AEI Design Panel

A design initiative developed by North Carolina A&T State University to further the growth and development of black design students.

To say that 2020 is a year for the books feels like an understatement. This year has been marked by a series of unprecedented events ⎯ a global health pandemic that killed hundreds of thousands and impacted our economic and mental wellbeing, civil uprisings and protests for civil rights, and extreme weather conditions. The collective feelings are those of hopelessness, helplessness, and even despair. It feels like there’s little we can do to change our current predicament. This much is true. However, I’m hopeful that there’s something each of us can do to raise our spirits. Personally, I wanted to do something positive with the hope that my action starts a chain reaction of positive actions.

Earlier this month I was invited to participate in AEI’s Design Panel Discussion. I was one of five panelists. Each of us came from a different background, with unique experiences in our prospective careers. However, there was one commonality. We were all young, tremendously talented Black designers who are passionate about paving the way for future designers of color.

You’re probably wondering, “why this program?” This program was designed with students of color in mind. Specifically, helping these students understand how their cultural background impacts their work experience.

We can’t pretend that it doesn’t. Students from culturally diverse backgrounds have to be aware of what this means for their work experiences; from assimilating in uniform work environments, to code-switching, and the meaning of bringing your “full” self to work each day.

I jumped at the opportunity to participate in this program for a number of reasons. First, I wished to share my experiences to inspire the next generation of designers and encourage those with an interest in the field. Next, one of my personal interests is diversity in tech. I saw this as an ideal opportunity to speak on inclusivity and diversifying these spaces. Finally, collegiate experiences provide foundation for your professional experiences. However, they often fail to give insight on what those professional experiences entail. Especially for young people of color. By sharing our collective experiences, the other panelists and I not only gave future designers insight on professional experiences, but also prepared them for their own experiences.

I am humbled to be in position to give back to the design community, and hope that all of our collective efforts will create meaningful change in the technology space.