In this insightful conversation between Antionette D. Carroll and Marquise Stillwell, they explore the intersection of design, equity, and personal experiences. Marquise, a multi-talented professional, shares his perspectives on design, emphasizing the importance of active listening, language alignment, and the inclusion of diverse voices in the creative process. He highlights the significance of dignity in storytelling and representation and discusses his work in design, film, and journalism

The conversation deepens as they delve into the concept of equity as a means to create conditions for individuals to excel, stressing the role of contemplation in driving positive change. Both Marquise and Antionette draw from their personal experiences and viewpoints on equity, emphasizing the need for individual accountability and systemic transformation.

Marquise also shares his vision for a world in the year 2123, where love serves as the foundational principle of society, fostering deep respect and understanding among people and their surroundings. He encourages individuals to craft their "constitution of love" as a starting point for catalyzing positive change

This conversation beautifully weaves together themes of empathy, curiosity, perseverance, and the pursuit of joy as essential elements in the journey toward liberation and a more equitable and inclusive world.

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.

In this episode of the Reimagining & Redesigning podcast, Antionette D. Carroll interviews Terresa Moses, an Assistant Professor of Graphic Design and Director of Design Justice at the University of Minnesota. Terresa discusses her work in reimagining and redesigning systems, particularly in the field of education. She emphasizes the importance of centering positionality and community agreements in the classroom, as well as fostering a mentor relationship with students. Terresa also talks about her research on Black liberation in graphic design education and her goal of creating a Black liberatory curriculum. She highlights the need for action-oriented approaches to equity and envisions a future where people value each other's humanity and work towards collective health and liberation.

Antionette D. Carroll hosts Jacob Smith, a Black, queer, disabled advocate who delves deep into mobility justice. Jacob sees mobility justice as more than just transportation safety; it encompasses the recognition of historical injustices and the role of individual identities in shaping movement. He emphasizes the need to consider the broader implications of identity, particularly disability justice, ensuring people's rights to navigate and live freely, unhindered by past oppressions. A personal turning point for Jacob was a severe car accident and subsequent brain injury, propelling him into this advocacy realm.

Jacob highlights the crucial role of youth in spearheading mobility justice, introducing the National Youth Transportation Equity Fellowship as a beacon for change. The conversation turns to the significance of equity in urban planning and mobility justice, with Jacob critiquing existing power imbalances. He advocates for environments where diverse identities can flourish without marginalization fears and shares insights from his projects, such as opposing the criminalization of fare evasion and the surveillance implications of speed cameras.

Antionette D. Carroll and Managing Director of the Civil Society Fellowship Nike Irvin explore the complexities of equity, liberation, justice, and leadership in today's society.

They stress the importance of reimagining civil leadership and decision-making through a lens of equity and liberation and share their experiences of being part of selection committees for executive roles while exploring the weight of their decisions, particularly when it comes to long-term impact and legacy. Nike shares some actionable steps for building empathy and understanding, such as writing with your non-dominant hand to challenge accepted norms and bring awareness to societal imbalances.

The conversation culminates with a future-focused discussion, urging listeners to be more curious and empathetic. Nike envisions a future where humanity has evolved to become more equitable, embracing diversity as a superpower rather than a checkbox. Both Antionette and Nike agree that the quest for a more equitable and liberated society is a continual journey that requires constant rethinking, reimagining, and redesigning of systems and norms.

About our guest:

Merle McGee is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Everyday Democracy. Merle brings over 25 years’ experience in non-profit settings fighting alongside historically marginalized and excluded communities for dignity and racial, gender, and economic justice. Before joining Everyday Democracy in May 2022, Merle served as Chief Equity and Engagement Officer at Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, where she led organizational transformation through community engagement initiatives and by conceiving and implementing Reviving Radical, an initiative to reckon with the organization’s history and build accountable relationships with communities of color.

Prior to her work at Planned Parenthood, Merle served as Chief Program Officer at YWCA of the City of New York and taught non-profit consulting and Race and Identity in Organizations at New York University’s Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service. Merle earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from New York University, Tisch School of the Arts, and a Master of Science in Nonprofit Management from the New School. She is also co-facilitator and leader with the Anti-Racist Alliance and the co-founder of the The BIPOC Project, an antiracist collective committed to building solidarity among people of color. Merle received the inaugural Planned Parenthood Federation A.P.P.L.E Justice award for Reviving Radical and was named City & State’s 50 over Fifty Influential New Yorker in 2021.

A brief introduction of the podcast by Antionette.