The Nexus: De Nichols

Today we get to talk with activist and social practice artist De Nichols about the #DesignAsProtest movement, alternatives to profit-driven models of practice for designers, and the importance of self care and collective care in the face of the white supremacist logics that linger in design culture. Along the way, we discuss the intersections between art and activism, particularly as manifest in the Mirror Casket Project, and the tensions of citing and confronting Black death while also holding space for joy and celebration of Black life.

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De Nichols is an activist and social practice artist based in St. Louis. She is Principal of Design & Social Practice at the design strategy firm Civic Creatives, where her work addresses spatial injustices and cultural inequities through design. De hosts the book club Deliberate & Unafraid and is a key organizer in the #DesignAsProtest movement. She recently completed a Loeb Fellowship at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and is currently working on her forthcoming book, The Art of Protest.

About the Show

Developed by the African American Design Nexus at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design, The Nexus is a podcast that explores the intersection of design, identity, and practice through conversations with Black designers, writers and educators. The Nexus is produced in conjunction with a commitment by the Frances Loeb Library to acquire and create an open-access bibliography of various media suggested by the GSD community on the intersection between race and design.

Show Credits

The Nexus is hosted by Caleb Negash and Tara Oluwafemi, students in the Master of Architecture program at Harvard Graduate School of Design. Our show is recorded and edited by Maggie Janik, and our theme music is produced by DJ Eway.

Contact

For all inquiries, please email aadn@gsd.harvard.edu