Design for the public good

I’m Thomas Li. Public affairs is my profession, design is how I think, and San Francisco is home.

See the work
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Show  Visitors in front of the blue illustrated Made in SF, Shaping CA poster wall at Moscone. up.
Speak  City and state officials and community leaders on stage presenting the AAPI Heritage Month proclamation at the 2025 APA Heritage Awards up.
Bring your  Honorees, performers, officials and organizers fill the stage together beneath the APA Heritage Month 2025 screen reading Energizing the Next Generation people.

Selected work, 2012 to now

Made in SF, Shaping CA

Lunar New Year 2026

Ed Lee Dems slate

Miss Asian Global 2012

AAPI Heritage 2026

Paper studies

AAPI Heritage 2025

Miss Asian Global 2022

Made in SF, Shaping CA

AAPI Heritage kiosk

Stencil

Miss Asian Global 2026

Show up 

Made in SF, Shaping CA

Exhibit for the Ed Lee Democratic Club · Moscone Center, February 2026

The idea: so much of California started in San Francisco. Burritos, blue jeans and the rainbow flag. The cable car and the United Nations. Court cases that opened schools and protected citizenship. Leaders who went on to Sacramento and Washington. I turned each one into a poster, and the Ed Lee Democratic Club’s booth at the 2026 state convention became a wall people stopped to read.

Freestanding Ed Lee Dems identity banner inside the illustrated blue exhibit booth.
Illustrated poster of a San Francisco Mission-style burrito in a basket | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Food · The Mission burrito

Illustrated portrait poster of Mayor Edwin M. Lee, San Francisco’s first Asian American mayor | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

People · Ed Lee, San Francisco’s first Asian American mayor

Illustrated poster of the San Francisco building where the United Nations Charter was signed in 1945 | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Places · The United Nations, founded here in 1945

Illustrated poster of the rainbow Pride flag, created by Gilbert Baker in San Francisco | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Culture · The rainbow flag, by Gilbert Baker

Illustrated poster of a Ghirardelli chocolate sundae, a San Francisco original | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Food · Ghirardelli chocolate

Illustrated portrait poster of Kamala Harris | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

People · Kamala Harris

Illustrated poster of Lau v. Nichols: Chinese American students holding name signs, a win for English learners | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Policy · Lau v. Nichols, the right to learn in your own language

Illustrated poster of Levi’s blue jeans, invented in San Francisco | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Culture · Blue jeans, by Levi Strauss

Illustrated poster of fortune cookies, popularized in San Francisco | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Food · The fortune cookie

Illustrated poster of a Powell and Market cable car, the world’s first cable car system | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Places · The world’s first cable car system

Illustrated poster of a couple receiving 2004 same-sex marriage licenses at San Francisco City Hall | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Policy · Same-sex marriage licenses, 2004

Illustrated poster of a lion dance in San Francisco’s Chinatown, the first Chinatown in the U.S. | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Culture · The first Chinatown in the U.S.

Illustrated portrait poster of Harvey Milk | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

People · Harvey Milk

Illustrated poster of the Golden Gate Bridge tower and cables | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Places · The Golden Gate Bridge

Illustrated portrait poster of Wong Kim Ark, whose case secured birthright citizenship | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Policy · Wong Kim Ark, birthright citizenship

Illustrated poster of a San Francisco Mission-style burrito in a basket | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Food · The Mission burrito

Illustrated poster of the rainbow Pride flag, created by Gilbert Baker in San Francisco | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Culture · The rainbow flag, by Gilbert Baker

Illustrated poster of Lau v. Nichols: Chinese American students holding name signs, a win for English learners | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Policy · Lau v. Nichols, the right to learn in your own language

Illustrated poster of a Powell and Market cable car, the world’s first cable car system | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Places · The world’s first cable car system

Illustrated portrait poster of Harvey Milk | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

People · Harvey Milk

Illustrated poster of Tape v. Hurley: the Tape family outside a San Francisco public school, 1885 | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Policy · Tape v. Hurley, Chinese American kids in public school

Illustrated portrait poster of Mayor Edwin M. Lee, San Francisco’s first Asian American mayor | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

People · Ed Lee, San Francisco’s first Asian American mayor

Illustrated poster of a Ghirardelli chocolate sundae, a San Francisco original | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Food · Ghirardelli chocolate

Illustrated poster of Levi’s blue jeans, invented in San Francisco | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Culture · Blue jeans, by Levi Strauss

Illustrated poster of a couple receiving 2004 same-sex marriage licenses at San Francisco City Hall | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Policy · Same-sex marriage licenses, 2004

Illustrated poster of the Golden Gate Bridge tower and cables | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Places · The Golden Gate Bridge

Illustrated poster of San Francisco sourdough bread | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Food · San Francisco sourdough

Illustrated portrait poster of Dianne Feinstein | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

People · Dianne Feinstein

Illustrated poster of the San Francisco building where the United Nations Charter was signed in 1945 | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Places · The United Nations, founded here in 1945

Illustrated portrait poster of Kamala Harris | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

People · Kamala Harris

Illustrated poster of fortune cookies, popularized in San Francisco | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Food · The fortune cookie

Illustrated poster of a lion dance in San Francisco’s Chinatown, the first Chinatown in the U.S. | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Culture · The first Chinatown in the U.S.

Illustrated portrait poster of Wong Kim Ark, whose case secured birthright citizenship | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Policy · Wong Kim Ark, birthright citizenship

Illustrated poster of Yick Wo v. Hopkins, a San Francisco laundry case for equal protection | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Policy · Yick Wo v. Hopkins, equal protection

Illustrated poster of a ranked-choice ballot, San Francisco was the first major U.S. city to adopt it | Made in SF, Shaping CA illustration series by Thomas Li (ThomasMade)

Policy · The first major U.S. city with ranked-choice voting

Made in SF 

When the whole city shows up

Every May, APA Heritage throws San Francisco a month-long party for its Asian American and Pacific Islander communities: awards at City Hall, performances, and 100+ events across the city. As co-chair, I lead the campaign that tells people it’s happening, on Muni buses, street kiosks, newspapers and their phones.

Honorees, performers, officials and organizers fill the stage together beneath the APA Heritage Month 2025 screen reading Energizing the Next Generation
City and state officials and community leaders on stage presenting the AAPI Heritage Month proclamation at the 2025 APA Heritage Awards
A young honoree speaks at a podium bearing the illustrated APA Heritage A while fellow honorees stand beside her
Dancers in gold and red traditional dress perform on the grand staircase of San Francisco City Hall

APA Heritage Awards 2025. Photos: Mark Shigenaga

The campaign: one look, everywhere you go in May (and again at Lunar New Year)

King-size Muni bus ad for San Francisco's 2026 Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: the illustrated A among peonies with apasf.org

Every May 

Full-page San Francisco Examiner ad for AAPI Heritage Month 2025 congratulating APA Heritage Awards honorees, with the events guide

Examiner full-page ad, 2025

APA Heritage Awards and Community Gala 2026 social campaign with floral artwork.

Gala Instagram story, 2026

Vertical digital kiosk ad for AAPI Heritage Month 2025 with colorful illustrated faces and the events guide at apasf.org

Digital kiosk, 2025

San Francisco Celebrates Lunar New Year 2026 vertical ad: an ornamental horse beside the illustrated A on deep red

Lunar New Year, 2026

A stage built for her

For 40 years, Miss Asian Global has given young Asian women in San Francisco a real stage: a mic, a spotlight and a room full of people cheering them on as they lead and speak for their communities. For over a decade I’ve designed its posters, program books and brand, so every new class walks into a show as bold as they are.

2012 Miss Asian Global and Miss Asian America Pageant poster: the reigning titleholder and court over an orange damask background, with the delegate lineup and sponsors

2012

33rd annual Miss Asian Global and Miss Asian America Pageant poster, August 4, 2018, with a gold ribbon title, crowning photos and delegate lineup

2018

Cover of the 2018 Miss Asian Global and Miss Asian America Pageant program book: a newly crowned titleholder under a gold ribbon title

2018 program

37th annual Miss Asian Global Pageant poster, August 13, 2022, Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, in blue with titleholders and delegate portraits

2022

Poster for the 41st annual Miss Asian Global Pageant, August 15, 2026 at Herbst Theatre, with the contestant lineup on a galaxy background

2026

The 2026 Miss Asian Global titleholders and court lined up across the Herbst Theatre stage in crowns and sashes, holding bouquets under a starfield backdrop

The 2026 finale at Herbst Theatre. Photo: David Yu

Her stage 

Say hi

hello@thomasmade.com

Ground Floor Public Affairs

Director

Ed Lee Democratic Club

President

APA Heritage

Co-chair

Miss Asian Global

Creative Director
Thomas Li smiling in a white patterned shirt in a bright loft office

Say hi