Baltimore Design School hosted students from 5 schools throughout the city this weekend to learn about design and why it matters with Dr. Jacinda Walker with Design=.


Baltimore Design School opened our doors on Saturday to welcome students from throughout Baltimore to participate in a design workshop facilitated by Dr. Jacinda Walker as part of the Design= program. Design= is an experiential learning initiative focused on introducing  design to youth from historically excluded backgrounds, and their mission to 'change the face of design' in in sync with BDS' efforts to 'expand diversity in the design professions'.

Dr. Walker delivered a dynamic program that defined what ‘design’ is and why it matters.    She offered that design thinkers are creative thinkers and “Creative thinkers ask questions”. The process of exploring those questions and answers are part of the design process.

Students were tasked with observing the room and identify what had been ‘designed’.  They quickly pointed out everything from the light fixtures and furniture, to the posters and clock on the wall, affirming Dr. Walker’s assertion that “the most powerful tool we have as creative thinkers is our eyes.”

Teams were challenged to use their ‘Zippy Kits’ to:

1. Design a “Piece of tech”
2. That you can wear on your “body part.”
3. To help you in “Subject”
4. And while you’re “favorite thing to do at home”

Teams presented their brilliant prototypes, inspiring the audience with their imaginative thinking. Dr. Walker said she always tells people:   “Because I’m a creative thinker, I simply don’t do it regularly”, and the youth proved that they were anything but regular!

Design= has been commissioned to execute the Design Diversity Index, work to diversify the Amazon Design Internship Pipeline, develop mentorship programs at Target, coordinate youth activities with Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum and present this important research outcomes to various interested organizations.

Design= has engaged 500+ historically excluded youth to date, and we are proud to say that Dr. Walker presented to 100 students in Baltimore last week, alone!

You can click here to watch a two-minute video highlighting the work Design= did in 2021.