Revision Path

Creative technologist and technical director Husani Oakley discusses his start with entrepreneurship, the struggle between creative and technology in advertising, the design and development scene in NYC, roles and responsibilities of creative professionals, the power of mentors, and future plans in storytelling and technology.

Design strategist Jacinda Walker discusses her graduate research on Black and Latino students, her unique take on diversity in the design community, and her upcoming panel at WMC Fest 5. She explores the lack of diversity in the design field and the impact of the Organization of Black Designers in creating a supportive community. Jacinda emphasizes the importance of collective action and collaboration in creating change within the community, and also discusses the challenges faced by young designers in making informed decisions with technology. She shares personal experiences of discrimination in job interviews and highlights the importance of helping others succeed in their careers.

We're kicking off this month with an interview with Reggie Weaver, a young Ohio-based graphic designer and illustrator. Reggie and I talked about how he got his spark for design and illustration, not to mention what he learned from his first design gig. We also spoke about his work with the Diversity Task Force at the Columbus College of Art and Design and how he helps promote creativity, inclusion and diversity within the LGBTQIA community. Reggie Weaver on Behance Living Out, A Webcomic Series

I'm ending out July with a truly great interview with Jon Daniel, an independent creative director in London. Jon is a classically trained designer who has over 25 years of design experience with big brands like IBM, NHS Careers, Philips, and Virgin Direct. He's also a regular columnist for Design Week, a leading UK publication for designers. Jon and I talked about how his African-Caribbean heritage influences his work, how design culture in the UK differs from here in the US, and his exhibit Afro Supa Hero. Jon Daniel's Website Visual Intellectual Jon Daniel on Design Week

Albert Whitley is a senior art director at SapientNitro and the current vice-president of AIGA Atlanta. During our conversation, Albert dropped a lot of pearls of wisdom about the design industry. No doubt that comes from his many years of work under some of the greats like Bill Grant of Grant Design Collaborative and Cynthia Jones of Jones Worley. We even touched on AIGA and diversity in the graphic design industry. Hear what Albert has to say in this week's interview! Albert Whitley on Twitter

This week I talked with Jeffrey Manu, a tech entrepreneur in Accra, Ghana. Jeffrey created one of Africa's first iPhone apps, and is dean of the Goshen Institute and founder of the design firm Lightcreative. Whoa! On top of that, he also taught me how to read a 300-page book in just two hours. Impressive! Learn more about Jeffrey in this week's interview! Jeffrey Manu on Twitter Jeffrey Manu on Instagram Jeffrey Manu on Tumblr Fresh Words Inspired

Abou Kone hails from Côte d’Ivoire, and is a self-described "mercenary-in-chief". (No, not the real kind!) Abou is a beast when it comes to coding. Front-end development with JS/jQuery is his specialty, and he's recently gotten into developing mobile apps. We talked about how Abou first got his spark for the web as a teenager in Dakar, his work with Coders4Africa, and why Africa will not miss the digital revolution. Enjoy! Abou Kone's Website Abou Kone on Twitter Tonsorious Elikya Mobile

We're finishing up HBCU Month by talking with the inspiring and unstoppable Glennette Clark. She's an experienced UX designer, and has founded two events: UXCamp DC and Mobile UXCamp DC. The Grio named her one of the top 10 Blacks in technology to look out for in 2013. She's presented at SXSW and is currently pursuing her MBA in Strategic Design. Learn more about what Glennette's next move is in this week's interview! Glennette Clark on Twitter Glennette Clark on About.me

HBCU Month continues with an interview with senior UX designer Eric Johnson, who I first heard about from Jole Simmons. Eric's worked for some big companies like Walmart, AOL, and Adobe, and he shared how his passion for design started at an early age. He dropped quite a few gems in this interview, so I think this is one you'll definitely want to take notes on while listening! Eric Johnson's Website Eric Johnson on Twitter Eric Johnson on Instagram

I've known Nicole Norwood online for a while now, so when I had the idea to do an HBCU month, she was first on my list. Nicole is one half of the brother/sister duo known as Infinite Ink, a design and print shop in Jackson, MS, and she's also a popular event photographer. (Chances are you've seen her work from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival!) On top of that, Nicole is a podcaster as well! I don't know how she finds the time to do it all. Learn more about Nicole and her latest project in this week's interview! Nicole Norwood on Twitter Infinite Ink Soulrific Podcast Show