DIVERSITY IN DESIGN FIELDS
Following SMBW’s Shine The Light campaign, an initiative spurred to raise awareness of local black creatives, we investigate the state of the design industry from a diversity perspective. The demographic snapshot of the design industry doesn’t cut a cross-section of society. Largely, the design industry under-represents minority groups (see Fig. 3) and is championed by male, non-minority leaders. Though the statistics vary slightly between the fields, there’s a general pattern ingrained in design professions that doesn’t represent Black, Latinx, minorities, or women in leadership roles. The lack of diversity in the workplace, as it’s applied to the various design fields, is complicated, but is largely rooted in systemic issues related to education, exposure, and advocacy. Why is Diversity Important? We believe in the power of design to enact positive change in our communities. Diversity is our greatest creative advantage and biggest opportunity. Designers create experiences that directly impact the lives of others through many avenues- space, products, packaging, advertising, graphics, fashion, and art to name a few. Design permeates every product, moment, and solution in our daily lives creating immense opportunity for change, equity, and representation.
Without diversity in these creative career paths, the needs and ideals of entire subsects of our community aren’t being considered or represented. Consider the interior design of a public health clinic, or the branding seen in a local election television campaign. If differences aren’t celebrated (or even acknowledged), would we consider these designs successful and inclusive? Diversity in design fields has a myriad of advantages; most importantly, it creates societal equity and opens new professional pathways for minorities. 01 | Design Equity Greater diversity in design fields has the ability to create a more equitable society. Just as interior design and architecture fields create equitable spaces and environments, so too can other design fields give a voice to underrepresented populations. 02 | New Professional Pathways Exposure to new professional pathways uplifts individuals and communities by opening doors to career fields that may not have been considered.
Diversity Research
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