Q&A: Practicing Inclusivity in the Design Industry with People of Craft

One common excuse offered by someone challenged for featuring/hiring/promoting only white people is, “but I don’t know where to find people of color who do this same job.” The cycle of ignoring inclusivity then continues, swirling the same types of faces and individuals into the forefront of so many industries — including the creative industry.

Amélie Lamont and Timothy Goodman met and instantly connected through talking about this very issue, and their frustrations with the lack of inclusivity in the design industry. They teamed up quickly to launch a platform that showcases the work of people of color in the design industry, a now rapidly growing database called People of Craft. Answering the oft used excuse of not being able to find individuals of color in various fields, Amélie and Timothy have created a central hub where talented people can be found across all creative fields — from designers to illustrators to writers and developers.

The name of the platform, People of Craft, is a play on words from the phrase “people of color,” Amélie says, and an affirmation of people not being defined by their race. She says, “It’s also a statement that’s meant to show that despite the stereotypes that the media may portray about people of color, we are all complex, talented, and interesting individuals with stories waiting to be told and heard.”

Highlighting and making visible the work of others is just the beginning for Amélie and Timothy, they share, but ripples of change are already forming from the impact of their platform. “A couple people who are in positions of leadership at companies told me that they found and hired people via the site,” Timothy tells us. Today the duo is shedding light on inclusivity, doing the work to uplift underrepresented groups, lessons learned in creating People of Craft, and more. Bookmark their site to use for daily design inspiration, hire a creative individual, collaborate on a future project, and share the talented work being done across all mediums. —Kelli

from Design*Sponge http://www.designsponge.com/2018/03/qa-people-of-craft.html

from Home Improvment http://notelocreesnitu.tumblr.com/post/171864267469