Sylvia Harris

from African American Women in Design

DESIGN

about diversity and inclusion. Within this role, she led the nonprofit’s graphic design, advertising, fundraising, and communications efforts. Two of her major projects included (1) co-designing, with the Head of Education and Training, Diversity Awareness Partnership’s Professional Development Seminar Series around diversity and inclusion topics for DEI and HR professionals and (2) designing and launching the citywide “Listen. Talk. Learn.” public awareness campaign in response the unrest in Ferguson. With the organizational staff, she also co-created the community-wide “Listen. Talk. Learn.” training program. This experience, amongst others, led to her current work as a social entrepreneur, nonprofit leader, and design activist.

In 2014, Antionette was named the Founding Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Task Force of AIGA, the professional association of design. Notably, within her role, she: (1) Grew the task force to 22 members representing 12 states; (2) Pitched and created the full-time, in-house Diversity and Inclusion Residency; (3) Conducted the first staff diversity training in AIGA’s 102-year history; (4) Restarted the Design Journeys archive highlighting prominent designers of color throughout design history; and, (5) Co-planned, and presented at, the Diversity and Inclusion Mini-Summit, training over 250 chapter leaders on the role of diversity and inclusion within design.

Additionally, with her encouragement, AIGA created the first Racial Justice by Design program, with Antionette co-organizing and assuming the role of online producer for the national Town Hall in 2016. Currently, she’s an AIGA National Board Director and Chair Emerita of the Task Force working on longterm strategic initiatives such as the Design Census Program with Google and national Design for Inclusivity Summit with Microsoft. She’s the co-founder of the Design + Diversity Conference and Fellowship. Antionette also sits on several awards and programming committees for local and national non-profits, including the steering committee for Adobe’s World Interaction Design Day, Sappi Ideas That Matter, Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas, Great Rivers Greenway’s Chouteau Greenway Design Competition, City of St. Louis’ Resiliency Office (supported by Rockefeller Foundation) and formerly the founding anti-bias/anti-racism committee for City Garden Montessori School.

Antionette also is an international speaker and facilitator, previously speaking at TED, School of Visual Arts, Facebook, Capital One, Harvard, Stanford University, Microsoft, NASA, TEDxHerndon and TEDxGatewayArch, AIGA National Conference, The Ohio State University, and more.

Website

antionettecarroll.design/

Instagram

@antionettecarroll

Twitter

@acarrolldesign

Nitashia Johnson

Biography

“My name is Nitashia Johnson I graduated from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in 2008 and went on to become 2012 alumnus of Texas Woman’s University with a BFA in Design Communication. I am also a first round Sony Alpha Female Creator-in-Residence.

I am an independent designer and photographer who loves to collaborate with fellow artists. I have an unwavering passion for design and photography. I’m an alumnus of the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Art + Design Education program at the Rhode Island School of Design. I’m currently working as a full time graphic designer and portrait photographer. I’m developing a community-based media arts program for high creative school teens. I use my talents to make others happy, to me that is what life is all about.”