HOW DO YOU BELONG?
A Parsons project about belonging in partnership with Common Era
Scan this QR code for a short video to see how Parsons students belong.
To learn more, check out the following pages.
School of Design Strategies
YUAN KAILEAH SENA JOHN YENAH
SEJAL MARIIA JESSAMYN CYNTHIA JOHN
SAMAKSH HOW SELEN AINOA VY
RODOLFO
JENNIFER CLAIRE YUAN JOHN ZOE
SAINA ISHAANEE DO PAYOSHNI FRIDA
BHUMIKA SEJAL LAURA ILONA BARBARA CO
ASTHA YOU XIAOYU PAYOSHNI ILO
FATOU TAMANNA JESSIE KAVITA SAIN
CHELSEA MARIIA XIAOXIAO JUNIOR
VY ISHAANEE VY FATOU MOLLY JES
ANSHIKA BELONG? KAVITA SEJAL
SAMAKSH KELLY VRINDA SAINA EMILY JUNIOR
COURTNEY BARBARA RODOLFO SELIN ILONA
SAINA COTTER YONAH JOHN ANSHIKA
KAVITA ANSHIKA SAMAKSH FATOU MOLLY
PAYOSHNI SAINA BHUMIKA KAVITA
COURTNEY FRIDA JESSIE ILONA JUILEE ZOE
TANMAYI VRINDA CHELSEA MARIIA
A CREATIVE EXPLORATION OF BELONGING
In the spring of 2023, Parsons School of Design and Common Era, the R&D engine of the Jim Joseph Foundation, invited students from across the college to participate in a design sprint - titled How Do You Belong? - whose goal was to discover how designers create belonging through simple objects and experiences.
Belonging was our North Star at every stage.
Members of our New School community, along with the team at Common Era, recognize the need to belong, and with that a shared responsibility for facilitating belonging wherever we hold space. As artists, designers, and strategists, we routinely witness how design brings us together, including in small moments of welcoming: a flag that reflects an identity group with whom we align, signage in languages we speak, lapel pins that invite unity, and bumper stickers that signal our shared beliefs.
The How Do You Belong? design sprint invited students at Parsons to design a small, but impactful, moment of belonging for others through the lens of their own emerging practices.
AN INVITATION TO SPRINT
The project garnered interest from over 100 students, the majority of whom attended the information session. It was there that we introduced students to representatives from Common Era who shared their deep commitment to the work of creating spaces of belonging:
Common Era is a mindset for invention, a process for stretching ourselves and the world, a belief that humans have the capacity and the vision to make good and be good to one another.
We aim to advance Jewishness as an ever-evolving and dynamic, flexible identity for a more inclusive future. Our investments and growing network fuel the ideas of creators and entrepreneurs whose unexpected takes on tradition, narrative, and the human potential open our minds to a better future.
Through the support of projects like the How Do You Belong? design sprint, we invest in creativity and the people who are committed to writing new chapters in the story of our better future, creating a rich and inspired sense of belonging.
SHARING BELONGING TOGETHER
With belonging guiding the session, the three Parsons faculty members leading out the design sprint, invited students to meet one another in small groups and share words and images that represent belonging, using a common design framework called POEMS: People, Objects, Environments, Messages, and Services.
Students worked with peers from across programs –colleagues they might not otherwise meet in their classes.
39 participating students committed to two 4-hour sprint sessions in April – a typically busy time in the semester. The group represented all five Parsons schools, which included approximately ten undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Thanks to the generosity of Common Era, they each received a stipend for their participation.
They also knew their ideas would potentially be viewed by industry professionals, including at the Parsons Benefit on May 24, 2023.
THE DESIGN SPRINT
The first day of the sprint featured an inspiring presentation by Kelly Ernst and Annyelica Diaz, alumni from the Parsons Strategic Design and Management MS program whose capstone project, In Common, explored the art and science of belonging.
The core of that first day was to identify opportunities for student groups to design for a specific audience focused on an opportunity area such as fashion, education, art, housing, or food. The share-out at the end of that session revealed how bringing together students from a range of design disciplines can yield rich conversations and unique areas of opportunity.
Students then returned for the second sprint day with beautifully synthesized concepts, many with mock-ups and prototypes to share.
Rachel Heiligman and the team at Common Era share the enthusiasm for the students’ work, saying;
As a beautiful example of our work, we are excited to showcase the thought-provoking and forward-thinking ideas generated by talented Parsons students. Common Era’s partnership with Parsons continues in deep collaboration to accelerate the work of creators and builders, driving meaningful change and shaping a future where Jewishness is celebrated, relevant, and deeply interconnected within a universal human experience of belonging.
We hope that the design concepts you see in these pages reflect your own desire to manifest belonging by design. And we encourage those who are interested to support the work of these students by bringing any and all of these concepts into production. They belong to all of us.
Scenes from the design sprint.
PARSONS FACULTY
BELOW, LEFT TO RIGHT
Jennifer Rittner
Cotter Christian
Mark Randall
Scan this QR code for a short video to see how Parsons students belong.
Photo to the left Marc Parroquin, all others on this page Zoe Beck
I AM A NARWHAL
LEFT TO RIGHT
Selin Isgor Product Design BFA, 26 - TURKEY
Sena Demir Strategic Design & Managment BBA, 26 - TURKEY
Kaileah Hunter Strategic Design & Managment BBA, 24 - UNITED STATES
Yenah You Strategic Design & Managment BBA, 24 - UNITED STATES
Celebrating the diverse creative identities that constitute The New School and Parsons – and Narwhal (the school mascot) community. Students are invited to take a Polaroid portrait that represents who they are, add a message, and hang it on an interactive photo mobile on the first floor of The New School University Center.
TOGETHER THROUGH TASTE
LEFT TO RIGHT
Rodolfo Kusulas Transdisciplinary Design MFA, 24 - MEXICO
Juilee Narkar Strategic Design & Management MS, 23 - INDIA
Selen Shojaee Strategic Design & Management MS, 24 - IRAN
Kavita Mishra Strategic Design & Management MS, 24 - INDIA
Samaksh Jain Strategic Design & Management MS, 24 - INDIA
Together Through Taste fosters a sense of belonging through food. Gateway Cards educate about little known foods from around the world and include a QR code that links to a simple recipe that uses ingredients that are easy to obtain locally. The cards are featured in bodegas and local grocery stores. This is a first step to create a plural community around food!
YOUR SEAT AT OUR TABLE
LEFT TO RIGHT
Ilona Liechtenstein Strategic Design & Management BBA, 24 - AUSTRIA
Ainoa Cerdeira Interior Deisgn BFA, 25 - MEXICO
Hamza Iqbal Communication Design MPS, 23 - PAKISTAN
Barbara Hernandez Strategic Design & Management BBA, 24 - ARGENTINA
An invitation to share a meal with neighbors that you don’t know. The activation would be part of a larger campaign to foster a sense of belonging and build community in apartment buildings and neighborhoods.
ELEVATOR CHAT
LEFT TO RIGHT
Frida Braide Photography MFA, 23 - SWEDEN
Courtney Considine Strategic Design & Management MS, 24 - UNITED STATES
A community ”zine” of the passing thoughts, and snapshots of work of the Parsons community in the in-between moments they spend in liminal spaces on campus. The project is designed to be spontaneous, and encourage the Parsons community to collaborate and communicate across disciplines to build a stronger sense of community across campus.
HANDS THAT MAKE
LEFT TO RIGHT
Anshika Loomba Strategic Design & Management BBA, 26 - INDIA
Ji Hyun (Jessie) Oh Fashion Managment MPS, 23 - SOUTH KOREA
Vy Le Fashion Design BFA, 26 - VIETNAM
Fatou Diouf Transdisciplinary Design MFA, 24 - SENEGAL
Hands That Make is a project that seeks to acknowledge the contributions of all participants in the creative process of the fashion industry, not just the designer. This would include print and textile designers, artisans, tailors, and more. The project advocates for the distribution of recognition and credit to all workers not unlike they are featured in the film industry. The first step is to #sharethecredit.
WE FOR WOMEN
LEFT TO RIGHT
Xiaoyu Wang Strategic Design & Management MS, 23 - CHINA
Claire Zhuang Strategic Design & Management MS, 23 - CHINA
Ishaanee Pandey Strategic Design & Management MS, 23 - INDIA
As women navigate the city, We For Women builds a network of like-minded individuals. Through the use of visible messaging such as stickers, tote bags, lapel pins, etc., the campaign empowers women to engage in casual conversation in social settings; on the subway, in a park, waiting for the elevator.
BEYOND BORDERS
LEFT TO RIGHT
Payoshni Immadi Strategic Design & Management MS, 24 - INDIA
Astha Sethi Strategic Design & Management MS, 24 - INDIA
Beyond Borders seeks to create a simple toolkit contained in a tote bag by welcoming refugees and providing them with information and educational resources that give them hope and help them build a safe home away from home.
WISHES IN BLOOM
LEFT TO RIGHT
Saina Udayagiri Product Design BFA, 26 - INDIA
Tanmayi Deshmukh Strategic Design & Management MS, 24 - INDIA
Laura Martinez Strategic Design & Management MS, 24 - COLOMBIA
Sejal Amrutkar Strategic Design & Management MS, 24 - INDIA
Bhumika Keswani Strategic Design & Management MS, 24 - INDIA
Trees have symbolic meaning in many cultures. Wishes in Bloom is an interactive installation that encourages the exchange of wishes. A prompt invites you to contribute a wish and hang it on the ”tree” and to take a wish away that resonates with you. The goal is to build connections and empathy among community members.
WHERE DO I BELONG?
LEFT TO RIGHT
Mariia Vareva Communication Design MPS, 23 - RUSSIA
Xiaoixiao Long Product Design BFA, 25 - CHINA
Chelsea Yang Communication Design BFA, 26 - HONG KONG
A set of physical and digital Where Do I Belong?
stickers to destigmatize belonging and support local communities in NYC. The customizable sticker set is available as a filter on social media. An interactive survey link allows you to generate a gradient representation of your ”belonging spectrum.”
COMM UNITY”
LEFT TO RIGHT
Vrinda Gupta Integrated Design BFA, 26 - INDIA
Tamanna Sachdev Interior Design BFA, 23 - THAILAND
Anukriti Agrawal Fine Arts BFA, 23 - NEPAL
Pranali Desai Transdisciplinary Design MFA, 24 - INDIA
”
Comm unity” is a pocket-sized card game with conversational prompts that provoke action and interaction. The game – designed for use in the classroom – creates inclusive, comfortable, and friendly connections. This project encourages students to transition from being observers to participants in a group setting.
”
NOT SO-LOW
LEFT TO RIGHT
Emily Xie Design & Technology BFA, 23 - UNITED STATES
Junior Clavijo Architecture BFA, 24 - UNITED STATES
John Edwards Illustration BFA, 24 - UNITED STATES
A social media platform for art and design students from low-income backgrounds to share experiences through a series of animated GIFs and stickers depicting the unique trials and tribulations they face on a daily basis. The Not So-Low campaign seeks to overcome the difficulties of belonging in a community that does not understand the unique challenges low-income students encounter.
PARSONS FACULTY + SPRINT ORGANIZERS
Cotter Christian - Associate Dean, School of Constructed Environments, Assistant Professor of Interior Design
Jennifer Rittner - Assistant Professor of Strategic Design and Management
Mark Randall - Associate Dean, School of Design Strategies, Assistant Professor of Design Strategies
PARTICIPANTS
Anukriti Agrawal
Sejal Amrutkar
Frida Braide
Ainoa Cerdeira
Junior Clavijo
Courtney Considine
Sena Demir
Pranali Desai
Tanmayi Deshmukh
Fatou Diouf
John Edwards
Vrinda Gupta
Barbara Hernandez
Kaileah Hunter
Payoshni Immadi
Hamza Iqbal
Selin Isgor
Samaksh Jain
Bhumika Keswani
Rodolfo Kusulas
Vy Le
Ilona Liechtenstein
Xiaoxiao Long
Anshika Loomba
Laura Martinez
Kavita Mishra
Juilee Narkar
Ji Hyun (Jessie) Oh
Ishaanee Pandey
Tamanna Sachdev
Astha Sethi
Selen Shojaee
Saina Udayagiri
Mariia Vareva
Xiaoyu Wang
Emily Xie
Chelsea Yang
Yenah You
Claire Yuan Zhuang
COMMON ERA
Yonah Schiller - Chief R&D Officer
Jessamyn Waldman Rodriguez - Managing Director
Rachel Heiligman - Senior Program Manager
INCOMMON
Annyelica Diaz
Kelly Ernst
John Jaimes
Kelly Lukes
EDITORIAL TEAM
Frida Braide - Design
Cotter Christian - Video
Rachel Heiligman - Copywriting
Marc Parroquin - Team Photos
Mark Randall - Creative Direction
Jennifer Rittner - Copywriting
SCHOOL OF DESIGN STRATEGIES
Zoe Beck - Student Assistant
Molly Davy - Associate Director, Operations
Jihan Joseph - Program Administrator
Cynthia Lawson Jaramillo - Dean
THE NEW SCHOOL
Danielle Claudio, Director of Special Events
Laura Cronin, Assistant Vice President Institutional Giving
This project was hosted by the School of Design Strategies, Parsons School of Design at The New School.
If you would like to learn more, or would like to support any of the projects in this booklet, contact the School of Design Strategies at:
sdscomms@newschool.edu
www.newschool.edu
This project is sponsored by Common Era, a Research & Development Initiative of the Jim Joseph Foundation whose North Star is to ensure that Jewish education and life is an ongoing movement, designed for today and the future, empowered by dynamic and diverse people at its center to enhance our lives and the world.
www.commonera.org
PAYOSHNI SAINA BHUMIKA KAVITA
NA CLAIRE YUAN TAMANNA CLAIRE
OSHNI CYNTHIA EMILY JUNIOR SEJAL
JUILEE YONAH LAURA RODOLFO SAMAKSH
BARBARA VY SEJAL LAURA RODOLFO
JIHAN COURTNEY FRIDA JESSIE SAINA
KELLY MARK MOLLY RACHEL BHUMIKA
CLAIRE YUAN ANSHIKA ISHAANEE ASTHA
RODOLFO SAMAKSH ILONA MARC FATOU
BHUMIKA KAVITA TANMAYI VRINDA
KAILEAH JIHAN SENA JOHN YENAH
HAMZA JUILEE ISHAANEE ASTHA ANSHIKA
SEJAL CYNTHIA RODOLFO SAMAKSH
SELEN AINOA BARBARA VY COURTNEY
ILONA FRIDA JESSIE EMILY HAMZA SAINA
FATOU ANNYELICA CLAIRE ZOE KAVITA
ANSHIKA ISHAANEE ASTHA XIAOYU
VRINDA CHELSEA
CYNTHIA COURTNEY
TANMAYI
