Revision Path

We're halfway through the year! Summer's here, and I thought it would be a great time to feature an extraordinary young designer whose work I recently discovered -- Keisha Okafor. Her work is brimming with energy and vibrancy and joy -- feelings we all could use a bit more of these days. We start off talking about freelance design, and Keisha told a bit about how she helped make one of the features Google Doodles for Black History Month 2021. Keisha also spoke on her signature design style, talked about one of her dream projects, and gave some great advice on being an illustrator. Keep an eye out for Keisha -- I think we'll definitely see more of her work in the future!LinksKeisha Okafor's WebsiteKeisha Okafor on InstagramKeisha Okafor on TwitterSponsored by Brevity & WitBrevity & Wit is a strategy and design firm committed to designing a more inclusive and equitable world.We accomplish this through graphic design, presentations and workshops around I-D-E-A: inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibi

What happens when a Trini woman ends up in the largest city in Switzerland to learn design? You have Cherry-Ann Davis, a graduate design student at Zurich University of the Arts, and a self-proclaimed creator of visuals and words. Quite a combination, right? Cherry-Ann and I talk about her design thesis, as well as her work at a feminist design publication called The Futuress. Cherry-Ann also spoke on growing up in Trinidad and Tobago, how she switched her career from marketing to design, and spoke on finding community in an entirely new place. According to Cherry-Ann, you should stay open to anything because you'll never know where it will take you. I can't argue with that! Links Cherry-Ann Davis' Website Cherry-Ann Davis on Instagram Cherry-Ann Davis on Twitter Cherry-Ann Davis on YouTube Sponsored by Brevity & Wit Brevity & Wit is a strategy and design firm committed to designing a more inclusive and equitable world.We accomplish this through graphic design, presentations and workshops around I-D-

One of the benefits of hosting this podcast for the past eight years is that I get to see how guests progress in their career. Such is the case with this week's guest, Adekunle Oduye! He was one of our first podcast guests way back in 2014, and I recently asked him to come back on the podcast and give everyone an update!We talked a bit about his current role at Mailchimp, and he went into the importance of design systems in his work. Adekunle also spoke on how his career has shifted over the years, the power of mentorship, and we revisit his 2014 interview to see if his motivations and goals are still on track with where he is now. It's rare that we get a chance to do this type of self-reflection, but it's definitely clear that Adekunle has grown and evolved by defining his career on his own terms!LinksAdekunle Oduye's 2014 interviewAdekunle Oduye's WebsiteAdekunle Oduye on TwitterSponsored by Brevity & WitBrevity & Wit is a strategy and design firm committed to designing a more inclusive and equitabl

A dear friend of mine asked me to include a creative on Revision Path that could speak to building a personal brand online, and my mind went immediately to UI/UX designer Brandon Groce. I first encountered Brandon a year ago hosting an AIGA DC design event, and was impressed by his work creating content for design brands including Disney, Hilton, and LG. Did I mention he's also an Adobe Partner?Our conversation started off with an update on what Brandon's been doing over the past year, and he talked about his current and upcoming projects, including the DesignOff Tournament. We also talked about building confidence, showcasing your work, and...the metaverse? (You'll have to listen to the end to find out!) Kudos to Brandon for being a great designer and for helping elevate the next generation of designers through his events!Links Brandon Groce's Website Brandon Groce on Instagram Brandon Groce on Twitter Brandon Groce on YouTube The Game Changers Club on Discord DesignOff Tournament Sponsored by Poster Ho

What a difference a few years makes! This is definitely the case with this week's guest, Tiffany Middleton. When I first talked to her on Revision Path, she was just starting out as a junior designer from Childersburg, Alabama working for a Texas-based sports company. Now she's a senior art director for FanDuel and has continued honing and flexing her design skills, only this time in the Big Apple! We started off with a quick check-in, and Tiffany spoke on her interest in mentoring and helping other Black sports designers through a community she created called Trenches. She also talked about some of her favorite projects over the past few years, the experience of working for ESPN, and spoke on the confidence she's found from fully stepping into her identity and claiming it proudly. Tiffany is all about showcasing the power of the Black creative voice, and you know that's definitely something we support around here! Links Tiffany Middleton's 2015 interview Tiffany Middleton on Instagram Tiffany Middleton o

Summer is here, and we're closing out the month with a conversation with designer and design educator Sabrina Hall. As a senior product design manager at Justworks, Sabrina oversees a creative team dedicated to helping improve the payroll, benefits, and other human resources tasks for a number of businesses.We started off with Sabrina sharing starting at a new company during a pandemic, as well as some of the intricacies of her role (such as the overlap with strategy). She also talked about growing up in New York City, attending SVA, and her shift from editorial and print design into product. We also discussed teaching, as well as the importance of writing as a designer, and spoke on how she views success at this stage in her career. Thank you Sabrina for helping to usher in the next generation of designers!Links Sabrina Hall's Website Sabrina Hall on Twitter2021 Revision Path Audience SurveyIt's time for our annual audience survey! Tell us what you think about Revision Path, and you could win a $100 Am

This week's guest is a true creative changemaker. If you're a hip-hop fan, there's a pretty good chance you've seen his work somewhere over the past 30 years. He's your favorite designer's favorite designer. For our monumental 400th episode, meet the one and only Brent Rollins. We have a wide-ranging conversation where Brent goes into some of his current projects and collaborations, and shares a bit about his creative process when starting on something new. Brent also talked about growing up in Los Angeles around the entertainment industry, how he helped co-found Ego Trip, and we have a great discussion around Black design aesthetics and defining success. Brent is someone who has been a huge inspiration to me as a designer and a creator, and having him share his story for this milestone episode is truly awesome.Thank you all for supporting Revision Path!Links Brent Rollins' Website Brent Rollins on Instagram2021 Revision Path Audience SurveyIt's time for our annual audience survey! Tell us what you thin

One of the things I love most about Revision Path is talking shop with design educators like Kaleena Sales. Kaleena is an illustrator, a design educator at Tennessee State University, and the author of Extra Bold: A Feminist, Inclusive, Anti-Racist, Non-Binary Field Guild for Graphic Designers. Kaleena is one of many Black design educators that are helping make the design canon more elastic for students by allowing Black culture and aesthetics to be a part of the conversation.We talked about teaching design virtually at an HBCU, and Kaleena talked about growing up in Nashville and how she thought about pursuing a career as a fine artist before putting in time working in the advertising industry. She also spoke about what drew her back to her alma mater, as well as the many ways that she has seen design education change since she started teaching. Kaleena is also active with AIGA Nashville, and even shared some info about her upcoming book! With educators like Kaleena, I think the future is in good hands.Next

"If you don't see it in the world, see that as an opportunity." Wise words from this week's guest, the one and only Joseph Cuillier. Joseph is perhaps most well known for The Black School, an experimental art school teaching Black/PoC students and allies to become agents of change through art workshops on radical Black politics and public interventions that address local community needs. I spoke to Joseph fresh from his move back to New Orleans, and he spoke on how the city feels now in the midst of gentrification and other new developments. We also spoke on his work with The Black School and the school's principles, the unique studio model that helps fund the school, and how he works to center Black love in such a unique learning space. Joseph is truly building upon a family legacy to help educate the next generation and beyond! Links Joseph Cuillier's Website Joseph Cuillier on Instagram The Black School The Black School on Instagram 2021 Revision Path Audience SurveyIt's time for our annual

I couldn't think of a better way to start off the month than by talking with author, professor, and strategist Douglas Davis. Longtime fans of the show will remember our initial conversation from 2016, so it was good to catch up and talk and get an update over what he's been doing. What follows is less of an interview and more of a general conversation that ranges a number of topics: creativity during the pandemic, design equity, social justice, the value of remote design education, relevance vs. belonging, AIGA, fatherhood, and a lot more. Hopefully this conversation gives you some food for thought and starts some much needed conversations around our place in this current world as designers! Links Douglas Davis' Website Douglas Davis on Facebook Douglas Davis on Instagram Douglas Davis on Twitter Douglas Davis' 2016 Revision Path Interview 2021 Revision Path Audience Survey It's time for our annual audience survey! Tell us what you think about Revision Path, and you could win a $100 Amazon.com gift ca

This week's guest is a real treat for me. Sean Mack is an illustrator and graphic artist in Detroit, and I first ran across his work around a decade or so ago on Tumblr. His work has really taken off since then, so having him on to talk about his journey as an artist was a lot of fun. We started off talking about his recent work on a commemorative comic for the late hip-hop artist MF DOOM, and Sean went into how he and writer Brandon Howard came up with their popular comic The Revolutionary Times. We also talked about balancing his art while working a 9-to-5 job, working with big clients, and creating new work through the pandemic. If you've never heard of Sean or seen his art, then this interview is a great place to start! Links Sean Mack's Website Sean Mack on Instagram Sean Mack on Twitter The Revolutionary Times The Revolutionary Times on Instagram The Revolutionary Times on Twitter Sponsored by Brevity & Wit Brevity & Wit is a strategy and design firm committed to designing a more inclusiv

If you have been a listener of the show for a while, then you know I love cartoons and animation. So having a chance to sit down with this week's guest, Steenz, was a lot of fun. Steenz is one of the few Black women syndicated cartoonists in mainstream funny pages for her work on "Heart of the City", and her work on previous titles has netted her several coveted awards, including the Eisner Award, in the cartoon industry. We talked about her picking up the torch from Mark Tatulli for "Heart of the City", and she walked me through her creative process for starting on new projects. She also talked how she first got into comics, her teaching at Webster University, and one of her dream projects -- a re-imaginging of Encyclopedia Brown! Keep an eye out for Steenz -- I think we'll be seeing her work in the world for years and years to come! Links Steenz's Website Steenz on Instagram Steenz on Tiktok Steenz on Twitter Steenz on Wikipedia Sponsored by Brevity & Wit Brevity & Wit is a

If you were a part of last week's State of Black Design conference, then you've already been introduced to this week's guest -- John B. Johnson. As the principal of A Small Studio in Seattle, he leads a team of creative professionals that specialize in authentic digital design. We spoke about how his business has changed through the pandemic, as well as his process with new projects (such as DOSE). He also talked about growing up in Cleveland, studying architecture, and how these experiences led him to start his studio and his moves until settling in Seattle. This is a really thoughtful and deep interview, and I hope John's story resonates with you all! Links John B. Johnson on Instagram John B. Johnson on Twitter A Small Studio DOSE Sponsored by Brevity & Wit Brevity & Wit is a strategy and design firm committed to designing a more inclusive and equitable world.We accomplish this through graphic design, presentations and workshops around I-D-E-A: inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility.I

It's a new month, and I am beyond excited to share with you my interview with Julian Williams. He may be young in age, but his impressive body of work rivals those of designers with years more experience. We talked a few months after he completed work on the Biden for American campaign as their lead opposition brand designer. Pretty cool!We spoke about how he landed on the campaign, and Julian shared the differences between working with clients in the U.S. versus clients in Europe. From there, Julian took me through his history as a designer, including working for fashion designers Tommy Hilfiger and Karl Lagerfeld, a stint as an intern at &Walsh, and being a designer at Nike while in The Netherlands. Julian also shared how his passion for voguing and the ballroom scene helps influence his work, and he gives some great advice for graphic designers out there looking to find their own style. Julian's motto is about making good work with good people -- something we can all take to heart!LinksJulian Williams'

Joseph Carter-Brown is a man of many titles. He's a UX strategist. He's a human-centered designer. And by day, he's the global UX manager at Stanley Black & Decker, a Fortune 500 company that's over 175 years old! Joseph's versatility as a design leader extends far beyond titles, as you'll definitely discover in this week's interview. We start off with a look at his work and his team, and he shares an anecdote from last year that put him on his current path to success. Joseph also talked to me about how he worked his way into a position at Apple thanks to Steve Jobs, his shift to UX after studying at Full Sail University, and speaks on his time with AIGA Baltimore and about how he wants to bridge the digital divide in Baltimore. Joseph is a prime example of someone who is using his skills to help build a more equitable future! Links Joseph Carter-Brown's Website Joseph Carter-Brown on LinkedIn Joseph Carter-Brown on Instagram Joseph Carter-Brown on Twitter Sponsored by State of Black Design Conference T

We have had a good number of design educators this year on Revision Path, but how many of them have written a book on designers of color? Meet Kelly Walters, an artist, designer, and educator who is currently the assistant professor and associate director of the BFA Communication Design program in the Parsons School of Design at The New School in New York. Kelly is also the founder of the multidisciplinary design studio Bright Polka Dot. Talk about having a full schedule!Kelly talked about the adjustments she has made over the last year with respect to teaching, and we talked about how she was exposed to the arts early, but never thought of it as a profession. We also discussed the works she's done through her studio, collaborating with other Black design educators, and the launch of her upcoming book "Black, Brown & Latinx Design Educators: Conversations on Design and Race." Thank goodness for educators like Kelly who are helping add to the corpus of design history!LinksBright Polka DotBright Polka Dot o

If there's one word I would use to describe Sloan Leo, it would be "dynamic". As the CEO of NYC-based FLOX Studio, they bring over 15 years of facilitation and community strategy to bring the power of community design to clients from all over. Sloan is also an accomplished mixed media artist, and their exhibition "A Watermelon for Leo" is a beautiful assemblage of ephemera, rituals and video. We started our conversation off with a quick 2020 review, and Sloan talked about their daily flow and the work they're doing through FLOX Studio. Sloan also talked about the beginnings of their passion for art and community design, and spoke on how they're making space for joy during this current time. Remember their name, because I have a hunch we'll be hearing more of Sloan Leo for years to come! Links Sloan Leo's Website Sloan Leo on Instagram Sloan Leo on LinkedIn FLOX Studio Sponsored by Brevity & Wit Brevity & Wit is a strategy and design firm committed to designing a more inclusiv

We're back across the pond this week and having a good ol' chat and a spot of tea with one of London's most brilliant artists -- Azarra Amoy. It was a good time to catch up with her since she just got a new studio! Azarra spoke on how art is like her diary, and she walked me through some of her inspirations and talked about growing up in London and even spending time in Bangkok before transitioning into her current artistic career. Azarra's colorful, kinetic designs are a welcome sight during these times, and may also inspire you on your creative journey! Links Azarra Amoy's Website Azarra Amoy on Instagram Azarra Amoy on Twitter We Are One Family 'All Black Lives Matter' mural Sponsored by Brevity & Wit Brevity & Wit is a strategy and design firm committed to designing a more inclusive and equitable world.We accomplish this through graphic design, presentations and workshops around I-D-E-A: inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility.If you’re curious to learn how to combine a passion for I

Reggie Black is a true Renaissance man. He's combined his talents as a multimedia artist, designer, speaker, and mental health advocate into an experimental playground he calls all things progressive. Whether it's a hand-lettered design project for a client or a public art installation, Reggie is navigating through this time and letting his passions light the way.Reggie and I really had more of a general conversation than an interview, and we touched on a number of issues: staying productive in the midst of uncertainty, the role of the Black designer during this current time, and making space for creativity to flow. It's a little something different for our 8th anniversary, but I think you'll enjoy it all the same.Thank you all for keeping Revision Path alive and thriving!LinksReggie Black's WebsiteReggie Black on InstagramReggie Black on Twitterall things progressiveSponsored by Brevity & WitBrevity & Wit is a strategy and design firm committed to designing a more inclusive and equitable world.We acc

We're ending February on Revision Path with a little bit of Black web history! Markus Robinson is currently the VP of innovation and creative at Interactive One, but before that, he co-founded one of the Internet's most popular news sources on Black tech -- Black Web 2.0. Who would have thought that it would get him to where he is today? Markus started off talking about the web properties he oversees -- Bossip and BlackPlanet, just to name a couple -- and talked about how his work with Interactive One opened his eyes to the world of product. He also spoke on growing up in Florida, shared the origin story of Black Web 2.0, and we both had a good discussion about Black media, trusted sources, and the importance of offering a platform for others. It's truly been astonishing watching Markus level up over the years, and I'm glad we were able to catch up and take you all with us as we look at the early days of the Black web! Links Markus Robinson's Website Markus Robinson on Instagram Markus Robinson on Twitter