A soccer ball is always in motion. Kicked, passed, chased, argued over, retrieved from someone’s front yard at dusk. It doesn’t sit still. It doesn’t wait for you to contemplate it.
Jessica Endaya Keefer knew that when she designed Joy in Motion – and she designed for it anyway.
“A traditional canvas invites stillness and close observation. But a soccer ball is constantly in motion and shared between people. That pushed me to think about how the art would feel from every angle and how the design could communicate energy, joy, and inclusivity even in fleeting moments during play.”
– Jessica Endaya Keefer
That’s the Joy in Motion ball. 1,200 of them, dropping in Kansas City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Houston, and Vancouver during the global soccer events in June/July 2026. Each one carrying a design built to be felt at full speed.
Who is Jessica Endaya Keefer?
Jessica grew up in Blue Springs, Missouri, with parents from the Philippines, and – today – lives in Liberty with her family. She’s a digital designer by trade and loves any chance to make something tangible.
She’s also someone who knows what it feels like to not see yourself in the room.
“Growing up, I wasn’t surrounded by many people who looked like me,” she says. “That experience deeply influenced how I see community and inclusivity today.”
What does the design actually mean?
Joy in Motion celebrates both individuality and connection at the same time – and if that sounds like a contradiction, the design resolves it.
“The bold colors and varied forms represent the many different paths children take as they grow,” Jessica explains, “while the repeating motifs and interlocking elements reflect community, support, and the idea that we thrive together.”
Every shape is distinct. Every shape is part of the whole. That’s not an accident. That’s the point.
For Jessica, designing for kids who often feel excluded from sport – kids who’ve been told the game isn’t for them – made the work feel like something bigger than a commission.
“As someone who grew up often feeling different and underrepresented, that mission felt especially meaningful to me,” she says. “I wanted kids holding the ball to feel energy, optimism, and a sense that there is space for everyone.”
Why this ball. Why this cause.
Jessica’s connection to Variety – The Children’s Charity, One Ball for All’s non-profit partner, isn’t abstract. It’s personal.
A close friend from high school – someone whose daughter has muscular dystrophy – introduced her to Variety KC through years of watching their family navigate both the challenges and joys that come with that journey. She watched from alongside them as Variety showed up: through community events, resources, and accessible playgrounds where kids of all abilities could actually play.
“Seeing the meaningful role Variety KC has played for their family gave me a much deeper understanding of how important inclusive spaces and support systems are for families,” she says.
That understanding lives in every panel of Joy in Motion.
What does she hope happens when the ball lands?
Simple: “I want kids to PLAY.”
Not to admire it. Not to display it. To kick it. To argue about who gets it next. To use it to make a friend they wouldn’t have made otherwise.
“I hope it can become a way for kids to make new friends and build connections with others they might not otherwise approach,” Jessica says, “using play as a shared language and medium that naturally brings people together.”
And if she could drop one ball anywhere in the world right now?
Ukraine.
“I often think about how even in moments of conflict, there are brief interruptions in history where humanity breaks through – like the Christmas Truce of 1914, when opposing sides paused and, for a moment, shared something as simple and human as playing soccer.”
“I would hope the ball could represent something simple but powerful: play, connection, and a reminder that even in the hardest circumstances, there is still room for shared joy and understanding.”
One ball. Designed in Liberty, Missouri. Built for the whole world.
