Why are women designers important contributors to the discourse on global change?

Women, for centuries, have done the bulk of the mental load at home and out in the workforce to help keep society running smoothly. If we truly want lasting and meaningful global improvements to occur, our voices are vital. Until we achieve parity in representation, the world is likely to continue repeating the same patterns. We’re starting to see a shift, as more and more women around the world are speaking their truths and not backing down, despite the regular onslaught of negative and abusive trolling behavior for doing so. As a woman in design, I do my part by teaching and writing about what I know, by supporting other women designers and women run organizations, and by speaking up for those who are unwilling or unable to do so.

Women are working in teams, in communities and with governments to find ways to collaborate and have an impact. What was the last project you worked on to improve your community?

Besides doing pro bono design work for local, national, and global non-profits, I engage the students in my classrooms in service-learning design projects.  Most recently, one of my classes completed a WordPress website for a non profit organization business that provides smart tech support, training, devices, and services for seniors.

Name a woman designer other than yourself, living or deceased, that you think made an impact on the world.

I’m so grateful for all the women designers who came before me, who blazed a trail to make it possible for me to work and thrive in this field. One woman designer/illustrator who made a huge impact on me and the world is Maria Kalman. She’s written and illustrated over a dozen books, created cover art for The New Yorker, and has exhibited her work globally. What I especially admire (besides her complete joy of color) is her use of hand lettering to accompany her illustrations. The shape of each letter helps convey remarkably deeper meaning for the words. Definitely someone to admire and learn from. But also, I highly recommend checkout out the woman designers on this list.