Diversity in Design

Connecting communities, embracing multicultural identities

For Dominique Mueller, helping people feel seen and welcome is at the heart of her work at the Target Corporation. The company’s senior director of inclusive design and culture visited campus last semester to share her work as an advocate for diversity and inclusion. 

During a fall semester presentation at Mount Mary titled The Path to Purposeful Design, Mueller highlighted how her childhood experiences ignited a life-long passion for social justice. A refugee of the Vietnam War, Mueller saw opportunities open while simultaneously feeling exclusion in her new home in the United States, where her family members were viewed as outsiders. These experiences proved pivotal in her desire to open the doors of belonging for others. 

During her 17-year career with Target, Mueller has helped shape the conversation around the importance of customers being able to see themselves represented in a brand. “When you don’t intentionally include, you unintentionally exclude,” she says.

Building Relationships

To Mueller, a commitment to inclusion is as much an essential strategy for businesses as it is a moral imperative. “Innovation, technology and creating a thriving environment for everyone is the only way for a society to grow and thrive,” she says. “But it has to be more than just checking a box,” she adds, stressing the importance of building relationships based on authenticity and trust, rather than just selling products. To accomplish this, Mueller believes in sparking meaningful conversation between businesses and the customers they serve. 

“Inclusive products aren’t just good for business. They reflect the rapidly growing diversity within the American landscape – and the world,” she says. Mueller sees her work as a duty to others, a responsibility that she embraces as both a leader in the company and as a mentor to young professionals of color. She encourages those with whom she works to use their voices to effect change, while helping the professionals understand that they hold more power than they may realize.

When asked what message she would impart to Mount Mary students, Mueller didn’t hesitate. 

“The actions we take and values we project matter,” she emphasizes. “Taking risks is important and essential. Change happens in small moments. Sometimes it’s over the course of generations; we can’t always see it immediately. But it’s always moving forward.”

Note: The Target Corporation is sponsoring a course at Mount Mary this spring. The company cites an alignment in mission and values between the two organizations in initiating the collaboration. Both organizations share a commitment to diverse, multicultural perspectives, and will explore a multidisciplinary collaboration. Mount Mary is excited to be a part of this project as it continues to unfold.

(Top photo) Dominique Mueller presented her story during a fall 2023 visit to campus.