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Final Blog Post: Design for Social Change

To start, the final readings for class truly helped stimulated the mind, such as the many others that we’ve read throughout the semester. Decolonizing Design was reminded me of the last blog post about MarcX and KNOW Identity Global. The “Globalization” section of the reading for me was very frustrating as it reminded its reader of the stereotypical communities built around the world based on various ethnic groups and people of different races are displayed. Society's idea of what a certain type of person is supposed to look like, sound like, even act like has come from this rhetoric of globalization. It destroys a persons let alone with a generation of people as they are simplified to nothing more than an “aesthetic” even.

I feel so much more enlightened with the knowledge that I have gathered from this semester's worth of videos, documentaries, interviews, readings, and so on. It has made me even more determined to focus on representation in my work. There are far too many individual voices that are marginalized within a crowd. I would love to someday have my own studio but not for the fame or glory. I want my own because I don’t want to work for

 people but rather with people. There’s still so much capitalistic ideology that lives within the art world and it truly baffles me since I still believe that the role of the artist is to cater to both their imaginative needs as well as societal's. Making a profit is quite easy to do, the “starving artist” myth is completely false as we have seen just how impactful art truly is in ordinary life. That is why I want to create for everyone who has been seen. I need to amplify their voices and use my artistic abilities to be the best me that I can be. There is still so much in the world that needs to be addressed, for better or for worst, and art and design have always been that outlet to address those issues. My goal now? Making as many connections as I can with various individuals of every creed and color. Of course, I can not cater to everyone as my ideologies differ man multiple groups, but I can cater to those who need me as I too need them. I still truly love that quote from MarcX’s interview, “I am only as great as we can be”, it’s one I plan to take to the grave with me. Thank you so much for this lifelong information that you managed to pack into one spring semester. I’ve become a better me from having this class and I cherish this broadened mindset I have thanks to it. 

Peace out!

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MarcX and KNOW Identity Global

Kindly navigating our world or the KNOW in Know Identity Global is beautifully illustrated in the interview with MarcX. What really piqued my interest were the two designs created by MarcX and his team; the shirt with the backward words and the bandana for the Green New Deal project. Not only were the two designed to bring spread a message but also reusable as a means to lessen our global footprint. They are strategically genius and fashionably unique, the two also having their own goals that achieve when in use. this interview was also a reminder that design and sustainability have a lot in common when you understand how to apply these methods accurately. 

Our previous readings/videos also showed a multitude of ways that design plays a large role in society itself. In “The Pruitt-Igoe Myth” we can see how this “hope” of a new foundation of apartments for the lower-income is just a false idol as the community of people who live in it are never given the chance to truly embrace their new homes while living in a city that refuses to embrace them. The foundation of that project was also rocky due to economic disadvantages in addition to race and ethnicity. Gentrification does not rebuild a community; it demolishes the essence of one. 

Reminder: “I am only as great as WE can be”

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Citizen Architect

The film I chose to watch was Citizen Architect and it was everything that I could not have expected. I’m personally not very interested in documentaries nor architecture, so seeing as though the film was a combination of the two and yet held my attention throughout its entirety goes to show it was well done. Very interesting process, I know documentaries typically just talk about the life of an artist and their bodies of work but it was the connections made between those pieces and other civilians that made the work to humbling. I enjoyed how they went about teaching at their studio as they instilled morals and values of that into their students which would then translate to that within their projects. honestly, the film made me want to go build a house myself, which is so funny to me since I’m not even a fan of doing backgrounds in my own work. I’m very glad to have seen this film, it restored a bit of my faith in humanity, just a bit.

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Trent Dougherty + sustainable directions

Hearing about Trent Dougherty’s was very enjoyable, my favorite fact being that he’s a lawyer for change, not for money. I didn’t know that there was even a branch called environmental law or the nonprofit side within the study or that you could be an attorney for those topics. The continuation into his field was even more fascinating, such as his “imaginary” job that he was able to turn to reality and continue to do for 16+ years. Not only does that give me some inspiration about my future (since I’m not too enthusiastic about working in the industry just as someone who works in the industry but more as someone who will impact the industry) but it also reminds me that my abilities and passions can lead me anywhere. Dougherty’s journey to where he is now in his life was a very helpful reminder to someone like me that it’s okay to know where you’ll go or how you’ll end up there and instead take in the scenery and stop to smell the flowers while I’m on the trip. 

There was so much valuable information to take in when reading “Design’s Role in Sustainable Consumption.” The section about Sociology was beyond accurate and truly made me want to sit down and dissect my art to see just how much of it plays into the hands of consumer goods such as references to a certain culture or stylistic choices. We as a human race have progressively become much more simple, but not in the best of ways. I feel as though art is that borderline between “yes” and “no”. Many forms of art have shaped the world we live in that, over time, people have adapted to and become more accepting of, but many others seem more “wrong” or are deemed as “negative” partially due to how consumer goods might portray them. Advertising seems to be the best way to “remind” people what they want or need to be happy: money, god, and some form of pleasure. 

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Ameer Abdul

What I loved most about Ameer Abdul’s chat this week was how relatable it was. His chat about the healthcare world dwelled on me as I know I and many of my family and friends have the same issue with visiting hospitals/regular checkups. There is a lack of representation within the field that disconnects patients from their doctors as Abdul mentioned. Often BIPOC will feel hesitant about going or won’t go at all to a hospital when feeling ill because 1) it’s too expensive and 2) the nurses/healthcare physicians are usually white. The financial issue is a problem of its own but the fact that people are uncomfortable or don’t trust a certified medical practitioner because of fear that they may give them misleading information or purposely harm them is terrifying and extremely disheartening. The truth of the matter is that the medical world is heavily segregated and still displays a large amount of racism, so much so that minorities would rather suffer in silence than trusting someone whose literal job is to help those in need of medical help. 

Abdul’s continuation to help and service his community through different acts of help is a wonderful reminder that people need to be able to see themselves play every role. There is no one person for a job or career. The more shades and hues we have the better, a prime example being the rainbow. It is a spectrum of various colors which are all appreciated. Humans are no different coming in various shapes, sizes, and especially colors.  

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Ashleigh Axios & Wicked Topics

This week we got to talk with Ashleigh Axios. Professionally an international speaker and advocate for and design that can break and redefine the world around us, and casually a mixed bisexual woman of color raised by a single mother who doesn’t let the fear of failing to stop her from taking uncharted risks. Axios’s work focuses on world change and spreading awareness about social and political events/problems is an incredible source of inspiration but is a reminder that artwork has the power to influence others’ thoughts and opinions about their surroundings. Axios talks about how her earlier work was constantly criticized because she didn’t want to be endorsed by the mainstream. She related her art to subjects revolved around topics such as inclusion and advocacy, showing that her main focus was to educate and shine spotlights on subject matters that either little to no one would discuss. Knowing that she still pushed through to someday become the creative director of the Obama Administration is a wonderful example that art can/does make a difference on a societal scale.

This also helped me to better realize that when proceeding to do my wicked topic, I need to truly sit down and figure out what it is exactly that I am trying to inform my audience about. What is my art’s purpose? Why do I make art? What do I plan to achieve with my art? How can I do that and still talk about larger problems or spread awareness or provoke change? These are just a few of the questions that we as creators need to be asking ourselves. Our work can change someone’s point of view on something entirely, so why not change it for the better? I’m still trying to decide on a singular topic to discuss but that can be hard when every topic needs to be discussed.

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“Connectors” for Wicked Topics

Many of the topics we’ve been discussing over the past few weeks have been entirely about how to think “wrong” as thinking wrong leads to bigger outcomes and more progressive changes. Fighting stereotypes and toppling over the status quo are just a few of the many goals the class has laid out with us continuing that path. One way for that to continue is by discussing the importance of the “Wicked Topics”, which are essential to breaking through societal norms. 

I still haven’t settled on a wicked topic to discuss just yet because of all the incredibly important issues impacting our daily lives. From racial inequality to climate change and much more in-between, the world has many wicked topics. That is why for this project I want to try to interweave every type of problem we as a society face into one large chain/graph/something that we can visually understand and understand that no one problem is more or less than another. I suppose my wicked topic is “world peace” with the connectors being our these issues that need changing. 

Though I know that is a bit of a stretch, watching the interview with Colleen Craig made me realize that I have to take a stand up to something that bothers me and wants to change that. In my case, it just seems to be every problem that we as a society have created. 

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DEI Issues ft. Nadia Ismail

I genuinely enjoyed this week’s lecture and readings, especially when perceiving it in terms of a creative mindset and perspective. Nadia Ismail’s drive for equal rights and diversity amongst the industry isn’t just important to have, but because it is needed. The world is not filled with one demographic of individuals and this is to be said about every category of human. From race to gender to sexuality to age to ethnicity to various forms of being abled and so on, there is no “default” and as a society, we need to understand that. On Facebook, back when the BLM was getting a lot more publicity, I remember stumbling upon this post about how someone was celebrating bipoc artists and promoting their work. Someone else's underneath commented saying “you claim you want us to be united but then segregate us by race, very hypocritical.” That comment has been in my head for months now. I’m not sure why but a lot of individuals confuse “diversity” with “segregation”. It’s okay to want to promote or support a specific group of individuals, what’s not okay is to frown upon them or hate them simply for being that specific group of individuals.

 Ismail’s quote “I need to learn so that way I can be aware of what I don’t know” resented the most with me because of its complexity. It truly is human nature to want to be in the right, to be comfortable, to be liked and awarded which is why people tend to flock to groups in which they believe they will be the best perceived. No one truly enjoys being uncomfortable which is why change is so hard for humans as a society. People would rather be bigots and hurl slurs at someone who looks different than them rather than accepts them as apart of their world because that is what makes them comfortable. This is why diversity training is so important within the work field (and honestly the second you’re born) because it makes one step out of their comfort zone. It makes one listen to another's voice and opinions, it makes one aware that the world doesn’t revolve around them and that what they may call comfort could be discrimination to another. 

As an artist, I feel as though it is my job to help amplify everyone’s voice when it comes to spreading life and awareness. I want to help cultivate this radical change that we have long strived for. I want to shout, listen, act, do whatever it takes to push through this wall of comfortableness with racism, sexism, homophobia, ablism, and the rest of the hate that is embedded within this us as a society. I want to be the reason why people understand the difference between segregation and diversity, both with my art as well as with my voice and my actions.  

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Why does it feel necessary to do this (aka activism/social change) work now? Have you been impacted differently this year than another? Why now? Is it long overdue?

In the past year, the entirety of the world has witnessed the drastic results from various social events from the impact from Covid-19 to the unfeasible visibility of racism, the blatant homophobia more specifically towards the trans community, the dysfunctional use of capitalism, and, unfortunately, many other events. Though these events may seem new to others, the only one unusual to my personal life was Covid-19. 

Since I was a child, I’ve always known and dealt with discrimination because of the color of my skin. From receiving the “black talk” to being threatened to have the police called on a group of friends and I due to being “rowdy and uncivilized”, there has never been a moment in which I have ever felt safe in my own skin out of the 21 years that I have been on this planet. All 2020 did was strengthen that fear at a larger magnitude when George Floyd died after having an officer kneel on his neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. For the rest of the world the words “I can’t breathe” became either a wake up call or a form of mockery while personally it was a reminder that I could easily be the next hashtag. Mr. Floyd was not the first to be killed due to racism and sadly wasn’t the last as he, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tamir Rice, Tanisha Anderson, George Stinney, Emmett Till, and an absorbedly long list of other black individuals is proof of that. Today, February 5th, is Trayvon Martin’s birthday, a 17-year-old black kid who was fatally shot by an officer on his way home from buying Skittles from a convince store. He was shot because he had his hood on and looked “suspicious” to said officer. He would’ve been 26 today. 26. 

To ask why it “feels” necessary to care for another individuals struggle is a problem in its own. My well-being is no more superior nor minor than that of any one else's. So, why, as a society, have we decided on segregation amongst skin tones, ethnicities, gender, sexuality, social class, and so forth to determine who “deserves” help? To even think that there are individuals that have billions of dollars at their disposal while a family of five living under a viaduct have to use cardboard boxes as shelter should not only anger but also lead you to push for change. In James Baldwin’s “I am Not Your Negro” there were a few quotes that stuck out to me, one in particular quoting “You never had to look at me. I had to look at you. I know more about you than you know about me. Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” This quote is the epiphany of 2020. We, as humans, had no choice but to witness another's pain and in turn it caused an uproar, for better or for worst. 2020 left the type of scar that makes one wonder who’d you be today without it. 

I am still black and I am still proud just I was back in kindergarten when first singing the James Brown song. My voice is important as is everyone else’s who desires change. “You don't need numbers; you need passion, and this is proven by the history of the world!” - James Baldwin. 

Trayvon Martin would’ve been 26 today (Feb. 5th)

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The Art of Thinking Wrong

To know that such a term exists and never crossed my mind is a bit baffling since I would personally believe I would qualify as the human embodiment of what “thinking wrong” would most likely be. In the 21 years that I have been on this little rock in space, I have always done my best to think outside the box, even when it could lead to my greatest downfall; death. I think when one hears the word “wrong” they subconsciously compare it to “right” as “right” is the social construct of “normal” and to be normal has many different appearances but via entertainment, world-leading corporations, or any history book with miswritten information, normal is typically caucasian, cis, male, straight, and abled. As a black, non-binary, female-presenting lesbian with a mental disability, I would 9/10 most likely not be the main character of any “ordinary” story due to the status quo. Though it is improving, it is not built for someone like me or anyone similar, causing me to be viewed as the “wrong.”

Thankfully, being “wrong” has its perks, the book Think Wrong, written by Greg Galle, John Bielenberg, Mike Burn, and Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson, constantly reminding its reader that to think wrong is to achieve change as to think right is to remain the same. The first few pages further list examples of well-known thinkers whose out-of-this-world ideas have changed society drastically and the trope associated with being a wrong thinker. While Think Wrong rewires our conventional thinking, Wicked Problems and FRINGE22 directly state what those new thoughts consist of. From volunteer work to partnering with clients that focus on social issues for specific ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, and so on, the two groups emphasize the importance of reaching out to those who need a hand while remembering that you cannot help everyone. Lara Alsoudani Weeks quotes “We [FRINGE22] didn’t want to be the studio for everybody, no brand can be the brand for everyone. Our brand became the brand about doing work for social good.”

This quote pondered my mind for the rest of the entirety of the video. It made me wonder who was my brand, did I have a brand, how would I know who and/or what was apart of my brand, and so on. As an illustration major, I use my art to tell stories by using imagery instead of words. In those stories, unlikely characters are the main protagonist, contrasting the status quo. I believe that’s one of the primary ways artists manage difficult issues without becoming too overwhelmed. Art is an outlet. Art is that middle ground. Art is another form of thinking wrong.