The Schedule

Thursday, February 18, 2027
@ the d.school

intro Day 1

  • Pull up to the d.school and get grounded. Grab your badge and your program, settle into the sound, and let the SIH team and volunteers point you toward everything the next three days hold. Come as you are; the weekend starts the moment you walk in.

  • Instead of checking out a book, you check out a person. The collection mixes working design professionals with Stanford d.school graduate students, so you can sit one-on-one with an industry coach or a peer a few steps ahead of you. Grab a vintage library card, pick your match, and start the conversation.

  • The SIH and State of Black Design teams open the gathering with greeting, purpose, and gratitude. We set the tone together, honoring our hosts, our partners, and every person in the room who makes this weekend possible.

  • Wind down day one with music, refreshments, and good company. Mingle with coaches, students, faculty, and community partners as we spark conversation, trade contacts, and set the vibe for the days ahead.

a side day 2

Friday, February 19, 2027
@ the d.school + Various locations on Stanford’s Campus

  • Pull up, set your intention, and get grounded for the full day. Pick up coffee and a bite, settle into a curated soundscape from The Mind of Milan, and let the room warm up before the program begins.

  • Our hosts open with reflections, gratitude, and a warm welcome, then ground the room in why today matters. An interactive moment invites attendees to share what brought them here, shaping the shared voice of the day.

  • The first of three workshop rounds. Hands-on, interactive sessions led by designers, practitioners, and educators, each one built to send you home with something you can use. Each workshop runs more than once across the day, so you can catch the ones that matter to you.

  • Round two of the workshop carousel. Choose a different lane or go deeper in the same one; every session is built to be practiced, not just watched.

  • Break bread and build bonds. Share a table with SIH voices and keep the conversation going over a meal that nourishes both body and community.

  • The final workshop round. Last chance to catch a session you missed or trade notes with someone whose work stuck with you.

  • The community gathers in the Atrium for a panel of voices from across design, practice, and education. A focused conversation on where the field is headed and who gets to shape it.

  • Together we workshop the day's conversations into a shared conference manifesto, modeled on the collective writing tradition. What we name here becomes the document the community carries forward.

  • The day's programming closes at 4:00 so you can head out, reset, and return for an evening gathering. Details to come.

Saturday, February 20, 2027
@ the d.school

B side day 3

  • Ease into the final day over breakfast as we open with the draft of Friday's manifesto. Read it, react to it, and help shape the version the community takes home.

  • A morning conversation that picks up the threads of the weekend, bringing guests and community together for one more exchange before we close.

  • A short reset. Refill, stretch, and trade a few last contacts before the student panel.

  • The stage belongs to the students. Grad students from the d.school and other spaces lead a panel of their own, in their own voice, on what this work looks like from where they stand.

  • One more shared table before the close. Eat, reflect, and sit with the people this weekend connected you to.

  • We close in community. A final activity sends everyone off grounded, connected, and equipped, with the conference ending by mid-afternoon so travelers can make their way home.