By the People: Designing a Better America

How are designers collaborating with communities to challenge social and economic inequality across America? Held on October 19, 2016, this webinar explored that question prompted by By the People, the third exhibition in the Cooper Hewitt’s series devoted to socially responsible design. Led by the exhibition’s curator Cynthia E. Smith, the webinar engaged Chelina Odbert of Kounkuey Design Initiative and Robert Gipe, Appalachian Program Director at the Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College. The presenters represent two of the 60 designs featured in the exhibition, and are also NEA grantees. Smith’s field research spanned more than two years - traveling to shrinking post-industrial cities, sprawling metro regions, struggling rural towns, along our border, areas impacted by natural and man-made disaster, and places of persistent poverty - in search of collaborative designs for more equitable, inclusive and sustainable communities.