Art Center in Pasadena has developed a TEDx event called “Design a ________ for Social Impact” happening next weekend on June 9.
Around the world, people are struggling. Often cast aside as non-essential, the design community is fighting for its life. It is in these times when resources run out, money is scarce, and communities lose faith – this is when design is most crucial. The design of a safe public park for exercise and gathering. The design of a school that empowers its students and recycles its resources. Even the design of a solar book light so someone, who can’t access power on demand, can read.
The TED community has lifted the spirit of humanity for years and continues to gain momentum at a rapid pace. We cannot cast aside the education of designers. As new officials get elected, budgets are cut back – college and graduate students have less resources. Schools are barely able to pay their teachers let alone paint their walls. And yet, the impact of design is ubiquitous. The question is not whether or not design has a social impact. It is – what will that social impact be?
