Observations on design, PDX haps, and beyond.

“Evolved thinking for change” is the motto for this new bi-annual series, rolled out by AIGA Portland’s sustainability committee that I participate in.

This first Generate event on Wednesday 1/26, “is a platform for designers and creatives to discuss and share with other forward-thinkers who want to see a more sustainable world.” The discussion panel is comprised of 5 thought leaders from the creative industry in Portland with backgrounds from Ziba Design, Mercy Corps, Nike, and KEEN to name a few (extracted from the event site):

Margret Brown is currently the Graphic Design Manager at Keen, Inc. of Portland. She is a graduate of Lewis and Clark College and a Portland native who worked at Nike for ten years before joining Keen. Margret works with many of Portland’s best freelancers and small design studios as well as print and display vendors to art direct and produce graphics for Keen’s tradeshows, catalogs, retail displays and packaging.

Michael Etter is the founder of re:active, a nonprofit design education program for underserved youth. Michael’s work reflects his ideas that the power of the creative process can transform community life. His strongest motivation is working to realize an inclusive design education system that will bring voices to the design community that are not commonly involved.

Dee Lieber is the founder of Sol Identity, a multi-disciplinary consultancy providing values-driven brand messaging and design for a more livable future. Dee partners with a wide range of B2B, B2C and Non-profit clients to develop cohesive brands that radiate truth and relevance for today’s people and what matters to them most. Her mantra: BRAND the change you want to see.

Paul Souders designs websites for Portland-based Mercy Corps, a global relief and development non-profit. Their online fundraising is the envy of their peers, executed in-house by just seven people. Paul joined Mercy Corps in 2007 after a decade of slinging electrons for creative shops, software companies, dot-coms, and retailers.

Ryan Weisgerber, Ideas with Heart. Ryan is a graphic designer that works with a group of affiliated organizations that are engaged in activist philanthropy, both in the political and private sectors. The organizations approach projects similarly to how venture capitalists approach investment opportunities, and work to build self-sustaining solutions all over the world that address a wide range of issues.

Generate: Social Change

Bring your ears, thoughts, questions and sketch/notebooks to participate in an evening that is going to inspire, and hopefully, ignite social change through design.

More deets on the AIGA Portland site.

See you there?