ayana airakan-mance | design : speak

Long live the great Sylvia Harris

Posted in Black Designers, Design, Design Education, Design Matters, Process, Social Good, Video by ayanaairakan on 2011/08/01

I just found out late last night about the 24 July 2011, untimely passing of Sylvia Harris. Although we didn’t know each other personally, I was always inspired by and in awe of her wonderful and vital work in the field of design for social good and as a design educator. I’m blessed to share some very special friends with her, so I feel I have lost a friend in her. Thanking Michelle Washington for letting me know and for a wonderful tribute on her Cultural Boundaries blog. A link to her tribute is shown below. Sending love to her, Ricardo Gomes, Steve Jones, and Saki Mafundikwa, the dear friends Sylvia and I share.

Blessings to Sylvia’s family and community at this difficult time.

Citizen Research and Design
http://citizenrd.com/tribute

And a few of the tributes shared on Citizen Research and Design:

Cultural Boundaries
http://bit.ly/pkmAut

DesignObserver
http://bit.ly/ntCsAg

AIGA
http://bit.ly/mVWLJW

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An Incredible Designer, Artist, and Spirit: Chakaras Johnson (via @BDNN_News)

Posted in Art, Black Designers, Design, Design Matters, News, Social Good by ayanaairakan on 2010/08/11

As I was catching up on my reading yesterday I ran across Atim Annette Oton’s tribute to Chakaras Johnson on her Black Design News Network blog. Chakaras Johnson passed away untimely around 18 July 2010.

After reading her tribute, I researched him and found that he was an incredible graphic designer, artist, and spirit. I’m sorry I didn’t know him, but am grateful to Atim for “introducing” him to me. I too, am compelled to pay tribute to him. You may see his stunning art at chakaras.com, and incredible design work at helen-marie.com, the graphic design company he founded with his brother Chacon Johnson. My deepest condolences to his family and friends.


Photo courtesy of Dream Variations


Images courtesy of chakaras.com

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