In their own words
This testimony page is a collection of voices from our conference community. Attendees were invited to respond to a question or speak freely from the heart. Together, their words—written and spoken—capture the spirit, creativity, and vision of Black design.
“Just keep having events like this and putting into the community, so Black kids—and really every kid, no matter their background, have the opportunity to do something special in their craft. Not just football or basketball, not just rap or music, but also in design.”
— Ahmad Washington, sobd attendee
What People Are Saying
“Thank you for filling my heart. Thank you for bringing this incredible gathering together. It just made my day, made me feel, it showed me that the path I'm on is the right path.”
— Paul Balkknight, President & Founder, Center for Transformed Urban Design; SoBD Speaker
“I want to thank everyone for this incredible opportunity. This week has been phenomenal—not only inspiring, but a breath of fresh air for the future of design in today’s chaotic world. Thank you to everyone working behind the scenes and continuing to push us forward.”
— Jamil Ford, Mobilize Design and Architecture; SOBD attendee
“What defines Black design? For me, it’s creating art rooted in our community and lived experiences—expressing our culture through design, art, business, or any medium. As a community, we ensure its legacy by being loud about it: sharing, spreading, creating, and keeping our history alive for future generations. People should always know who we are and what we can do.”
— adair carroll, sobd attendee
“It’s hard to put into words how to stop our erasure, but I believe it starts with advocacy—for young designers, older designers, and those in transitional seasons. We need to speak up for the things that aren’t being spoken, the unseen and unheard. Too often we navigate this space alone, and sometimes all we need is someone to stand up and advocate for us.”
— ANEYA RAYNOR, editorial designer; SOBD SOCIAL MEDIA coordinator
“Black design is so beautiful and unique because it is by us and for us—with us at the center. Too often in design, we are erased. The way we protect Black design from erasure is by including it in everything we do, unapologetically. We must own our Blackness in design.”