This past week, faculty member Lee-Sean Huang (who teaches both semesters of Technologies for Designing Change) invited Sloan Leo–our Spring 2020 Designer in Residence–for an enlightening segment on AIGA’s Design Future Now podcast. In the episode, the two discuss theory and the potential of using the language of design as a tool in accomplishing racial liberation. This conversation comes as a thoughtful response to the ongoing protests on systemic racism and police brutality in the United States, and offers key advice for design leadership as we move forward collectively:
“There is an onus on designers right now… especially on white designers who are in positions of power… to publicly signal not virtue, but struggle. To publicly be grappling; because if it’s practice–we have to show the part that’s hard… we actually need to see that leaders are doing the difficult stuff.”
Here at DSI we are taking Sloan’s wise words to heart as we continue to develop tools and tactics to become a more equitable and inclusive space for all.
For more from “Design Future Now”, you can listen on Apple Podcasts, Google, Spotify, or Overcast.
