We recently connected with Emily Addison and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Emily, thanks for joining us today. Any thoughts around creating more inclusive workplaces?
I currently work as a graphic designer in the book publishing industry, where I am the only black woman in my department. The publishing industry is notoriously homogeneous and to be frank notoriously exclusive of people of color.
With the current political attacks on literature in the form of book bans supporting black and brown creators is paramount.
We need more people of color in publishing. Children and adults of all backgrounds deserve to see themselves in stories. Diversifying the publishing industry isn’t just good for publishing, it’s good for people.
As a whole, I believe it is up to companies to evaluate their practices and do the work to better serve their staff equitably. Institutions need to listen to and believe the people who work for them. Equity work is effective when it is woven into the culture of a company. It’s not just about marketing to diverse audiences. Progress happens in community.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am a multi-hyphenate creative professional with a specialty in graphic design and marketing.
I have a background in fine art and curation which gives me a unique ability to scale projects. Anyone can use software to create something sufficient. To create something truly engaging requires creative and unconventional ways of thinking. When you can consider how and where your media is being engaged you can distill the most dynamic and effective ways to meet your customers. One of my greatest joys as a designer is getting to use so many skill sets. I make animated graphics, social media content kits, d igital advertisements, physical installations, packaging designs and so much more.
My goal as a designer is to produce copasetic marketing campaigns through collaboration, research, and an inclusive and equitable creative process.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
Being a creative professional and especially a freelancer comes with an “eat what you kill” mentality. There is this unspoken pressure to say yes to everything. I had to unlearn yes and relearn no.
For context: I had agreed to curate a show for a non-profit gallery in the summer of 2022. The space was generous and so welcoming to me. Additionally, my co-curator was going out of the country three weeks before we opened. I thought it would not be a big deal to manage prepping the show in her absence. By the time she had departed, we had selected over 30 artists and around 70 works to fill the 12,000-square-foot gallery.
Because of the space’s nonprofit status, resources and volunteers were limited which is where my yes problem began. What started as an already ambitious goal quickly snowballed into a task list of mountainous proportions. I went from curator to administrative assistant, to tech wiz, to marketer, and back again. By the time the show opened I was exhausted. So much so that it made it hard to enjoy this incredible body of work I had put sweat and tears into. I would describe the feeling as professional heartbreak. Heartbreak that could have been absolved by a little help and a more judicious use of the word no. We can only do our best when we feel our best and no opportunity no matter how large is worth compromising your wellbeing.
What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?
I am very grateful that I was able to turn my side hustle into my full-time job. I didn’t know when I started freelancing that it would be. Freelancing is incredibly hard work and full of risk. When I began my career I was extremely risk averse. I worked in one industry and did one kind of work. I needed more so I leaned on my network and put the feelers out for clients in need of my services.
Much of the work offered to me was very different from the work I had been doing previously. My choices were, to turn down work that I could do because it was outside of a certain scope, or be bold and try things. The more design work I was doing the more diverse the requests I got. By taking on work that was outside of my comfort zone I was able to push my talents and ultimately grow my business.
In 2021 I created my first set design. This job was equal parts curation and graphic design. I had never done something like this before. I approached that project with one goal in mind do it well and I did. That project landed me in the New York Times and opened the door to all kinds of design and curatorial work. Ultimately it was my ability to be curious, flexible, and even a little brazen that got me where I am today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://eaddison.design/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usualprogram/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eaddisondesign/
- Other: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/06/theater/zoetrope-review.html
Image Credits
Mike Oliver