Reimagining & Redesigning Design Thinking with Tania Anaissie

Antionette D. Carroll welcomes Tania Anaissie, a notable figure in the field of equity design and the founder of Beytna Design. Tania shares her background and her passion for integrating design with liberation and justice work, driven by her personal experiences and connections to the healthcare and criminal justice systems. The conversation delves into the challenges of tackling systemic issues and the necessity of adopting a sector-agnostic approach to foster change. They stress the need for a paradigm shift from being heroes to hosts, focusing on the community's expertise and knowledge rather than trying to be solvers of every problem.

Tania explains the principles of Liberatory Design, a collaborative process developed to merge the best aspects of liberation pedagogies with design thinking. She highlights the significance of a community-centric approach, where the process is more about hosting a space for the community to contribute their expertise and less about dictating terms.

Antionette and Tania further discuss the potential pitfalls of power shifting and the importance of sharing power to foster true equity and community development. They underline the need for tangible actions that go beyond theory, emphasizing co-design and collaboration with the community at every stage.

The conversation then explores the nuances of facilitating co-design projects, including the necessity to remove design jargon and create an inviting, inclusive space. Throughout the podcast, both speakers advocate for a more human, empathetic, and inclusive approach to design, emphasizing the vital role of community involvement and co-creation in achieving equitable outcomes.