Past event: November 10, 2021

Jacinda Walker, who is the founder and creative director of designExplorr, an organization that operates as a social enterprise to address the diversity gap within the design profession, will be the speaker for the sixth Alberini Family Speaker Series in Design at UC Davis. Walker’s presentation will be “Changing the Face of Design.”

Diversity is not a new problem in the design profession. Scholars, employers, organizations, and design professionals have been inquiring about it for more than 50 years, and yet representation in the profession hasn’t significantly increased since 1965. What’s behind this disparity? Come listen as Walker presents the historical context behind the lack of diversity in design, shares her Design Journeys research, and shows the ways designers can impact the profession.

Jacinda Walker, MFA, is renowned for her work in design, diversity, research, and strategy. Her research on Design Journeys: Strategies for Increasing Diversity in Design Disciplines has been hailed as breakthrough work. This solutions-based thesis explores diversity in design disciplines and investigates effective strategies to expose Black and Latino youth to design careers. Walker’s future goals are to help scale diversity in design initiatives within education institutions, corporations, organizations, and museums.

The speaker series, supported through an endowment by the Carlos and Andrea Alberini Family Foundation, brings renowned innovators and thinkers in design to campus and in virtual formats to inspire students and encourage community engagement and learning.