Designer Educators as Advocates for Diversity, Inclusion, and Community

Today’s social, political and cultural climate is bringing to the forefront issues of identity, conflict, inclusion, and diversity. Cultural literacy and competence are fundamental as we navigate beyond our Western perspective in a paradigm shift to global understanding and authentic care. Connection to community— through two-way knowing is indispensable to evolve our thinking. We will negotiate how contributions from design can bridge with other disciplines into a hands-on systems approach and stimulate multiple ways of thinking and doing. The connections we make with our local and global community will infuse our teaching practice and professional service with sensitivity, ability, relevance, and great potentials.

This conference invites scholarship and dialogue around the following questions:

1. As design educators, how do we build capacity for empathy and compassion in our students, in our workplaces, and in our communities?
2. What is the role of design in addressing contemporary issues such as shelter, poverty, resources, sustainability, immigration, gender issues, civility, prejudice, safety, cultural identity, inclusion, climate change, community activism, rural community equity, native community building, civic engagement, human-centered, social responsibility, collaboration, cross-disciplinary.
3. What are best practices and lessons learned from studio and community projects?