“For those of you asking, ‘where are all the black designers?’ this event is for you,” organizer Heatherlee Nguyen writes.
On Thursday, Black Designers Ignite!
As the event details, “During a time of COVID-19 and as the fight for racial justice in all forms continues, this event brings a night of positivity, inspiration and reflection. Black designers across major cities in America will be sharing their experiences about being black in the design field and how it has shaped them and their work. The conversation is meant to transition us.”
The event kicks off at 6 p.m. (ET) Aug. 27, with a conversation between “Where Are the Black Designers?” organizer Mitzi Okou and UX design student Zariah Cameron (North Carolina A&T) about how the industry can transition forward. Cameron is bringing perspective about how companies can partner with HBCUs, and Annis R. Sands, who is emceeing the event, will moderate the discussion.
Afterward, 30 designers will hold talks in the rapid-fire Ignite format, which gives each presenter five minutes to make a powerful statement. The speakers come from a broad spectrum of disciplines: graphic design, fashion, event design, illustration, production design, photography, industrial design, UX, architecture, interior design, interaction design.
To wrap things up, design researcher Glennette Clark will hold a keynote responding to the talks—and then a fireside chat featuring Cheryl D. Holmes-Miller and Meryanna Loum-Martin will close the show.
Learn more about the event, and RSVP, here—100% of tickets sold goes to the presenters.