Lafiya Watson Ramirez

It’s still pretty early in 2021, so if the year hasn’t quite gotten off to a good start, then let this week’s conversation with Lafiya Watson Ramirez be the permission you need to turn things around! Lafiya dabbles in several media — web, photography, augmented reality, mixed reality — and creates new projects for herself and for her clients through her company, Bad Chick Studios.

We talked about how she started her studio, and from there she shared the resources and programs she used to teach herself AR and XR. (Spoiler alert: a lot of these tools are free!) Lafiya also spoke on how her love for photography led her to web design and learning Flash, and how embracing becoming a generalist has changed her work and how she perceives herself as a creative.

Get a bit of inspiration from Lafiya and learn what you can!

Brandi Davis

Lately, I have been doing a deep dive into the magazine archives of EBONY and JET. While skimming the masthead of one of the old issues, I stumbled across this week’s guest — Brandi Davis! Brandi served as Johnson Publishing Company’s web designer from 2004-2012, and was front and center at the company’s shift from print to web. Wait until you hear her anecdotes about working there!

While we do spend a good bit of time talking about that portion of her career, we also talked about the importance of Black media online, how she has expanded into doing art therapy, and we dive into Brandi’s latest creative project — her own line of custom apparel inspired by her faith, her life, the culture, and her love for the city of Chicago. Brandi’s drive and tenacity are the keys to her success, and I think after this interview, you will be motivated to conquer your own fears as well!

When I first met Karl a few years ago at HOW Design Live here in Atlanta, I knew I had to have him on the show because he embodies something special about the design community. Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, Karl came here to the U.S. for college, learned design and coding, and since then has built a vibrant and active community for coders, designers and creatives through his two annual events — SyntaxCon and Revolve Conference.

We started off talking about Karl’s work at his firm Harbormark, and from there he walked me through his journey from the Caribbean to the Carolinas, and how his first meetup in 2011 was the spark of something great. We also spent a good bit of time talking about conferences, speaking, and how these experiences are for people of color. Karl even gave some great advice for those looking to get into conference speaking, and we both give some advice for conference organizers out there. I’m really excited to see what Karl creates next!

Revision Path is sponsored by Facebook Design. No one designs at scale quite like Facebook does, and that scale is only matched by their commitment to giving back to the design community.
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When I was a kid growing up in rural Alabama, magazines were my gateway to the world. But these days, Internet and social media have become that gateway, so where does that leave magazines for kids? My search led me to Shannon Boone, creative director for Sesi Magazine, a quarterly print magazine dedicated to celebrating Black teen girls.

We talked about how Shannon first got involved at Sesi, and from there we talked about how she helps put Sesi together, how she became interested in magazine design, and what inspired her to continue in design after a number of setbacks. I really love how Shannon’s positive attitude and outlook on her career, and I think she brings that to every issue of Sesi as well!

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Revision Path is sponsored by Facebook Design. No one designs at scale quite like Facebook does, and that scale is only matched by their commitment to giving back to the design community.
fbdesign_logo_75
Revision Path is also sponsored by Glitch. Glitch is the friendly community where you can build the app of your dreams. Stuck on something? Get help! You got this!
glitch_75
Revision Path is also brought to you by Google Design! Google Design is committed to sharing the best design thinking from Google and beyond. Sign up for their newsletter!
Revision Path is brought to you by MailChimp. Huge thanks to them for their support of the show! Visit them today and say thanks!
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When you think of design and Rhode Island, what comes to mind? Well hopefully after this episode, you’ll think of web and print designer Danikqwa Rambert! She may be new to the design industry, but she’s quickly making a name for herself.

I had to learn more, so Danikqwa talked with me about her time at Johnson and Wales University along with how important networking and internships have been to her career so far. She also shared her thoughts on what can be done to keep more women in the design industry, and we even geeked out a bit talking about tea. Danikqwa Rambert is definitely a rising star, so keep your eye on her!

Did you like this episode? Get special behind-the-scenes access for just $5/month!

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Revision Path is sponsored by Facebook Design. No one designs at scale quite like Facebook does, and that scale is only matched by their commitment to giving back to the design community.
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Revision Path is also sponsored by Hover. The first 100 clicks on hover.com/revisionpath will get 10% off their domain!
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Revision Path is brought to you by MailChimp. Huge thanks to them for their support of the show! Visit them today and say thanks!
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