Department of Design, The Ohio State University presents:
"An Anthology of Blackness" roundtable discussion event
Thursday 11 April 2024, 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Barnett Center Collaboratory, 141 Sullivant Hall, 1813 N. High Street
Preceded by a book signing at Noon at The Wexner Center for the Arts Bookstore, 1871 N. High Street
This roundtable discussion will concern the recently published MIT Press book, "An Anthology of Blackness: The State of Black Design." Led by editor Omari Souza, Assistant Professor, University of North Texas, the discussion will include Ohio State MFA alumna Jacinda Walker, along with Saywrane Alfonso Williams andJohn Brown VI, all Ohio-based contributors to the book.
"An Anthology of Blackness" is a ground breaking collection that addresses the persistent challenges Black professionals face in the design industry and presents a vision for an anti-racist, pro-Black, inclusive and equitable design practice.
The authors will explore the book's genesis, national impact, avenues for support, and the compelling reasons for its relevance. The event will conclude with audience questions, creating an interactive session to amplify the significance of "An Anthology of Blackness" within the Ohio State University community.
For more information on "An Anthology of Blackness," please see:
https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262048668/an-anthology-of-blackness/
Omari Souza is an Assistant Professor of Communication Design at the University of North Texas, the organizer of the State of Black Design Conference, and a Design Researcher at Capital One. Formerly, he worked at VIBE magazine, CBS Radio, and Case Western Reserve University.
Jacinda Walker is renowned for her design, diversity, research, and strategy work. She has helped clients including Amazon, Adobe, Target, Kellogg, and others with their diversity recruiting strategies. She has led design thinking and community design education workshops for the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, the Boys and Girls Club, and numerous AIGA chapters.
Anne H. Berry is a writer, designer, and Associate Professor at Cleveland State University. She is also co-creator of the award-winning project Ongoing Matter: Democracy, Design, and the Mueller Report, and managing editor of The Black Experience in Design: Identity, Expression, and Reflection, an anthology centering a range of perspectives spotlighting teaching practices, research, stories, and conversations from a Black/African diasporic lens.
Saywrane Alfonso Williams is a former library professional with a strong interests in the philosophy of science and medicine, physiology, psychology, semiotics, complexity & systems science, subjectivity, and media ecology whose goal is to use his skills to achieve practical solutions for complex problems.
John Brown VI has professional experience in UX design and research, and is currently a Senior User Experience Designer with Sherwin-Williams. His prior positions include publication designer with the Cleveland Museum of Art, and Adjunct Instructor at Cuyahoga Community College.
