Challenging Anti-Black Racism through Design

Photo by Kilimanjaro STUDIOz on Unsplash

Last year, when we launched our internally incubated initiative, Noshelter.design, we encountered many stories of -isms, including ageism, sexism, and racism. The United States leads the category of racism in the personal stories shared. As a team and managing partner of this new creative initiative, we have a long journey ahead in shaping a communal solution to properly tell and share these stories in order to advocate for change. In the meantime, we would like to increase awareness and hype by discussing these issues further.

Anti-black racism is a prevalent issue that continues to affect people of color in various aspects of their daily lives. The impact of systemic racism can be felt in education, employment, health care, and criminal justice, among many other areas.

Design, as a field and a practice, has the power to shape the world around us. It has the potential to bring about positive change and address social and cultural issues, including anti-black racism.

Using Design to Raise Awareness

One of the first steps in challenging anti-black racism is to raise awareness about the issue. Design can play a crucial role in this by creating visual representations of the impact of racism and amplifying voices that are often marginalized.

Designers can create powerful posters, graphics, and campaigns that bring attention to the issue of anti-black racism and spark conversations about the need for change. This can be done through the use of bold typography, impactful imagery, and thought-provoking messaging.

Using Design to Advocate for Change

In addition to raising awareness, design can also be used to advocate for change and drive action. Designers can work with organizations and communities to develop design-led initiatives that address anti-black racism and promote racial equity.

For example, designers can create interactive installations, community-led events, and educational programs that explore the impact of racism and encourage people to take action.

As creatives, we can also collaborate with proactive organizations, as well as federal and state entities, to facilitate non-biased workshops to assess the current state of affairs and develop and evaluate potential solutions.

Using Design to Create Inclusive Spaces

Design can also be used to create inclusive spaces that promote diversity, equity, and inclusivity. This includes physical spaces, such as buildings and public spaces, as well as digital spaces, such as websites and mobile apps.

Designers can work with communities and organizations to develop design solutions that promote diversity, challenge biases, and promote a more inclusive society.

For example, designers can create products, services, and experiences that are accessible and usable by people of all races and ethnicities, as well as people with disabilities.

The Design of Unity

Design has the power to bring about positive change and address complex social and cultural issues, including anti-black racism. By using design to raise awareness, advocate for change, and create inclusive spaces, designers can play a crucial role in promoting racial equity and justice. Through the effective use of design, we can work towards a world that is free from anti-black racism and promotes racial equity and justice for all.

In the words of Zach De La Rocha, we gotta take the power back!