Navigating career:
Overcoming prejudice in the design industry
Overcoming prejudice in the design industry
Despite progress, biases and assumptions persist that disadvantage marginalized groups in creative fields. These stories share the experiences of a Black designer uplifting representation and a female founder establishing her leadership in a male-dominated industry.
Despite progress, biases and assumptions persist that disadvantage marginalized groups in creative fields. These stories share the experiences of a Black designer uplifting representation and a female founder establishing her leadership in a male-dominated industry.
Being a Black gay guy, it’s important for me to work with topics I care about. Society’s expectations often lead me to be chosen for projects based on my identity rather than just my talent. While I appreciate these opportunities and enjoy the work, I recognize that this dynamic reflects broader societal issues. Though I have male privilege, being Black means I still lack the same rights and freedom some people have. So it's important to keep diversifying creative fields.
Two projects deeply influenced me as an artist. The first was being a part of the design team of Studio Moross and doing letterings for RuPaul's Drag Race. It was such a talented, diverse team—it was incredible. Though we were remote, we shared a vision to enjoy the process and be as queer as possible. Also, being chosen to create the logo for “Wendell & Wild”, Jordan Peele’s and Henry Selick’s film, was significant. Jordan is changing how Black creators are treated in entertainment, just as RuPaul did for LGBT representation.
When marginalized creators open doors for others, it matters immensely. If not us, who else will? It makes the hard work meaningful, doing art that I consume while uplifting my community.
Being a Black gay guy, it’s important for me to work with topics I care about. Society’s expectations often lead me to be chosen for projects based on my identity rather than just my talent. While I appreciate these opportunities and enjoy the work, I recognize that this dynamic reflects broader societal issues. Though I have male privilege, being Black means I still lack the same rights and freedom some people have. So it's important to keep diversifying creative fields.
Two projects deeply influenced me as an artist. The first was being a part of the design team of Studio Moross and doing letterings for RuPaul's Drag Race. It was such a talented, diverse team—it was incredible. Though we were remote, we shared a vision to enjoy the process and be as queer as possible. Also, being chosen to create the logo for “Wendell & Wild”, Jordan Peele’s and Henry Selick’s film, was significant. Jordan is changing how Black creators are treated in entertainment, just as RuPaul did for LGBT representation.
When marginalized creators open doors for others, it matters immensely. If not us, who else will? It makes the hard work meaningful, doing art that I consume while uplifting my community.
Leandro Assis:
Lettering Artist and Art director. He finds purpose in projects that push representation.
Leandro Assis:
Lettering Artist and Art director. He finds purpose in projects that push representation.
As a woman, I’ve noticed I can lose competitions or proposals to male-run studios, likely due to assumptions that femininity equals weakness. Though it was unspoken, I felt it.
Early on, Hey was mistakenly seen as having multiple partners, since I introduced my whole team, which at the time included two men. So, people thought we were co-run, rather than realizing I was the solo founder. In one interview, a journalist referred to my “partners” coming to an event. When I corrected her and said that I don’t have partners, her demeanor totally changed when she realized her mistake. That showed me that I needed to establish myself more clearly as Hey’s leader and face, which coaching helped me with.
As a woman, I’ve noticed I can lose competitions or proposals to male-run studios, likely due to assumptions that femininity equals weakness. Though it was unspoken, I felt it.
Early on, Hey was mistakenly seen as having multiple partners, since I introduced my whole team, which at the time included two men. So, people thought we were co-run, rather than realizing I was the solo founder. In one interview, a journalist referred to my “partners” coming to an event. When I corrected her and said that I don’t have partners, her demeanor totally changed when she realized her mistake. That showed me that I needed to establish myself more clearly as Hey’s leader and face, which coaching helped me with.
Verònica Fuerte:
Speaker, Lecturer, and Mentor; Founder & Creative Directress of Hey studio. She noticed that she was losing bids to male-run firms and realized the need to publicly assert herself as a leader.
Verònica Fuerte:
Speaker, Lecturer, and Mentor; Founder & Creative Directress of Hey studio. She noticed that she was losing bids to male-run firms and realized the need to publicly assert herself as a leader.
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