The Annual Theme Weaving series kick-offed a shared journey for the network. This series of events
illuminated the components of weaving.
Sharing our visions of what we hope to cultivate in the network culminated in our current network’s theme, “...,” and thus begins a weaving season. Our theme anchors and inspires programming for the year, giving direction for time and resources. It is also a guide/prompt to interact with design justice frameworks and principles for the year. Together we will evolve through the listening and facilitation of spaces for designers to reflect on our observations:
What moment in time we are living in?
What we have the power to shift?
What can grow from what we cultivate together?
Allowing the theme to connect our work, forming a complex tapestry of understandings.
We hope this work will give members a direct way to engage and deepen their embodiment of Design Justice.
DJN Commitments Framework:
The expressed and emerging ways DJN members embody Design Justice Principles. We offer this framework of commitment as a means of:
Creating multiple ways to respond to a unifying call to action.
Grounding in “who” we are as members, what we identify, ie “the moves” or “actions” that inspired imagination, curiosity, play, action, etc.; coming alive for in any given set of circumstances. Create something that anchors and connects people to design justice concepts but, doesn’t fix them in place rigidly about how to relate to that tether Spark direct, responsive actions and interventions. Practice for decision-making processes and democratic process. Practice determining things as a network. This framework of commitments can be seen as activation points, threads, patchwork, or subplots in a beautiful shared narrative. They were observed as a shared language from our initial series, during the events feed, back centered around Place, Practice, Story, Organizing, Care, Play, and Change.
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Embodies Design Justice Principles through place-based practices that center lived experience with the impact of design and design as a practice within a specific region or localized context, and strengthens design’s right relationship with that space or land and Indigenous peoples.
Members committed to place might hold in-person meetings with nearby Network members and design peers, elevate local design-related issues to our global Network, or attend relevant local actions and events as a DJN member or presenter.
Platforms, tools and resources to support this commitment might include…
Currently expressed through Nodes and additionally DJN Connects.
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Embodies Design Justice Principles through the specialized positions designers hold in their work and communities, and where they can effect change in organizations, institutions and systems.
Members committed to practice as a designer might study and critically analyze their references, skillset and industry in multidisciplinary cohorts and collaboratively create materials to share with fellow practitioners.
Platforms, tools and resources to support this commitment might include…
Currently expressed through member-led Working Groups.
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Embodies Design Justice Principles through communication that connects shared moments and insights as a community of design justice practitioners to the larger design justice movement and related frameworks for liberation.
Members committed to story might elevate member or community experiences by creating audio, visual or text-based artifacts for the Network and beyond, or present/perform with these artifacts for outreach or Network program purposes.
Platforms, tools and resources to support this commitment might include…
Currently expressed through social media campaigns, Comms WG, Member Stories, DJN presentations, zines, and articles.
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Embodies Design Justice Principles through operation and resource management for supporting projects and teams within the Network, or collective actions in the design justice movement.
Members committed to organize as practitioners of design justice might support operational aspects of the Network with structured consent practices, transparent organizing processes and share accountability to outcomes collectively.
Platforms, tools and resources to support this commitment might include…
Currently expressed through the Coordination Team, Steering Committee, DJN Facilitators and library of resources.
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Embodies Design Justice Principles through co-creating liberatory cultures of care as members of the Network and our own communities beyond DJN
Members committed to care and healing justice as a way to shift and reshape the way design justice is both experienced and practiced in/with community.
Platforms, tools and resources to support this commitment might include
DJN Care Pod Arena that offers insight into our collaborative lineage and process as a team, readings from cross-movements to reflect upon and activate practice, and access to all tools, practices and resources that come out of every Care Pod gathering.
Currently expressed through topic-based and seasonal Care Circles (as a continuation of our 2021 network programming), generative Practice Spaces, and Monthly Somatic Sessions for DJN Care Pod team, SC and Staff Care Circles (formerly), Care Pod Team and Somatic Sessions.
Video Library
Kick-Off: Speaker Presentations
Kick-Off Event: Introductions
Our Theme Weaving Kick-Off Event invited members to work through prompts that illuminate what we are observing in this time and what we want to grow as a community. Here is the introduction from that event where coordinator lay out the framework for Theme Weaving.
Speakers Sage Crump, Adrian & Milo (from Principles at Work & Denise Shanté were invited answer the question: What you believe to be imperative issues for designers to be focused on in creating change and power for their communities? We used their answers to ground our time together.
Connecting Threads: Coordination Event
Connecting Threads provided us space to sit with the observations and insights gathered during the initial event. We shared new resources and frameworks to support moving forward with the theme. This event is for Node & Working Group Coordinators only.
Event Resources
Kick-Off Event Miro Board: This is a collapsed Miro board of member feedback. Download PDF here
In-Network Weaving Resources
Node & Working Group Coordination Guide
This is an introductory resource from the Design Justice Network on Expectations and Requirements for Nodes and Working Groups within the network. It should assist with the functioning of your node or working group - administrative resources and how to communicate with DJN Staff, the Steering Committee, and the wider network!
Event Facilitation
(Tool Kit)
The facilitation toolkit provides frameworks for both project coordination and decision-making. The guide emphasizes the importance of clarity around consensus and aligning goals within an agile work environment.
Philly Visioning Doc:
A resource planned and facilitated by Andrea Ngan & Ila Kumar from the Philadelphia Node in the United States. A great resource for those starting or looking to realign under shared visions and understandings of roles. Exercises include: Identity Exercise, Reflecting on Roles, Role Reflection Prompts, Idea Role + Alignment, and Next Steps.
Care Pod
Join our networks Care Pod slack channel.
Dedicated to Dreaming and designing liberatory cultures of care with design justice practitioners. This is a space to participate in care and healing justice offerings, be in dialogue, and help shape future experiences.
Care Pod Ar.ena Channels
Care Pod Collaborative Lineages: Documenting the evolution of our formation and ongoing collaboration as a Care Pod team within the Design Justice Network.
Tools & Offerings from Our Gatherings, Care Circles and Practice Spaces: One way you can return to what we’ve experienced together, with the opportunity to take each moment of care and healing justice back to your collaborative spaces, homes,
and communities.
Design Justice, Care, and Healing Justice Reading Room: A space to gather inspirations and references connected to all things design justice, care and healing justice.
Node & Working Group Logo Templates:
Use this canva template to create a logo for your Node or Working Group. This can be used for events that your are invited to and branding materials. Email us if you
have any questions.
Working Group Visioning Jam Board:
A resource created by network contractor Taylor Simone. A good way to prompt conversations around work and labor, refine a vision statement, and identify threads of interest from coordinators.
Check-ins for
Connection & Care:
A Growing, Collaborative List of Questions and Prompts to Help Hold Space. Gathered by Denise Shanté Brown Illustration by Anushka Jajodia
Member List Serve: designjustice-members@lists.riseup.net Event Proposal Form: Submit Here
Out-of-Network Resources
These resources speak to threads that were identified during synthesis & the commitment categories. Node & WG can host events, host discussions, and/or create content prompted by these resources.
We invite you to engage these materials from a critical lens, building upon, pushing against, specifying, or aligning these topics to Design Justice.
Adrienne Marie Brown
How to Survive the End of the World. Podcast Here
Reflections on Octavia's Butler Earthseed (The Books of the Living) by Adrienne Marie Brown ($5 Digital Download) Here
Bay Transformative Justice Coalition
Pods Article &
Worksheet here
“…a term to describe
the kind of relationship between people who would turn to each other for support around violent, harmful and abusive experiences, whether as survivors, bystanders or people
who have harmed.”
Decolonizing
Wealth Project
7 Steps of Healing Here
“We as humans have
given money its value of exchange, so we also have the power to change how we utilize it.
These steps are a means to both heal, and translate this healing into action.”
Emergent Strategies
Cultural Strategy Toolkit
View Here
”This body of work is for people who are deeply interested in how culture lays the foundation for liberation.”
The Artists’ Grief Deck
View Here
“These cards were made by artists and by caregivers experienced with supporting people in processing loss, to help so many of us who have lost someone or something, and who may not be able to safely grieve together.”
Sins Invalid Language Justice Library
Disability Justice - a working draft by Patty Berne
Language Justice is Disability Justice. ASL by April Jackson-Woodard.
The 10 Principles of Disability Justice, translated into ASL by April Jackson, Ashanti Monts-Tréviska, and Antoine Hunter aka Purple Fire Crow.
Disability Justice is Climate Justice. ASL by Sarah Young Bear-Brown.
View Here
“Sins Invalid is a disability justice based performance project that incubates and celebrates artists with disabilities, centralizing artists of color and LGBTQ / gender-variant artists as communities who have been historically marginalized. “
All My Relations
Podcast
Rematriate by Michelle Schenandoah (Oneida Nation) and Marquel Musgrave (Nanbe Owingeh) : Here'
”Acknowledge that rematriation IS the work of decolonization; we talk through Indigenous Feminism, Sky Woman, and we even make the connections between Ruth Bater Ginsberg and The Doctrine of Discovery.”
Community Tool Box
Justice Action Toolkit
View Here
“This toolkit provides resources to support community members working towards racial justice and gender equity, and indeed injustice in its many forms.”
Design Justice + Design Space
Toolkit View Here
“The DJ+DS project brings together a designer and restorative justice practitioner to explore how restorative justice values impact the design of carceral spaces through a multimedia curriculum that combines restorative justice theory and design work.”
Intersectional Environmentalism
Reimagining Food Justice + Food Sovereignty
View Here
Indigenous Environmentalism: The Rights of Manoomin Toolkit View Here
Black Woman Savior Trope Toolkit View Here
Wilderness Society’s Public Lands Curriculum
View Here”
“Discover the many ways social justice and environmentalism intersect with the topics and communities you are most passionate about.”
The Commons Social Change Library
View Here
“We gather the collective wisdom of people engaged in social change in one accessible online place. All of our materials are free, digital, and directly available.”
Allied Media
Healing Justice Principles & Guidelines
Download Here
““Healing Justice” is an evolving political framework shaped by economic, racial, and disability justice that re-centers the role of healing inside of liberation.”
Community Resistance Intimacy Project (CRIP)
Resource Page Here
Accessibility and Organizing Toolkit - developed by CRIP in partnership with Youth Line.
Accessible Activism - '
by Anna Brenner, Andrea K, Shelby Lorman, Casey Metz Wait, Mariah Person, Mary, Shelby , Brendan Tang, Leigh Witzling.
Principles at Work
From the Desks of Designers and Researchers bringing Design Justice Principles to Work Download Here
School of Radical Healing
The Library View Here
“This is a donation-based digital mindfulness library. Classes are designed to promote self-regulation and provide support in your radical healing journey. Please enjoy this library of on-demand mind-body work.”
Communities Creating Healthy Environments (CCHE)’
Language Justice Toolkit Download Here
“It features a collection of specific, practical strategies for organizations and individuals who are committed to building powerful multilingual spaces in their own workplaces and communities.”
Detroit Justice Coalition
Principles: Here
Resource Page Here
-DFM Guide to
Digital Literacy
-DFS Guide to
Humanizing Schooling
-DFY Curriculum Mixtape
Dignity and Power Now
In partnership with Justice Teams Network
Dignity & Power: Healing Justice Toolkit Here
”Founded in 2012, our mission is to build a Black and Brown led abolitionist movement rooted in community power towards the goal of achieving transformative justice and healing justice for all incarcerated people, their families, and communities.”
Press Press
Manifesto for Sanctuary Building & Sanctuary Keeping Read Here
“Through an understanding of publishing as the action of gathering a public, Press Press builds cooperative and collaborative networks of relationships using publishing practices centered in self-representation and conversation.”