Design Against Racism: On the myth of design’s neutrality, lack of critical thinking and the future of design leadership with Omari Souza

In this episode, Ben sits down with Omari Souza, design researcher and professor, founder of the State of Black Design Conference, and author of his newly released book Design Against Racism. A first-generation American of Jamaican descent and first in his family to attend university, Omari brings a perspective shaped by being the sole Black male graduate in his design program—an experience that launched his career-defining investigation into where the Black designers are and why design has failed to serve marginalized communities. We discuss the failures of traditional business and design leadership and explore what a more equitable future vision looks like; and what can be done to make it a reality.

Key Ideas:

• Design is not neutral—it amplifies the intentions of those who wield it
• The myth of "design does no harm" vs. the reality that we don't teach measurement of harm
• How Bauhaus borrowed heavily from West African art without acknowledgment or investment
• In-group/out-group dynamics: why men can't design equitable bathroom experiences for women (and why women can't design equitably for trans or disabled women without understanding their positionality)
• The danger of AI trained on information "limited in scope and perspective"
• Positionality mapping: understanding the intersections of identity that create blind spots
• Design at the extremes: solve for the greatest difficulties and greatest ease to shift the entire window
• Why business focus on shareholder profit prevents humane outcomes
• The shift from profit to prosperity as a broader definition of success

Resources & References

Design Against Racism by Omari Souza

State of Black Design Conference 

Africa to Bauhaus exhibit at the Smithsonian

FastCompany article on Joe Gebbia as the United States’ Chief Design Officer

Connect with Omari Souza

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omari-souza-b483187/

Bio:

Omari Souza is an assistant professor at the University of North Texas. He is the organizer of the State of Black Design Conference (online, April 2021). He previously organized and hosted an multi-panel event titled "The State of Black Design" (online, Sept. 2020), which drew a live audience of 2,071 — the second-largest livestream audience for an academic event in Texas State's history.

Omari is a first-generation American of Jamaican descent, raised in the Bronx, New York. Before arriving at Texas State, he gained work experience with companies and institutions such as VIBE magazine, the Buffalo News, CBS Radio, and Case Western Reserve University. He earned a BFA in Digital Media from Cleveland Institute of Art and an MFA in Design from Kent State University. Omari's research explores the idea of perceptions and how visual narratives influence culture — how we view ourselves and others around us.

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