Category: Introduction

So far my time here at WPC has been so enjoyable. I know that the work culture at WPC contributes to my comfort levels. Since the dress code is pretty lax, I can come and work in easy, breathable clothing such as sweatshirts, which in turn makes it very easy for me to focus on my tasks at hand. I switch my wardrobe up depending on the kind of day it happens to be and that kind of flexibility is great to have, because some days you want to go all out and present your very best and some days it’s more about feeling comfortable with your attire.

The office is in the basement of a residential building. It’s open space with two rooms—one room has all the paperwork and member information while the second room has the kitchen area, bathroom and a large space for the Mac computers. There are wooden bookshelves in both rooms that have the organizations publications, Collective Endeavor and Guide to Patrons, that serves as reference images and information about WPC’s archives.

Lunch is my favorite time during the workday, since typically my supervisor or the supervisor of the day, in case our main supervisor isn’t here, would prepare a lunch for everyone that is always on the healthier side. We have a dining table that is in the larger room and for lunch we would grab a plate, fix our lunch from the options presented for the day and then we would all sit at the table and have casual conversation for an hour. It’s very uplifting because we can all get to know each other in a very informal way that also isn’t intrusive and is respectful of each other’s space. It feels very warm and forms a wonderful feeling of camaraderie, which isn’t a feeling that is often felt in many professional settings. I appreciate the positive energy at WPC and it only encourages me to keep going at full speed and power.

My position here at Women’s Press Collective is considered a design consultant. The reason why I am called that is because of the workflow at WPC,

which is teaching me to partner up with “clients” and explain to them the basic process of how to start designing. This role allows me to not only create design but to teach and present it as well so that I can also review the skills I’ve learned and the process to understand what works and what doesn’t work.

My supervisor’s name is Lisa and her title is Operations Manager, she came up with the partnership process of having me team up with clients and teach them how to operate the basics in the various Adobe programs. This concept was very interesting to me because instead of it becoming the normal relationship between the designer and client, it’s a relationship that allows me to actually fully explain why a specific element in design doesn’t work and to provide alternatives that can teach them an alternative that works for a more functional yet beautiful design.

I found out about WPC through a friend that had previously interned here. She mentioned my name to Lisa and when I called to ask about interning at WPC, I was on the phone with Lisa on the first call. After a brief conversation about what it was that I would be doing at WPC, I was asked if it sounded like a position I would be interested in and I took it in a heartbeat. I was instantly scheduled for an orientation two days later. At the orientation, I was given the extensive history of WPC and how it later became the non profit organization it is today.

In this day and age, design plays a strong role in delivering messages to people and bringing certain topics to light. Design can bring attention to commercial products, events and political statements and agendas. The relationship between design and politics and activism is a strong relationship because without press and media, how will the message be delivered?

Women’s Press Collective, also known as WPC, utilizes the relationship between political activism and design, and also happens to be where I am interning at in order to strengthen my design skills and obtain real world knowledge in a professional setting. It is a relatively small non profit grassroots organization based in New York City. Women’s Press Collective is a private collective organization funded primarily on the donations of sponsors and members with no connections to government owned facilities and/or government funding. Although WPC’s initial influence stems back to the 1800s and protesting the mistreatment of women and low income families who were primarily agricultural and labor workers, the organization was officially founded and named Women’s Press Collective in 1982.

Women’s Press Collective runs an independent printing media, that uses the medium of printing to advertise and spread the message of equal rights for women and misrepresented populations of peoples. The organization does not use social media or big news companies as their medium or strategies to connect as that can grossly misinterpret or censor the true meaning behind the mission of promoting equal rights.

Their client demographic consists of mostly low income workers that have a message to spread but no way or means to send it. By providing education of printing and design to those who wish to spread their message to reach a target audience, they leave WPC with the skillset to continue designing on their own and are also invited to come back to work on their individual projects as well as pass on their knowledge to the next client so that the passage of knowledge is continuous.

My position at WPC is a design consultant, as my tasks are not only towards graphic design but also to teach it to clients in what is called a “design session.” This session allows me to design and explain to the client how to achieve the same results, so that the client is now empowered and given the necessary information to share with others and to continue the design process independently. This of course includes the same process of research, drafting, thumbnails and execution. But adds the element of teaching as well, which helps with explaining design choices and reasons for choosing a specific element to the design.

Because Women’s Press Collective tends to stay out of the spotlight in terms of news reporting and relies mostly on community outreach, word of mouth and publications, they are not mainstream or well known on the internet or in newspapers. There is one event that they are always known for and it garners the most attention, which is their International Women’s Day event. Every year a theme is picked to discuss and an organized speaking event is held to bring attention to the topic. The event is normally held in March and features musical performances, literature recitals and provides a space for women and supporters to show their appreciation and support for Women’s Rights.

For anyone who would like to read more about the international Women’s Day event held by WPC, here is an approved article: http://ourbksocial.com/14133-2/