DOES RACE AFFECT DESIGN?
I put that question to a group of designers of different races and ethnicities. I asked: “Do you make adjustments in your behavior because of your race? Do you think you try to slip into ‘white cultural norms’ in your design work? Does race affect your design?” Their voices give us a sense at what’s happening in design.

“I hope to portray an image of a strong, opinionated, independent, intelligent Asian woman who can speak for herself in a manner that does not compromise her dignity or sense of self-respect. I want to dispel any stigmas associated with the Asian woman, and hopefully let other women know that they don’t have to be stereotyped as the demure, diminutive girl who must obey every command. I would like other Asian women to know that there are other types of women out there who can have a spine, and not be so dependent.

“I would prefer that people notice my work, not my race. Although I believe it is important to embrace one’s heritage and background because it shaped us into who we are today, I don’t think it is discrimination to ignore racial identity. We are all ultimately made of blood, DNA, tissues, organs, and bones. We are no different from one another in the most basic sense. What makes us different is our background and personalities.”
WENDY THAI, DESIGN STUDENT | ART CENTER COLLEGE OF DESIGN, PASADENA, CALIF.
WHAT'S YOUR RACE? “Asian American.”

“I think the ‘model minority’ myth about Asian Americans is still prevalent. I can’t say definitely whether it works to my personal advantage or disadvantage. But it’s there, and I think it’s funny, because I can point out plenty of Asian Americans who can dispel that myth perfectly. Does race affect my design? What does this mean? Is it asking whether my work is racially/ethnically stylized? Is it asking me whether my work delves into the context of race issues in America? In both cases, my answer is no. I believe there is a balance between placing too much emphasis on race and placing none at all. A little genuine sensitivity and positive curiosity for differences goes a long way.”
FIEL VALDEZ | LOVELY BRAND, LOS ANGELES
WHAT'S YOUR RACE? “Filipino American, with a little Chinese and Portuguese mixed in for good measure.”

“Are you asking me if I am an Uncle Tom? Well, socially speaking I will curtail my colloquialisms and hold back some of the flavor. But am I acting white? I think not, but sometimes to avoid irrelevant contextual matter or uncommon references [I won’t divulge that I’m black]. Sometimes it’s an act of condescension. I may think, ‘This person would never understand.’ But ultimately I gotta be me, then the slang and obscure references fly with abandon. Most African Americans are incredibly adept socially and are bicultural. We can usually pick up on the unspoken request or insistence to not be ourselves. Some of us walk into a room seeking permission to be who we are. Others are confident enough to be themselves, while more than you would believe still acquiesce almost subconsciously to a form of mental slavery.

“On the design front, there is a huge cultural disconnect! Think about it: Most of the design we do is totally filtered through a European aesthetic. I clearly understand if I am to win a design award it must first go through an African American client, to whom I will have to explain what this European design ethos is all about, and how ‘white space’ isn’t yet another plot by The Man to take our shit, but room for the eye to rest and the design to breathe. (Can you imagine how alien that may sound?) After satisfying the client’s taste I have to be sure the customer will receive the design through their own set of filters. Sometimes I look for the unifying emotional or intellectual response that will move a piece beyond race. The only viable scenario is to create a design that is cross cultural or is transcendent of culture. It can be done.”
CRAIG BRIMM | CULTURE A.D, ATLANTA, GA.
WHAT'S YOUR RACE? “I’m black. Did I say black? I’m sorry, I was black until Jesse Jackson outed me in the ’80s. Now I’m African American. I still struggle with breaking the news to my parents.”

“If I can and if it’s reasonable, I’ll make adjustments because of race. You cannot fight with the dominant culture and expect your life to be easy. Sometimes you have to make adjustments in your behavior whether you like it or not. It’s the cost of living in a foreign country. I try to adjust myself into the culture instead of analyzing or fighting it. Does race affect my design? I don’t think so. It’s become more personal than racial now, since I’ve lived in this country for a while. My design comes from myself, which is a mixture of two cultures. I think my design has a closer relationship with this culture than my own.”
YOONJUNG YANG | GRADY CAMPBELL INC., CHICAGO
WHAT'S YOUR RACE? “Asian.”

“Do I make adjustments in my behavior because of my race? No. Do I think I try to assimilate into white cultural norms in regards to my design work? No. I do embrace ethnic and cultural metaphors, icons, and symbols when it is appropriate. I think getting a different point of view based on cultural differences is important, but not the color of skin. Valuable insights could just as easily come from the affluent and non-affluent, the well educated and more mainstream educated, male/female, single/married, hetero/ gay, etc. I think hard lines on skin color get counterproductive at some point. I also think that very deserving talent encounters reverse discrimination to make way for a representative from a possible disproportionate interest or group vs. the merits of just raw talent and ability. But I could see that white Anglos could find themselves a minority, in the not too distant future, where I might feel differently.”
REX PETEET | SIBLEY/PETEET DESIGN, AUSTIN, TEXAS
WHAT'S YOUR RACE? “White.”

“I don’t make conscious adjustments in my behavior, but being bilingual shifts one’s mind constantly from one language to the other. It’s a fun ride! Having Spanish and English constantly bouncing ideas in your mind allows one to consider different possibilities on a single subject. Language has a strong influence on thought. One can say that the action resulting from thinking in one language or another may result in a different action or solution. I’m sure that the creative process is strongly shaped by the language that drives it, but not necessarily by race. My understanding of the U.S. and Latin American cultures has often given me the opportunity to help U.S. and Latin American companies do business in each other’s markets. The companies I normally work for are the global type. Their cultures may vary, but the businesses range from real estate, to financial, to tourism—entities that practice business in a sort of generic way. I think I’m just as comfortable working under any cultural condition including my experience with Asian and European clients. Does race affect my design? Not that I’m aware of.”
AGUSTIN GARZA | GARZA GROUP COMMUNICATIONS, INC., LOS ANGELES
WHAT'S YOUR RACE? “From a biological perspective, my race would be Mestizo; culturally speaking, Hispanic; but I think of myself as a citizen of the world.”

“Wow. What an interesting question. This is a question of cultural awareness/connection, design ability, and knowledge of the subject at hand and not race, by far. My method is nearly stream of consciousness by the time we do research, that if I had to try to assimilate something else I truly wonder if it would work. Does race affect my design? Not so much as my travels. I lived in Japan for four years as a young person—albeit on a U.S. Air Force base— and I think that informed my aesthetic a great deal. Having lived in Hawaii as a child, as well as California, Colorado, visited Bali, Hong Kong, Côte d’Azur, Costa Rica, Cuba, etc., those experiences inspired and informed my thinking. It’s inevitable. If there’s a question of is there opportunity for people of different races in design, God yes. One of the great things about design is that even people without formal training can enter. (Thank you.) People can succeed because of talent, ability to connect and relate an idea, to tell a story, to change a mind, and to be creative in a way that affects thoughts and behavior.”
TERRY MARKS | TMARKS, SEATTLE
WHAT'S YOUR RACE? “My father is a Euro-mutt: Finn, German, French, Irish, Scot, etc. My mother is Korean.”

“I think my assimilation is integral to my person. I think when you are a minority exposed to the majority throughout life, you assimilate to survive and thrive. I think that those who try or choose to stay true to whatever behavior they think is the norm for their race/culture have problems in society. That’s not to say that I don’t feel like I am not able to be myself, or that those who are true to their race/culture at all times are really being themselves. I mean that as a black American (or African American), my culture is what is around me, what I am exposed to, and I bring my black female flavor to it. As far as my design work, I think that’s an interesting question, though I feel like it can be answered simply. I design for my client. My style is clean and simple, and hopefully, different for each client. So, if I have a black client, I can focus the style around him and his needs. With any other client, I try to do the same. I’m not sure if that’s a cultural disconnection. I don’t know whether my style developed because of my culture or in spite of it. It’s hard to separate the two.”
TRACI MOORE CLAY | TM GRAPHICS, ST. LOUIS
WHAT'S YOUR RACE? “Black.”

“I mostly identify myself as a middle class, suburban, East Coast American and I think my work reflects that. Recently, my religion has been used as an identifier. It’s a new experience for me. (I don’t know if we consider Jews a different race?) I would hate to see anyone’s individuality be surpassed by their racial identity. However, it is hard not to notice how white and privileged the design community seems to be. I think I would welcome the opportunity to see work that reflects other cultures and identities in this country.”
PETER KAPLAN | BIG, OGILVY & MATHER, NEW YORK
WHAT'S YOUR RACE? “White.”

“I’m not sure if I make adjustments to my behavior now, but I certainly did when I was younger to fit in. With regards to my work, I think white cultural norms are hard to escape because they are the norms for the majority of designers. They are the norms I was educated under and the norms I now work under, so it is di¡Öcult not to assimilate and to look at them more critically. I do not consciously disconnect from my culture to . t in, but maybe I do so subconsciously because as human beings, on a more basic level, we all seek validation and acceptance. Breaking things down into races makes everything much more complex. I think ignorance leads to discrimination. If people were educated about race we’d see we are actually more similar than different. Ideally, I would love to get to a point where we as human beings would consider race irrelevant (I am separating culture from race here). Obviously I am an idealist and a dreamer.”
OLIVIA MORAD | VH-1, NEW YORK
WHAT'S YOUR RACE? “I am of Middle Eastern descent. Both my parents were born in Iran and came to the States, where I was born, before the Iranian revolution.”