Graduate Work
While at California College of the Arts, I explored various design modalities to promote ethics and deepen understanding.
Trauma-Informed Design Handbook for Vulnerable Populations
Design is too often gatekept and prescribed, yet it’s a tool that can and should be democratized for real, tangible benefits.
For my capstone project, I created a handbook with a dual purpose:
Empowering communities to understand the end-to-end design process, enabling their leaders to advocate effectively for their best interests.
Educating designers on how to use systems analysis to better empathize with and serve vulnerable populations.
I was responsible for the research, strategy, and final copy.
You can learn more about the handbook here or access the PDF version here.
Special recognition and credit to Rachael Dietkus, LCSW, Jax Wechsler, and the TIDS for their work in trauma-informed design which served as the foundation and inspiration for this handbook and methodology.
Growing Unknowing: Fostering Understanding Through Shared Spaces and Collaboration
Growing Unknowing explored how we can engage in shared spaces to fully realize their benefits. The project culminated in a community garden cookbook, where recipes were created through connections formed between two strangers.