Morley, Madeleine. Eye on Design: Celebrating the African-American Practitioners Absent From Way Too Many Classroom Lectures (2018)
Munro, Silas.  Eye on Design: Typography as a Radical Act in an Industry Ever-dominated by White Men (2019) 
Rawsthorn, Alice. NYTimes: Design Gets More Diverse (2011)

Questions / Prompts

  • How do we change the commercial design field to include a diversity of voices and visions?
  • What will the commercial design field and the study of design history look like in 20 years?

Reading Response 6

I think a way for us to change the commercial design field so that it includes a diversity of voices and visions is by giving those who haven’t been heard a platform. Also by creating role models for others to look up to and be inspired to become the role models for the next generation. Showing the world that they exist and that they should be heard just as much as anyone else within the design field. No selected group of society should be prioritized more than society as a whole since that would limit the potential and growth of design.

I believe that in 20 years time, both the commercial design field and design history will look a bit more diverse than it does now. A time where the voices of groups that aren’t heard of today will be shouted for all to hear. Where these groups are able to share their stories and be inspirations for future generations to come. Especially, a time where the phrase “Hey look, there’s a…” would be a distant memory of the past and the field is filled with designers from everywhere. A future where design has unlimited potential due to finding the best possible designers from anywhere and everywhere instead of prioritizing one specific area over and over again. 

Hypothesis / Annotations

  1. Idea: We need the best possible designers, and won’t get them if they only come from selected areas of society.
  2. Definition: Stultify
  3. Idea: In that sense, Vocal Type’s fonts and platform are a radical act—not just because they’re different, but because their excellence transcends their historical minority voice.