Our second annual Black Designers Ignite is on Sunday, August 22! For this year’s theme: Identity, The Journey, we’ll hear 30 ignite talks from Black Creatives all over the U.S. exploring their own journeys in identity, creativity and community.
We proudly pay every speaker by giving 100% of event ticket sales to the speakers to split. In 2020, we almost reached our goal of selling 1,000 tickets. Help us reach our goal this year! Each ticket is $30 but you can contribute more.. Consider donating to the cause, allowing us to give seats away for free. This is a great way to support our community! Just follow this link to Crowdcast + enter the amount you can contribute.
THE THEME
Identity: The Journey.
Becoming who you are; Designing as all of you. Your journey is everything.
This year’s theme reflects on our individual growth and how we choose to identify ourselves at home, at work, in the streets, and online… that journey is worth talking about. Even with our own individual and cultural experiences this is still a shared journey. You are not alone. We get to navigate this journey together.
When we share our stories we go deeper with ourselves and with each other. When we can express wholly as we are, we empower our roots and amplify our purpose as individuals.
With talk submissions from over 17 US States, we are reminded again how Black Creatives each bring their own unique gifts to every space they show up in. We invite you to share in this moment on August 22nd as each speaker shares and reflects on their identities and their journeys as Black Designers in America.
2021 SPEAKERS
Steffi Reyes-Thomas
is your MC!
Steffi believes that a truly sustainable approach to design must contribute to the evolution of human consciousness. She creates original spaces that are deeply personal. Her expertise lies in combining the best aspects of sustainability, wellness, aesthetic and functionality within the built environment.
Steffi Reyes-Thomas, Founder & Chief, was an early adopter of the International WELL Building Institute as a WELL AP. She is a Black-Chicana Woman who has been practicing sustainable interior architecture both here in San Diego and in Chicago. She seeks to make Holistic Design accessible to a diverse clientele with the utmost respect to delicate environmental and ecological factors.
**Steffi-Reyes Thomas gave a Black Ignite talk on Transitions in 2020, check it out here!
Omari Souza
is your Keynote Speaker!
Omari Souza is an assistant professor in the Communication Design program at Texas State University. 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.
Joshua Leonard
is your Opening Speaker!
Character Designer – Creator Joshua Leonard was born in Miami, Florida to a Military family. His passion for drawing was first noticed and evident at a very young age. His artistic abilities and skills, were head turning as early as grade school. Now currently at Baobab Studios, he always had a love and appreciation for animation. It inspired him to pursue his passion, graduating with a college degree in Animation. The accomplishment was not an easy undertaking, he went from being a homeless, hurricane Katrina victim, to graduating at the top of his class maintaining a 4.0 GPA, all while working full time and going to school full time. He currently resides in Atlanta, GA, and plans to create compelling characters that are diverse, inclusive, and that drive the story.
He’s the creator of the highly anticipated cartoon, Team Supreme. The cartoon puts kids who have a special need, andor disability in the forefront, as their so-called disability doubles as their super power. “My goal is to normalize what society calls a disability, while also being inclusive and diverse as possible. He continues to expand his knowledge, skills, and abilities; and has created and developed character designs for: Sony Immersive Studios, Netflix Animation, Nickelodeon, Baobab Studios, Drake, BearBack, Dymelyfe, Black Skullz, and more. Whenever he has time, he works out at his local gym. A former four sport athlete who had scholarships to play at D-1 schools, staying healthy, and spending time with his daughter is very important to him.
Ash Level
is your Opening Speaker + Juror!
CEO, Founder of Presence of Colour & Ash Academy
Founding member of Black Designers Ignite
Creative director with an entrepreneurial spirit.
Inspired by the creative journey, community, and building relationships.
Recognized by TIME Magazine for photography + D&AD for creative leadership.
Mentor for ADWEEK’s Yardcon, Campaign coach for Multicultural Advertising Intern Program (MAIP) fellowship and Co-Producer for D&AD’s SHIFT NYC program helping non-traditional creatives without a college degree gain access to the Advertising world & employment.
Presence of Colour: Our focus is short-form storytelling. Through visuals, real copy and passion we’ll bring the voices of our authentic communities to the forefront of the conversation to inspire continuous action in creating the new normal. Our goal is to partner with corporations, non-profits, ad agencies and forward thinking businesses that want to make true change, especially in the black community.
Ash Academy: Donation-based hands-on design education platform for the community by the community, where highly-regarded creatives share their stories & design secrets with creatives who don’t have access to design courses or industry professionals. Ash believes that we cannot rely on a non-inclusive, performative ad industry for change. We must build and invest in eachother to create lasting change. Open for funding, partnerships, and resources to build Presence to its full potential with the goal to create a workplace that embodies the world we want to live in, instead of replicating this one. Learn more at Ashlevel.com / PresenceofColour.com
**Ash Level gave a Black Ignite talk on Transitions in 2020, check it out here!
Oriel Davis-Lyons
is your Juror!
Oriel Davis-Lyons is the Founder and head of ONE School US, a free, online portfolio program for Black creatives and an attempt to address systemic barriers to entry in the advertising industry.
Oriel Davis-Lyons used to be a chef. But, after getting tired of the long hours and intense pressure he decided to get into advertising. He started his career in New Zealand at Colenso BBDO and in 2015 made the move to New York where he worked at R/GA and Droga5 before joining Spotify.
He has won over 100 awards and his work often uses a non-traditional approach to highlight social issues, like creating a partnership between Amnesty International and AdBlock to protest online censorship or a campaign to put graphic warning labels on boxes of ammunition.
Oriel lives in Brooklyn with his family in an apartment that gets smaller every day.
Chanel Power
is your Juror!
Chanel is an experienced Chemist and Mathematician furthering her career as a Software Engineer passionate about enhancing the User’s Experience at Apple.During the Pandemic and Civil Uproar of 2020, Chanel founded of Mentor Me, Chanel!, a program that addresses the lack of representation in the tech space by creating undeniably, qualifiable Black Talent within the Black Community and thus, generating Black Wealth.Chanel’s core values of Empathy, Ambiguity, and Vulnerable Leadership have empowered her to inspire all of those around her & pushes them to confidently build a legacy for their future!
Jasmine Kent
is your Juror!
Jasmine Kent is an Unapologetic Designer and Community Strategist for Hue Collective, best known for their un-conference for Black Designers held every summer (The Hue Design Summit).
Jasmine currently works as an Innovation & Concept Designer for Target and she previously worked for Under Armour in sports apparrel, and designed an innovative bassinet (we still hope becomes a thing!) Jasmine is an active member of IDSA (the Industrial Designers Association of America) and she currently sits on the IDSA DEIC committee and has been highly recognized for her contributions, most recently receiving the 2020 honors award.
Her goal is to “increase black female representation in the Industrial Design field, increase diversity at industrial design firms, and gain more professional growth opportunities through my involvement. I don’t want diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging to be a fad. I want it to be a lifestyle.”
In 2020 especially, Jasmine says she has been encouraged by the resilience of the Black community: “I am in awe that my ancestors had to dedicate their lives to fighting for freedom and equality that they would not get to see in their generation. It makes me wonder what types of lives, hobbies, and businesses they would have gotten to create if they didn’t have to fight to just be alive. I see now that I have the opportunity to do that with my life and that just living and excelling in my black skin is a form of protest. So I’m motivated and inspired by my ancestors to create a life that is fulfilling, creative, exciting, and purposeful.”
**Jasmine Kent gave 2 Black Ignite talks! on Transitions in 2020, check it out here! Watch her Black Moms We Love talk here!
Raja Schaar
is your Juror!
Raja Schaar, IDSA (she/her) is Program Director and Assistant Professor of Product Design at Drexel University’s Antionette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design. She also co-chairs IDSA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council and formerly served as the Education Director. Schaar is an industrial designer with an extensive background in museum exhibit design and healthcare design who is passionate about impact on social inequities at the intersections of health equity, environmental justice, and STEAM education. Schaar studies the ethical implications of design and technology through her research and teaching through the lenses of science fiction, speculative design, and social entrepreneurship.
Her current projects address biases in Black maternal health through wearable technology and participatory design: community-based co-design for engaging Black girls in STEM/STEAM through design, technology, and dance: and biologically-inspired design, sustainability, and climate justice. Schaar holds degrees from Georgia Tech and the School of the Art of Institute of Chicago.
MORE SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENTS SOON!
