D×D Mid-Year News: June 2025

How is time flying by so fast? We can’t believe we’re already halfway through 2025!

Then again…we can believe it as we’ve been putting in serious work, moving with intention, and staying laser-focused on our mission.

Despite forces pushing against DEIB, our commitment hasn’t wavered. If anything, it’s pushed us to work harder—for representation, for access, and for the future of a design industry that reflects the rich diversity of our society.

We’re proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish so far this year, and even more excited about where we’re headed. So get comfy, read on, and prepare to be energized by the impact being made on the next generation of creative professionals.

Design= in Action

This spring, Design= brought real-world creative mentorship into the classroom through a collaborative program with Amazon Design and Culver City High School. Together, we launched a spring mentorship program that connected students with professional designers to support their creative journeys. More than 75 students received in-classroom mentorship from seven Amazon designers.

Students in the Art & Culture class designed album covers exploring identity, while the Film II students polished documentaries and built personal web pages to showcase their growth. Amazon designers from Audible, Prime Video, and AWS visited classrooms to present on design topics, share their creative careers, and provide feedback on student projects.

And the momentum doesn’t stop there. Amazon Design and Culver City High School will reunite this fall to continue providing students with exposure to design careers and real-world creative experiences through the Design= program.

Hot Off the Press…and Into Your Inbox

This spring also marked the official launch of the Design= Newsletter—a quarterly resource for educators that shares stories, strategies, and practical tips for integrating creative career exposure into student learning. Whether you’re using our Curriculum Kit already or just curious, this newsletter helps you stay inspired and connected. Subscribe here.

Our commitment to educator engagement didn’t stop at the classroom—this February, we brought Design= to the AME Institute’s Bay Area Pop-Up, expanding our reach and impact through hands-on professional development. Designed to inspire possibility and offer practical insight, this event bridged the gap between public education and creative careers in a way that felt bold, personal, and overdue. We’re already dreaming up what’s next.

Ask Me Anything (AMA): Design Career Insights, Unfiltered

Our Ask Me Anything series is bringing raw, real talk to the design world—and we’re just getting started! university professors. agency presidents. design entrepreneurs – that’s who we’ve brought to the mic so far, offering students and creative professionals a front-row seat to honest, unfiltered design stories.

• We’ve talked purpose and legacy with Omari Souza.
• Explored design as communication with Anosh Gill.
• Unpacked mission-driven branding with Jasmine K Burton.
• And dug deep into nonlinear career growth with Liz Ott of Threespot.

More than 172 people have joined us so far—and the feedback has been incredible. Our Late Summer/Fall 2025 AMA lineup is coming together with conversations featuring Oen Hammonds, Pilar Newton, and Omari Souza. Don’t miss out. RSVP now to save your spot.

Thirty, Thriving, and Funding the Future: AIGA Worldstudio DxD Scholarships

This year marks a major milestone for the AIGA Worldstudio D×D Scholarship Program, we turned 30! And we're celebrating it the best way we know how: by investing in even more emerging talent.

Our 2025/2026 jury is made up of some of the most respected creative directors, educators, and design leaders in the industry. They’re currently reviewing a powerful batch of applications from students across the country. The stories they’re reading are bold, vulnerable, and full of promise. And thanks to the scholarship’s legacy, these students won’t just walk away with financial support. They’ll also gain professional recognition, mentorship, and access to a peer network that can shift the trajectory of their careers.

Since 1994, the scholarship has supported nearly 850 students and distributed more than $1.45 million in funding. But the truth is, that’s just scratching the surface of what’s needed.

We’re still raising money to meet this year’s funding goal, and every dollar will help us support one more student. One more future leader. One more voice that deserves to be heard.

If you haven’t already, now’s the time to give what you can. Here’s the link.

Winners will be announced soon. Stay tuned.

Here’s the Truth

This work isn’t easy, but it’s necessary. And in a year where diversity in design continues to face pushback, we can’t help but push forward. What you’ve just read is proof that progress is happening: in classrooms, within communities, through conversation, and across careers. We’re building something real, something lasting. And we’re not slowing down.  

This momentum isn’t accidental. It’s built, and while we intend to keep building, we cannot do this work without you and our greater community. Diversify by Design is flying—out loud and with determination—in the face of an outright attack on any act of inclusivity; any intention of equity; any vocalization of diversity. We need your help to keep us aloft. The design industry needs to be a leader in diversity, equity, and inclusion. Who are we designing for if we’re not?

Here are just a few ways you can help keep D×D alive and kicking: 

• Connect us to funders who have not turned their backs on this most important work. 
• Tag us; like, follow and repost our inspiring social content on your LinkedIn and Instagram networks.
• Join us; add your individual or organization’s voice and expertise to the coalition’s work.

And if you’re just getting acquainted with D×D and would like more information on how you or your organization can be part of this work…no, hold that…be part of this movement, email us…today…right now…at hello@dxd.design. We can’t wait to meet you!