 |
| by Jennifer Molinsky Senior Research Associate |
Earlier this month, the Joint Center for Housing
Studies, together with the Loeb Fellowship and African American Student Union
at the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD), hosted InFORMing Justice, an
interactive conversation about designers’ roles in promoting racial justice in
our communities. The event evolved in the wake of national discussions about the deaths of black men in Ferguson, Staten Island, South Carolina, and
elsewhere, as a way for GSD students and the broader community to discuss how design and designers can promote
community empowerment and ultimately justice (and its requisite parts,
including equal access to safe, healthy neighborhoods and economic
opportunities).
In the opening panel, moderated by Professor Michael Hays,
architects Kimberly Dowdell, Theresa Hwang, Liz Ogbu, and
artist Seitu Jones touched on the intensely personal nature of their professional work
in disadvantaged, racially segregated communities. They urged architects, designers, and planners to
reflect on their own biases and assumptions as they work to build what Jones
called “the beloved community;” the importance of active, intentional listening
in engaging with community residents; the critical role of the design process
in bringing about change; and the value of working collaboratively across
disciplines.
Following the panel, participants broke into small groups to brainstorm
ideas about how design professionals can address racial
injustice in the university curriculum and in practice.
If you missed the event, you can now watch the webcast, view our Storify of tweets & images from the evening, or read more about design for equity,
including contributions from panelists Liz Ogbu and Theresa Hwang.
No comments:
Post a Comment