Design Leadership: Now What? Suggestions for How We Begin to Achieve Equity by Design
By Jennifer Rittner
Co-authored by: Anne H. Berry, Jacqueline Francis, Ricardo Gomes, Alicia Olushola Ajayi, Ajay Revels, Jennifer Rittner, Raja Schaar, David J. Walker, Kelly Walters, Michele Washington
Recently published in Design for All Institute of India December 2021 Volume 16 No. 12.
Leaders in the design community have expressed their desire to work toward equity within our industry, posting across social media the #BLM hashtag and affirming their support for inclusion. At the same time, many of them are asking, “what can we do next?”
The “what next” is possibly the most challenging facet of this conversation. For every suggested “next step” there are dozens of other paths that might have been taken. Each outlined path risks erasing or negating other marginalized communities and contributions. Each new suggestion implies that none have come before. Many have.
Many designers and design educators who identify as BIPoC, disabled, gender queer, religious minorities, or immigrants from the southern hemisphere have been doing the work of demanding equity in our industry for decades. We thank all those who came before us. We acknowledge everyone who is doing this work quietly, in the shadows, without credit or compensation. We are grateful for everyone who tried but then stopped because the work was hard and it became overwhelming to do it alone. We appreciate everyone who supported that work, even if from a distance, providing emotional support and encouragement to our colleagues as they risked their own careers and health in the fight for change.
We see you.
We will also continue to celebrate our brothers and sisters who have achieved success by designing their own paths and platforms. In truth, we honor and admire them. They have thrived against the odds. At the same time, too many of us are laboring in states of isolation and anxiety.
