Back in June of this year, I wrote a post about the stubborn lack of growth in the number of Black architects in the U.S. At the time, I introduced the idea for a profile series that I had (tentatively) titled Black Creatives in Business. The motivation for me was simple – I was curious. And when I looked for these sorts of stories, I didn’t readily find them. I want to know who these folks are, what they do, what they think, their motivations, and how they go about the business of being in business. Their stories, frankly, are what I want to read about.
In the months between then and now a few of the details have changed. I launched my website and decided to change the name of the series to on Black Design (oBD). But the original purpose remains the same. As a Black design professional, I understand how alone one can feel at times. There are numerous publications and media outlets covering all sorts of individuals and all manner of design related fields. Rarely, do these forums train their spotlight on Black designers. And when they do, how many of the stories are about business owners? Creative folk making their own way in a highly competitive field? This, I hope to help change.
On Black Design is small. It’s just me, one person taking it one step at a time. I hope to bring some interesting stories to these electronic pages. And I’m sure I’ll learn many things along the way. But I’m looking forward to the experience, and if you’re reading this, I hope you are too.
Let’s get things started with oBD 001: Larry Sykes, AIA, NOMA
Chris
