Where are the Black Designers?

Mitzi Okou and I recently spoke to Diana Budds for Fast Company about Where are the Black Designers? and the importance of community in design. The feature is behind a paywall but DM me if you'd like a read ?? "Professional design clubs are back, but they look a little different. Inside the clubs taking over the industry, one meetup at a time." https://lnkd.in/evkH_qfr #design #wherearetheblackdesigners #community

My portfolio - I also made space for my film photography in the About section. I'm happy that I finally have a place that showcases all of my creative endeavours :) https://lnkd.in/exJwG83P

NYC Designers, Ready for a Creative Break??Here's a cool opportunity from our friends at Wix! Apply to Web.Lab by Wix Studio—a paid, exclusive web design program happening at the Wix Playground from Feb 4–April 25, 2025. Only 15 spots available! It’s the perfect chance to step away from the every day, dive into a passion project, and let your creativity spark. Ideal for freelancers, agency pros, or corporate creatives looking to push boundaries and shape the future of web design. Submissions close November 30, 2024. Apply now: https://lnkd.in/gwSDzHSe #WixStudio #WebLab #NYCDesign #PassionProject #friendsofwnw

What do we understand about the concept of #DigitalInclusion? A laudable goal or a removal of choice from those who prefer not to immerse themselves in the digital world? Design researcher Michael Kibedi is coming to Research by the Sea to challenge our assumptions and champion the cause of non-participation. This kind of refreshing perspective will be a hallmark of Research by the Sea, as we explore how #UXResearch can best improve people, culture and planet. Join us in Brighton on 27 February.

??THIS IS NOT A DRILL?? We are on the hunt for a mid-weight graphic designer.... See all the details live on our jobs page https://lnkd.in/ezqyTRNG

STORY TIME ?? So back when I was studying at the Georgia Tech College of Design, I was one of a few #blackdesigners in my Industrial Design program year (shoutout to Leslie and Grant for being the GOATs and Raja for all you did and continue do as design faculty ????) After my senior design team won the InVenture Prize competition, my #socialimpactdesign career was launched by way of Wish for WASH and #toiletdesign adventures around the world with a focus on co-designing sustainable solutions in partnership with underserved communities. ?? Over time, my #careerecosystem has blossomed, and I now work to apply my #humancentereddesign skillsets and mindsets that I cultivated in the #WASH sector to projects, programs and strategies in various organizations across the #impacteconomy, all while continuing to center and amplify marginalized voices. ???? Fast forward to yesterday, on #WorldToiletDay. I had the distinct honor of sharing my story - from sanitation to school design - with the first ever Black Students in Industrial Design (BiD) organization at Georgia Tech! ?? Where are the Black Designers? — here we are ?? Cheers to the power of the #humancentereddesign process, to learning and building in community, and to #blackexcellence across time and space ???? Thank you to Sydney and Leah for starting this incredible organization and for having me — onwards and upwards ?? [Learn more about BiD here ???? https://lnkd.in/eWcyuJ52 ] #wishforwash #georgiatech #lecturer #SDG6 #wherearetheblackdesigners #industrialdesign #socent #blackindesign #everybodypoops #socialimpactdesign #representationmatters #education #SDG4

I’ve been reflecting on the importance of community. Earlier this fall, Temi Oyelola and I hosted our first event as the new co-founders of OurType, a new collective for Black Women in Design to an audience of over 60 designers. Temi and I met as colleagues at Hearst Magazines in 2020, where we bonded over our shared experiences as Black women in the design industry- We noticed a significant gap: only 2% of designers identified as Black Women, according to AIGA. Our first event, “Making It: Conversations with Black Women in Design,” featured a discussion with prominent women in the design field, spanning multiple disciplines. We had the privilege of hearing from ana rice, Design Lead for the Kamala Harris Campaign, who shared her experience branding the campaign quickly; Daphne Pastard, Art Director at RoAndCo, who provided her unique insights on multidisciplinary branding and production; Laetitia Auguste, Freelance Illustrator (who has worked with Google, Grubhub, and others), who detailed her journey in digital illustration; and our own Temi Oyelola, Art Director at Banana Republic, who offered a valuable perspective being a self-taught designer. During the discussion, we connected over our experiences breaking into our respective fields, addressing imposter syndrome, and finding community. We also shared our thoughts on the future of the design industry and technology, including the role of AI and design software. Our audience left with pages and pages of notes detailing what they had learned or were inspired by. However, the most impactful aspect of the event was the community we fostered and the support we offered each other. After the event, several designers approached us expressing that they would never have met their fellow designers if they hadn’t stepped out of their comfort zones to attend. We have discussed bringing our friends together for an event like this for so long, and witnessing this community connect and support one another was truly inspiring and heartwarming! We made several new friends that day across the design industry and are excited to continue organizing these events to bring more of the community together. Stay tuned for our upcoming events and follow our Instagram @ourtypenyc to be the first to know!

Interested in learning more about UX/UI? Join this session in December with Creative Lives in Progress ????

London, we're excited to see you this week! Meet the local community over free pizza, drinks and tunes this Thursday evening at Ridley Road Market Bar. We've now hit capacity but you can still join the waitlist below. Then on Friday at 5pm we'll be chatting on the mainstage at Upgrade Yourself about community and social change. Free tickets are still available. We hope to see you there.

Where to network and upskill? We share opportunities weekly, online and across the UK such as these ones from NXT GEN: AWITA x All About Art, Where are the Black Designers?, Kira Matthews, Newlyn Art Gallery & The Exchange, Adobe Creative Cloud, Journo Resources, Somerset House and Creative Lives in Progress We have a FREE navigating creative careers workshop tomorrow by the way ?? See more below and get your tickets on ilikenetworking.uk/events