Wednesday was blog action day and the topic this year was poverty. I missed the boat, but the topic of poverty is definitely something that I would still like to talk about.
Poverty is understood as the lack of necessities and opportunities that determine quality of life. These include food, adequate shelter, clean drinking water, security and clothing, access to education and access to health. It also includes having a voice… “Poverty is powerlessness, lack of representation and freedom”. What is the link between design and poverty? How are designers from all disciplines helping to alleviate poverty? Graphic designers, product designers, web designers, architects and so forth, all have a role to play in raising awareness and educating people that are poor and the people that can help.
People pay attention to good design.
People can be moved or inspired by good designs, and designers have the power to steer people’s attention to these important issues.
The Girl Effect website uses typography to tell a story, and the type as a visual element delivers their message very effectively. The ‘bus shelter house’ seeks to improve shelter for the homeless through environmental design. Poster design can educate people about their rights and about the opportunities they should have. Mentioned in earlier posts, Chaz Maviyane Davies’s poster works are examples of such designs that educate people about their position, politically and socially. ‘Help!’ is a fantastic web design project entered into the Millennium Promise Competition, where typography and graphics are used to inform people about poverty and the action that needs to be taken.
Check out the Big Issue for an interesting approach using magazines to help the homeless.
hey,
i really liked your post, it’s very informative and the links you’ve provided are just the kind of stuff i keep looking around for. thanks.
I was one of those who wrote about poverty yesterday. I’ve been writing about it in a blog for about 3 years now. I’ve been leading an organization that connects volunteers with inner city kids for about 33 years. Thus, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about strategies that might reach more kids with better programs and do more to influence their thinking, aspirations and learning habits.
I’m pleased to find your blog because I feel people who can visualize ideas, such as engineers, archetects, and artists, can communicate complex ideas more effectively than most writers can. I’ve been using maps and graphics to show all of the places where tutor/mentor programs are needed in Chicago, and all of the people who need to be involved, from pre school to first career, to help kids in poverty neighborhoods overcome the challenges that kids in more affluent neighborhoods don’t have.
Since my graphic talents are limited I’ve been recruiting volunteers and interns and have had some success in the past year. Here’s a link to a blog page with links to work done by interns from Indiana University, Hong Kong Baptist and Korea. http://michaelcnt.blogspot.com/2008/07/interns-at-cabrini-connections.html
I hope that one result of this day of blogging about poverty would be that people with design talent might join us in creating blueprints that people might follow to turn random acts of kindness into intentional efforts to do the right thing in the right place at the right time. I hope you’ll pass the message on.
I was one of those who wrote about poverty yesterday. I’ve been writing about it in a blog for about 3 years now. I’ve been leading an organization that connects volunteers with inner city kids for about 33 years. Thus, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about strategies that might reach more kids with better programs and do more to influence their thinking, aspirations and learning habits.
I’m pleased to find your blog because I feel people who can visualize ideas, such as engineers, archetects, and artists, can communicate complex ideas more effectively than most writers can. I’ve been using maps and graphics to show all of the places where tutor/mentor programs are needed in Chicago, and all of the people who need to be involved, from pre school to first career, to help kids in poverty neighborhoods overcome the challenges that kids in more affluent neighborhoods don’t have.
Since my graphic talents are limited I’ve been recruiting volunteers and interns and have had some success in the past year. Here’s a link to a blog page with links to work done by interns from Indiana University, Hong Kong Baptist and Korea. http://michaelcnt.blogspot.com/2008/07/interns-at-cabrini-connections.html
I hope that one result of this day of blogging about poverty would be that people with design talent might join us in creating blueprints that people might follow to turn random acts of kindness into intentional efforts to do the right thing in the right place at the right time. I hope you’ll pass the message on.