Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Christopher Locke. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Christopher , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of the most important things small businesses can do, in our view, is to serve underserved communities that are ignored by giant corporations who often are just creating mass-market, one-size-fits-all solutions. Talk to us about how you serve an underserved community.

My background as a first-generation Jamaican-American helped shape my point of view of how vital it is to create communities for diverse groups of people to be successful. My parents came to the United States without much education but arrived in Hartford, CT which has one of the largest populations of Jamaicans per capita outside of the US. The existence of a culture they knew and understood was important to their comfort and success in building an evolving life.

I consider myself a changemaker who uses design to change the way people experience space and cultural narratives. As a skilled orator and advocate for racial justice, my work over the last 7 years in LA has involved creating spaces for communities to be centered in the design process.

The story and brand of DCo is based on the expansion of the definition of what an architect should do and how it can better impact marginalized people. What an architect is and can do shouldn’t be commodified or defined by white patriarchy. We are constantly thinking of ways to unbuild racism in the built environment and provide our services in creative ways beyond just building new spaces. One of those services is our Racialized Architecture Course. As a part of the Designing with Action Series, this course is the basis for our workshops on racial oppression and systemic inequity in design fields. This curriculum covers the dynamics in which the architecture practice has willingly participated in the racist actions of colonized space. Our course is made available via video, engaging online webinars, and in-person workshops. Our clients range from firms in architecture, engineering, construction, developers, nonprofits, universities, and anyone who wants to make an impact in the built environment.

Christopher , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Designing in Color (DCo) is a collective of architects and designers of culture. We work to diversify the way architecture is taught and practiced to amplify the voices of marginalized communities who face systematic oppression in design. We are a design justice-based practice that uses design to empower, sustain, heal, and liberate black and brown communities. We do not conform to traditional architectural processes that are based on Eurocentric practices that alienate communities of color.

DCo facilitates design justice workshops in academic institutions, workplaces, and local communities. We also create digital curricula and design socially responsible projects – all in an effort to dismantle the systemic racism built into the practice of architecture. Everything DCo creates is proudly informed by the principles of social justice, spatial justice, and design equity. We want our partners, from students, professionals, institutions, and local communities, to emerge from our collaborations knowledgeable of the injustices of their fields and excited to begin to pursue justice, all while designing in color.

An example of this work is our recent project leading community organizing with the communities of Watts. DCo led the organizing of three community sessions through the end of SD/DD Phase of the Community Center. Each session had a specific goal of engaging community members with a focus on education and providing opportunities for continued engagement in the design/development process. Instead of just receiving information through a transactional relationship, our goal was to provide services and resources to community members during the process of designing the community center. Through listening to community voices it became evident that we need to practice what it will feel like to have the community space now, well before it is built.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Our organization is currently in a state of transition. For the last 7 years, 3 as a legal entity, we have operated as a part-time organization with all 6 members working full-time jobs. With more work on our plate, we are starting to strategize on how we can begin to capitalize on newer opportunities that can pay more of our current salaries. We have always battled the need for more capacity, which as of now we have supplemented with hired consultants to support our projects. It is also becoming increasingly hard to balance 2 jobs, personal life, and other goals. There isn’t enough time in the day that can prevent burnout, so we are prioritizing our mental health to best support the future of our business.

The next 12 months are a major step for us to develop a steady stream of projects and administrative processes to better support our work. As business owners who do not come from backgrounds where family members have experiences with entrepreneurial success, we are aware that we need to maximize the resources around us to make us perform at a high level. I recently attended the Los Angeles Los Angeles Business & Financial Empowerment Summit and am inspired to take advantage of the wealth of knowledge in the city.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

So apparently, I have been told I adopt introverts into my life. Almost all members of our group are quiet but introspective types of personalities who were drawn to my extrovert nature. Originally DCo was founded after we completed graduate school with the goal of being an advocacy group for students and young professionals. In order to build this perspective into a conference workshop at the National Organization of Minority Architects in LA in 2016, I reached out to one my greatest friends to help provide expertise to the work.

Opalia Meade (co-founder) and I, both Jamaican and graduates from UMass Amherst architecture program, shared similar experiences building our capacity of black history in the Black Student Union. She was a quiet but deep thinker at school who I was immediately drawn to. She had no choice but to be my best friend. She provides a critical approach to the group’s work that allows us to grow effectively. She is a great leader and protector of our mission.

Rubin (Co-founder) similarly attended the University of Michigan where we both received our masters in architecture. Rubin was one of the more creative folks in our cohort. Quiet and deeply artistic, he was always down to create disruptive content, often helping me make films for my studio projects. He too was asked to participate in the creation of the DCo workshop and still to this day is one of the most creative and humble people I know.

Jonathan Sharp, one of our associates, another quiet but deeply adventurous individual,l worked with me at ZGF Architects, our first job out of school. He was always interested in the work I was doing with DCo and wanted to make Los Angeles a better place for forgotten communities. We along with another friend, Michael De Leon, created Small Talks: LA, a series of pop-up events that allow all community members to participate in discussions about how design impacts their communities. He has been one of my key allies in Los Angeles and is a talented architect who is willing to explore new ideas at all costs. His ability to design space is an asset to our work.

Olga Bracamontes (associate) met the group at the 2018 NOMA conference in Chicago. Creative and very active in her community, she was a big supporter of the group’s work and was a champion for us on social media. We approached her about joining us because of her work with NOMA Arizona and students. Her strengths are closely aligned with ours. She has a balanced approach, bringing a perspective to the group we always seem to miss. Her interest in design, advocacy, and exploring her identity is a blessing to have on the team.

Brian Wisnewski is one of the only members of the group who was not a direct connection via school or NOMA. He too is an extrovert and the eldest of our group who brings an incredible amount of maturity and experience to the organization. Brian is one of the most selfless and thoughtful people I know. He is not only a multi-talented individual, but he is also a vulnerable leader who is willing to participate in tough conversations needed to make progress in our work. He is a valued member of our group and has been very instrumental to our growth over the years. We all love and appreciate Brian’s presence.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://designingincolor.com/
• Instagram: @designingincolor
• Linkedin: designingincolor