The Black Lives Matter movement has mobilized countless people all over the world in the urgent fight for true racial justice and equality, one of the most important issues of our time. In this episode, host Khoi Vinh and producers Dominic Girard and Pippa Johnstone examine the intersection of BLM and the world of design and creativity. They unpack the challenge of building a brand around an expansive social movement, investigate the role that art, craft, and design can play in the struggle, and bring to light the role bias can play in the underpinnings of the design profession itself.
First, Teddy Phillips is an illustrator who posts on Instagram as Stat the Artist. He discovers that his artwork plays a bigger role in the protests than he knew – and finds inspiration to bridge his art with newfound activism.
Then, Ivy Climacosa is a worker-owner at Design Action Collective, the design team behind the very first BLM logo. Ivy explains the unique challenges of designing for an activist movement, and how design helps to clearly and effectively communicate the message.
Finally, Dori Tunstall is on a mission to decolonize design. The Dean of the Faculty of Design at OCAD University in Toronto speaks with Khoi about how the definition of design itself can be culturally problematic, how she’s working to create a more inclusive industry, and how all designers can work towards a more just and diverse practice.
Learn more about how Adobe is listening, learning and taking action and see more on Adobe’s efforts to support diversity & inclusivity here.
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Find a transcript of this episode here.