again in a heartbeat!
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— Andy Cook Executive Director MADE IN BALTIMORE
“Kehinde and I worked together in 2009 on a USAID/ AI.COM project to stop the epidemic of Avian Influenza in Nigeria. I was the Senior Communications Consultant for AI.COMM on the project, and Kehinde was the Creative Director on the communications agency side, FCB, Lagos.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time working with Kehinde and came to know him as someone who brought insights and innovation to the team. Kehinde led the creative team that delivered the campaign materials for the major countries in West Africa. ”
— Maurice Ocquaye Senior SBCC Consultant/CEO
“Thanks for presenting, I heard great things. One design team told me their nonprofit participant had a complete transformation after your workshop. He came back able to articulate his story much better and suddenly seemed to understand how to work with a designer. A great testament to your work! ”
— Maya Kosok, DesignFest Coordinator, Maryland Institute College of Art
“Kenny was introduced to me by one of my sales managers. He said he was attending Orange Academy - a brand building school in Lagos, and he met a teacher named Kenny who happens to be the owner too. He assures me that I Would be dazzled by Kenny’s creative prowess.
We met, and I was dazzled indeed. We have also created several creative campaigns that have helped our brands significantly. One of our brands, So Klin Detergent, became the Number One Brand by Nielsen ratings.
I would say Kenny is a creative wizard. I can never forget what he always told me
The client gives the logic, and Orange Academy (he meant him) provides the magic!
And behold, it always came out that way. I simply provided the business sense of our campaign, and he interpreted it and created the consumer-friendly sense of it.
Kenny is one of the best creative minds in my work life. I miss him so much, Miss working with him.
- Oliver Terante, Head Sales and Marketing, Eko Supreme
Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs (CCP) Worldwide Meeting - facilitating a human-centered design workshop with global participants.

Kehinde is our Social Innovation Lead/Project Officer for the new national CDC grant at BCHD. Kehinde will direct our social marketing efforts, facilitate design thinking workshops across sites, and work closely with multi-disciplinary stakeholders on community-focused initiatives, including the Community Advisory Board.
- Baltimore City Health Department, 2015
Baltimore, Maryland, 2020. A CDC-funded television commercial - part of a multimedia campaign - co-created with various communities to close the gaps in the HIV/AIDS epidemic #PeopleWhoLookLikeMe
