Being your best DEI self: Think of a time when you were at your best at advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. What happened? Who was there? Why did you feel at your best?
The Design Justice Actions is a student-led campaign that actively works to advance anti-racism at Taubman College. Since its dissemination, the DJA has formed a student-committee of 20+ students spanning across design disciplines responsible for seeing the 12 actions through. We have held sessions to discuss topics including the decolonization of our design education through an intensive review of all core course syllabi, review culture in architecture schools, community engagement efforts at the College and within our local community, integration of DJA action items into the Year 5 DEI Strategic Plan, and the creation of racial equity in design seminar. Through the work of DJA, we established a network of anti-racism work and formed a unified team of dedicated individuals to advance ideologies and policies of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. We are at our best DEI selves when we build on existing anti-racist work and conversations at the college
Wishes for the future: How would you imagine your environment needing to be for you to feel that you don’t have to do DEI work anymore?
We believe that anti-racism is a life-long commitment and requires constant updates in its tactics and agendas. The DJA envisions and hopes for a future where DEI and anti-racist work is adopted in all aspects of each of our lives.
What does it mean to you to be a recipient of the MLK Spirit Awards?
Being a recipient of the MLK Spirit Award is an incredible honor to everyone who helped advance the DJA initiative. This award has energized our group to continue anti-racism work within our design education and our own endeavors as designers.