Vision and Mission
Within the United States, designers-of-color are significantly underrepresented in the design field. Consequently, those in the field are often isolated and without career-inspiring, intellectual, mentoring and social support reflective of their own diversity. The few organizations that do support designers-of-color are often discipline or culture specific and typically address specific aspects of the greater need. Few offer broad channels that inspire new dialog and stimulate new opportunity.
D421 is a design network that seeks to take leadership in using current and emerging models of social networking and media tools to initiate, facilitate and celebrate the past and current work of designers-of-color and support the development of future design practitioners and leaders. Such efforts will help close the gaps found in design education (professors and students) and practice, increase the diversity of the global talent pipeline, and provide the opportunity for the network to become a tremendous asset to design, business and communities at large.
The mission of D421 is to provide a platform for strengthening the network of multidisciplinary designers-of-color by establishing connections between existing organizations, highlighting ongoing initiatives, and facilitating new activities in the areas of professional support, leadership development, advocacy and outreach. D421 also seeks to expand the network by educating minority youth about design and support pathways for them to study and enter the discipline.
To serve the constituency most effectively, D421 will primarily be a virtual social network and not an organization with traditional physical structures and operations.
