Where did you grow up?
I started life on the northeast side of Detroit before my family moved up to Macomb County.
What is your degree in? Why did you choose that degree?
My degree is in Visual Communications (graphic design). As a kid, my dream job was to be a car designer, though I eventually lost interest in such a limited form of design. My interest in creative problem solving remained, with graphic design filling that niche.
Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us.
The Baby-Sitters Club is one of my favorite shows on Netflix.
What is your history with Detroit?
Until I was five years old my family lived on the northeast side of Detroit, and after moving to the exurbs in Macomb County through high school, Detroit remained a regular fixture. While attending college out of state I realized I had no interest in returning to the suburbs, so when I finished school I moved to Hamtramck–of which Detroit is a suburb ;)–where I’ve lived since.
What did you do before working at D3?
I’ve done graphic design in some capacity since graduating college 14 years ago. Sometimes full-time as a freelancer, sometimes working full time at a design firm; at other times my main job was doing historic window restoration and I just did design on the side. Throughout most of that, I’ve been an adult participant in an intergenerational, youth-led tech collective in southwest Detroit called Radical Productions.
What do you like about working at D3 so far? How do you think the work you are doing benefits the city/region?
My favorite part about D3 so far is the human aspect. Initially on the staff side, it was the experience of the rapport everyone has in group meetings, and how intentionally I was included in that. And as I’ve participated in discussions about more projects, I enjoyed hearing the inherent humanization of the projects and tools, and seeing the underlying focus on how it all connects back to people’s lives.
What are your favorite types of data?
Spatial data are my favorite because they’re generally the easiest to represent beautifully in a tangible form. They can exist as snapshots in time of nature or human development, be very specialized or broad, and can capture individual or collective perspectives of our physical world. And maps make nice decoration on my walls at home.
Who or what inspired you to take the path to Detroit, data, or both?
My desire in my design work is to be a good neighbor by helping those who are helping others. The visualization of accessible, humanized data fits the intersection of information and relationships that’s useful for understanding comprehensively the issues created by unjust systems, and what we can do better in the amelioration of our shared experiences.