As the topic of accessible design continues to evolve, it’s important to allow those affected most to tell their own stories and take control of the narrative. Fortunately for us, Washington DC is a thriving home to the American Deaf community, thanks to Gallaudet University.
So it’s with great excitement that AIGA DC welcomes local D/deaf designers Elise Roy, Yiqiao Wang, and Scott Carollo into the spotlight to share their experiences and careers in their own words. Our panelists will share their favorite projects and the stories behind them, how they became designers, and how D/deaf designers and artists offer a much-needed perspective to design.
An ASL interpreter will be provided. Building is ADA friendly with a wheelchair ramp at the entrance and an elevator to the second floor.
Event Panelists:
- Elise Roy, Inclusive Design Strategist at Elise Roy & Associates
- Yiqiao Wang, Senior Artist at Gallaudet University's Motion Light Lab for the Visual Language and Visual Learning Center
- Scott Carollo, Professor of Graphic Design at Gallaudet University
Panel moderated by:
Raquel Breternitz, Senior Designer, Speaker, Writer, and Facilitator at Pivotal Labs Washington, D.C.
ABOUT PANELISTS
Elise Roy
Inclusive Design Strategist at Elise Roy & Associates
Website: https://www.eliseroy.org/
Twitter: @EliseRoy
Elise Roy is a deaf, inclusive design strategist who helps companies analyze products, services, and programs from the vantage point of people with disabilities. She believes that the unique experiences of people with disabilities help us uncover hidden needs, wherein lie the most profound solutions for everyone. Roy draws on her 15+ years of working with the disability community, and her diverse career path as a lawyer who worked on the United Nations Disability Convention, a marketing manager who worked on the 2008 election campaign ads, and a product designer to shape solutions for her clients. An internationally recognized speaker, Roy has given talks all over the world including at Microsoft, SXSW, AIGA, NASA, the Cooper Hewitt and the World Bank. Her TEDx talk, “When We Design for Disability, We All Benefit,” has over 1.2 million views. Her company, Elise Roy & Associates was founded in 2016 and even though it is still in its infancy, it has attracted clients that include Fortune 500 Companies such as Google, Fannie Mae and Marriott, as well as, organizations such as World Vision and the OECD.
Yiqiao Wang
Senior Artist at Gallaudet University's Motion Light Lab for the Visual Language and Visual Learning Center
Website: http://yiqiaowang.com/
Instagram: @yiillustration365days
Yiqiao Wang was born in Beijing, China and came to the United States to study at Gallaudet University and the Savannah College of Art and Design. She currently works at Gallaudet as an adjunct professor and senior artist at the Motion Light Lab for the Visual Language and Visual Learning Center (VL2.) Her work includes illustrating the VL2 storybook apps, The Baobab, The Blue Lobster, and The Solar System, as well as creating large mural designs for the Maguire Welcome Center in Gallaudet University and the Starbucks first U.S signing store. She has also displayed her artwork in art galleries and shows in Washington D.C., the Rochester Institute of Technology, and the Pride Center of Staten Island, New York.
Scott Carollo
Professor of Graphic Design at Gallaudet University
Scott Carollo is a Professor of Graphic Design at Gallaudet University and has over 16 years of teaching experience. Prior to teaching Scott worked as a freelance designer and as Director of Graphic Design at California State University of Los Angeles. He graduated with an MFA from Savannah College of Art and Design and BFA from Gallaudet University.
ABOUT MODERATOR
Raquel Breternitz
Senior Designer, Speaker, Writer, and Facilitator at Pivotal Labs Washington, D.C.
Twitter: @raqueldesigns
Raquel's work is connected by a passion for research-driven design thinking and a hunger for tackling complex problems. She believes design should be approached content-first (ban lorem ipsum!) with a sharp eye on ethical considerations and accessible, human-centered outcomes. She live in Washington, D.C. but her heart will always be in sunny Austin, Texas.
LOCATION INFORMATION
This event will be held at Gallaudet University in the 2nd floor lobby of the Washburn Arts Building. For campus directions, view this map.
Public transit is encouraged. Gallaudet is a 15-20 minute walk from the NOMA/Gallaudet University stop on the Red line. Parking on campus is by permit-only. Sparse street parking is available in the surrounding neighborhood.
