Design as Activism

On September 13-14, the Institute of Design (ID) at Illinois Tech explores community-led design approaches for making social and political change. As calls for racial justice, climate action, and gender equity grow louder and more urgent, designers, activists, and makers ask: How can we challenge social inequities and systemic oppression in order to activate a better tomorrow?

The two-day, public Design as Activism Symposium convenes Chicago design leaders and community organizers to explore community-led design approaches that bring about positive impact and to consider the evolving partnership between design and activism.

Focused on Chicago as a locus for social change, the symposium will include day-long activations across the city, followed by a second day of invited speakers, workshops, and conversations. Details and full schedule below.

All events are free and open to the public. Attendees must register in advance. Streaming will be available for select sessions. For more information, visit id.iit.edu/design-as-activism

Day 1 Friday, September 13th
Activation at various sites and pop-up events across Chicago. Participating community partners will demonstrate their projects and engage audiences as participants. A list of all participating sites will be provided to registrants in advance.

Highlights include: Multiple events at the Chicago History Museum, including: a workshop with Shannon Downey of Badass Cross Stitch tours of the Designing for Change: Chicago Protest Art of the 1960s–70s exhibition (Location: Lincoln Park); Designing Belonging conversation featuring grand-scale puppet project designed by Grace Needleman with Redline Service artists (Location: North Lawndale); Community Readings and Workshop, part of Unearthing Layers, Connecting Stories: Reflections on Environmental Justice in Everyday Life (Location: Archer Park).

Day 2 Saturday, September 14th
Invited speakers, workshops, and activities hosted at the Institute of Design at Illinois Tech, 3137 South Federal Street (Location: Bronzeville)

Featured speakers include: Keynote Speaker: Anne H. Berry, Director of Design at University of Illinois Chicago (UIC); Workshops and panel discussions led by designers from Greater Good Studio, Design Trust Chicago, Span Studio, Field of Practice, William Estrada, and more; Interactive making activities with Andrés and Marya Lemus-Spont of ¡Anímate! Studio and others.

Anne H. Berry is a writer, designer, and Director of the School of Design at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). Her research focuses on race/representation and educational pedagogy in the field of design, and her published writing includes “The Virtual Design Classroom” for Communication Arts magazine and “The Black Designer’s Identity” for the inaugural issue of the e anthology, which features commentary from Indigenous people and people of color. She is co-creator of the award-winning project and managing editor of, an anthology centering a range of perspectives that spotlight teaching practices, research, stories, and conversations from a Black/African diasporic lens.

The event is supported by the Terra Foundation as part of its Art Design Chicago initiative in connection with the Chicago History Museum’s Designing for Change: Chicago Protest Art in the 1960s-70s.

More info via id.iit.edu