Introduction to equityXdesign. (Free for all!!!)
Racism and inequity are products of design. They can be redesigned.
Who...me?
Whether you've been doing equity work that has felt overwhelming or design work that has felt narrow or biased in its scope, this practice is for you.
Our aim is to increase your capacity as an equity designer, because we believe that everyone is a designer, and, consequently, that you *can* actually make an impact and move the needle on your life's purpose.
~Got a problem you need to solve and/or thing you need to design, and you'd like do it equitably?
~Are you leading or project-managing a team, and want to build their equity-mindset and capacity as equity designers?
~Are you a facilitator, and want to guide and coach people in a more equitable fashion?
~Are you a design-practitioner, and you want to have your thinking pushed, build a more robust set of equity skills, and/or develop your equity mindset?
...welcome to the right place!
Why this?
We are a country founded on the genocide of one people and the enslavement of another. The experiment of America is 240 years old. In these 240 years, systems were designed that isolate and separate us, that empower a chosen few with the privilege of invention, innovation, and creativity, that lay the groundwork for misunderstanding, fear, and ultimately hate.
We believe that in community, with thoughtful and deliberate action, we can design the obsolescence of those systems, so that's why we're offering to you, equity designer-in-making, equityXdesign, a practice that organizations, teams, and individuals can use to mitigate the impact of racism and inequity in design practices.
Ok...then what?
Frameworks show us the way. They empower us. They enable us to grow. They make our efforts much more effective.
That's why we've combined both equity and design to create the best of both worlds: a well-defined and guided process within which we've embedded equity practices. This process is designed to prevent extractive testing, false promises, unintended consequences, and missing key pieces of information. It is also designed to increase self-awareness, empathy, critical thinking, and reliable testing!
We're teaching theory and practice, but also helping you apply this framework to your specific situation. (P.S. This course is more of a teaser; conversely, the four-course bundle will walk you through an entire design cycle, meaning: you will be able to actually start solving your problem and create something -- a process, a product, a system, a team dynamic/culture -- equitably.)
So what will we do?
In this course, we'll be learning about some key equity design principles and practicing with case studies and crash courses. It's like the killer appetizer before an amazing meal ("amazing meal" a.k.a. the rest of the classes lololol).
Your Instructor
Dr. Christine Ortiz is a serial entrepreneur with a passion for innovation through equity-centered design. She has launched k-12 microschools, consulted for schools in the US and internationally, designed and coached entrepreneurs, coordinated a national competition for innovative school models, and designed and taught graduate-level courses on redesigning schools at the Stanford d.School and Harvard University. Her current venture is Equity Meets Design, a think/do tank merging the consciousness of equity work with the power of design methodologies.
Christine spent her teenage years creating the national Truth tobacco prevention campaign and consulting with states and other countries interested in implementing the model. The first in her family to have a college degree, Christine has a BS from MIT, Masters in Education and Non-Profit Management and a Doctorate in Education Leadership from Harvard University. In all her endeavors, she has been motivated to address the barriers innovators face when tackling complex equity-based social issues.