Instagram story viewer> @curbcutdesignstudio> Posts

Curb Cut Design Studio

@curbcutdesignstudio

400

followers

720

following

Milo offers equity-based human centered design facilitation with a focus on being trauma-informed & accessible.

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

I am one among thousands who lost their job due to the federal government takeover. For me it was the cuts to USAID, which shut down my employer (and many of my former employers) over night. Since I was a sub-sub-contractor, I do not qualify for unemployment. The challenges of our current job market are urging me to get creative, so I created this personal ad to try to connect with employers who are in need of additional workers but who might not be advertising their available positions online. I could use your support in several ways:
1. Offer your feedback on my ad, portfolio website, and resume.
2. Share ideas on where to look for jobs and where to post my ad.
3. Share my ad within your networks.
4. If you are in control over a project budget, use some of that money to hire contractors! Right now we need people to get creative about sharing their resources. taken in Washington D. C. by @curbcutdesignstudio

17

4

2 years ago

I love being a part of the @hips.dc community so dang much! When the HIPS team put out a call for folks in DC to post up these stickers in their neighborhood, I eagerly volunteered. Sounds like a dreamy springtime afternoon activity to me! Swipe to see the bonus stickers I received. The top left gave me an especially hearty chuckle 😹

In all seriousness, though, I want to emphasize how much #harmreduction has taught me, both personally and professionally. The principles of harm reduction fundamentally shape my approach to #humancentereddesign, from the non-judgemental language I use, to the way I frame design challenges around systems failures rather than individual blame, to my #donoharmtakenoshit approach to facilitation. I am so so grateful to HIPS for being there for me and for the many other people in DC who often feel left out.

#harmreductionsaveslives #narcansaveslives #equitydesign #designjustice taken in Brookland by @curbcutdesignstudio

9

0

4 years ago

What’s something you thought you would need to bring into your design career that you turned out not to need at all? I’d love to learn from you in the comments!

When I graduated from MICA’s Masters in Social Design program in 2019 and packed up my Baltimore apartment for a return to life in DC, I was so excited to bring massive, packed to the brim @artistcraftsmansupply bags of scraps for prototyping with me. I envisioned embarking on a career full of creativity and wonder—surely I would find a use for the leftover bits that I had generated from multiple laser cutter and CNC machine projects in grad school. Three years later, as I prepare to move to a different neighborhood in DC, these materials that I once thought so precious that they warranted a move from Baltimore to DC are now going into the trash bin. They aren’t worth moving between one neighborhood of DC and another. Despite being eager and prepared for a career of supporting communities to prototype their own dreams, I’ve had few opportunities to do that so far. I’ve needed extra Google Drive storage space far more than I’ve needed creative prototyping materials.

#MICAmade #prototyping #CareersInDesign #ExpectationsVsReality taken in LeDroit Park by @curbcutdesignstudio

12

1

5 years ago

CW: death of Black women, trans people, and s*x w0rkers

It’s been a devastating month for Black women, trans people, and s*x w0rkers. The community of decrim activists has lost 3 precious members in the past two weeks alone. Gisele, Nona, and Mistress Veltet, you will be missed and remembered, and your loss will be felt forever. We will never be the same without you. You’ve changed me and everyone in your immediate and global community forever.

If you’re feeling alone and hopeless, please please call the @hips.dc hotline. And I welcome you to contact me as well. I’m here to listen. I care about you and want you here with me. taken in Washington D. C. by @curbcutdesignstudio

16

5

5 years ago

I am SO EXCITED and VERY GRATEFUL to have been selected to participate in the #PrisonAbolition track for this year’s #FeministFutures #hackathon . All next month, I’ll be collaborating with other folks to imagine what the feminist future of prison abolition could look like.

My welcome kit from @OurFeministFutures included, among many other wonders, the amazing #OracleDeck for #TransFeminisTech , which I happen to have already invested in for my own practice. Do any of you happen to have an extra copy of the The Artists’ Grief Deck from @ArtistsLiteraciesInstitute that you’d like to trade me? Or perhaps another #oracle deck that you like to use in your #DesignPractice ? Hit me up so we can #SpreadTheWealth ! taken in LeDroit Park by @curbcutdesignstudio

27

6

5 years ago

When speaking with individuals and organizations who are interested in integrating equity-based #HumanCenteredDesign (HCD) into their work, I’ve encountered a common misperception about the difference between participating in HCD and facilitating HCD. Add in the element of practicing #HCD with a focus on #equity, and there can be even more confusion. I created this #LowFidelityPrototype visualization to map out the different areas of expertise that it takes to impactfully—and without causing harm—facilitate an equity-based HCD process. As you can see, knowledge of HCD and #designjustice are only two components, though they are central components, of what it takes. Thus, while it might only take a single HCD workshop to help prepare someone to PARTICIPATE in an HCD process, it’s not going to be enough to prepare someone to FACILITATE and equity-based HCD process. In addition to the #LivedExpertise I’ve gained through my #intersectional mix of identities, I’ve prepared myself to be an effective #facilitator of equity-based HCD by practicing my skills in paid and volunteer contexts for 15 years, hungrily educating myself using the materials shared by fellow equity-based designers, earning an undergraduate degree in #QualitativeResearch and a graduate degree in equity-based HCD, and volunteering in #HarmReduction for over 6 years. I believe that many different paths can prepare someone to be an effective facilitator of the equity-based HCD process, and I believe that #GraduateSchool primarily serves as a classist, racist, and ableist #gatekeeper rather than as an indicator of quality. I also believe that anyone, truly ANYONE, can participate in an HCD process. BUT, I don’t think that someone can attend a single HCD training and end up with the multitude of skills that are all mapped out in this visualization.

I think this topic is complicated and nuanced, and I don’t think this visualization is nearly complete. I’m very much a #graphicdesign and #procreate newbie. How would you change this visualization? What do you think makes a good equity-based HCD facilitator?

#designjusticenetwork #designthinkingworkshop #designthinking taken in Washington D. C. by @curbcutdesignstudio

13

0

5 years ago

I’ve been having so much fun co-creating the new DMV area local node for the @designjusticenetwork. In this week’s “play” session, we imagined what a mural in our neighborhood might look like if it was inspired by the first #designjustice principle: "We use design to sustain, heal, and empower our communities, as well as to seek liberation from exploitative and oppressive systems." taken in LeDroit Park by @curbcutdesignstudio

17

0

6 years ago

Posted @withregram • @hips.dc

The person who taught me harm reduction and changed my life forever died last night. Reposted below is the caption from HIPS.

It is with a heavy heart that we are relaying the passing of our beloved HIPS brother, Maurice Abbey Bey, affectionately known as "Moe". A leader that embodied harm reduction and love of community. Moe was an integral part of HIPS since becoming involved as a secondary exchange peer educator in 2013. He grew the program and his role to a supervisory Coordinator at the time of his passing. Last year alone, Moe and our team distributed over a half million unused syringes to people in need. This massive public health undertaking would not have been possible without his participation. Through his tenure at HIPS, Moe became an orator and community training expert that was highly sought for his lived experience and expert knowledge of safer use strategies. He appeared on various news outlets in relation to his public health work and lived experience and sat down for a one on one with Bernie Sanders to talk public health and harm reduction. Moe led staff, volunteer, and community trainings on safer use strategies, harm reduction, and contributed testimony to numerous city council hearings in response to HIPS advocacy efforts. He lived an incredible life with seemingly innsurmountable challenges. Moe explempifed honoring individual power & strength and he will forever live in our hearts and be a HIPStar. We love you and we will continue to honor your work. Rest in Power.

#harmreductionheroes #hipsdc #restinpower
#thechosenfew #hipsoutreach #mobileservices
#hipsfamily #hipstar by @curbcutdesignstudio

7

0

6 years ago

We are also late in honoring Ed Roberts for Ed Roberts Day. He is one of the disability rights activists whose work creating DIY curb cuts while a student at UC Berkeley we honor through the name of our design practice.

Posted @withregram • @diversability On January 23, we recognize and celebrate Ed Roberts Day. Ed Roberts was a pioneer for disability rights, equity, and justice.

Our friends @yodisabledandproud and @cfilc_1982 have launched a year-long storytelling initiative collecting memories of Ed Roberts’ life. Email socialmedia@cfilc.org to get involved.

🎨: @wheelchairwhit

#Diversability #EdRobertsDay #EdRobertsDay2021

Image descriptions: carousel of 4 graphics of dark blue text on a light blue background. 1. Block text, “Honoring Ed Roberts.” Below, text, “A Pioneer for Disability Rights, Access & Equality.” Below, a painting of Ed Roberts. Below, “January 23, 1939-March 14, 1995.” 2. In block text, “Who is Ed Roberts?” Two bullets on the left next to a grayscale image of Ed. Text, Known as the “Father of Independent Living,” Ed Roberts was a trailblazing advocate for people with disabilities. As a teen, Ed Roberts contracted polio that left him with significant respiratory, muscle, and limb weakness and atrophy.” 3. In block text, “Ed Roberts’ Life & Legacy.” 4 checkered blocks: Was the first student at his university (UC Berkeley) who used a wheelchair, Founded the first disability-led student organization in the United States, Was heavily involved in the 504 sit-ins, the longest non-violent occupation of a federal building in U.S. history, Helped open the nation’s first center for independent living & create the World Institute on Disability. 4. Quote in block text, “Disability is a strength.” taken in Washington D. C. by @curbcutdesignstudio

17

0

6 years ago

Last week, DC, @hips.dc , and SWIRL lost a shining star. I only knew her for a short while, as part of the SWIRL team, so I can only speak to the Paula I knew. I knew a calm, steady energy with an electric undercurrent of cheeky humor, passionate ideas, and thoughtfulness. I will miss her, and her community will miss her too. Her spirit will live on, among other places, through the implementation of the SWIRL design team's ideas. I apologize for being over a week late in sharing this news--I've always been really slow to process grief and other emotions. taken in Washington D. C. by @curbcutdesignstudio

6

2

6 years ago

Last week I was blessed with the wonderful opportunity to participate in the DC Bar Pro Bono Center’s Free Legal Clinic for Start-up Nonprofit & Small Businesses. I had the great fortune of being able to work with three fantastic lawyers who coached me through the process of registering as a business entity in DC. One of my goals with Curb Cut is to create a model for what a radically inclusive workplace can look like. I came into the pro bono session thinking that creating the scaffolding for a values aligned business would require some sort of new fangled entity structure. I was exploring benefit corporation structures and confused about what sort of entity would be best suited to cooperative ownership. Thank goodness I had these kind folks to guide me because I learned that I don’t need to make things so complicated. The best way for me to lay the foundation for a future Curb Cut Design Studio in which decisions are made collectively, power is shared equitably, and ownership is distributed is to choose the simplest entity structure that leaves room for growth and possibility. For me, this means registering as an LLC and crafting our purpose document extremely broadly—something like, “Our purpose is to do anything that businesses in DC are permitted to do.” I felt like I learned a big lesson here. Being radically inclusive doesn’t always require creating totally new structures. Sometimes, it’s more about the *way* we do things. It turns out we don’t need a complicated entity structure to move away from the founder ego centered, hierarchical structure of most start ups. We can get there using the same old LLC that everyone else has—we’ve just gotta change the way we relate to one another. This lesson has actually given me a lot of hope for what is possible. #tbt #supportsmallbusiness #accessibility #inclusion taken in Washington D. C. by @curbcutdesignstudio

16

1

6 years ago

One of my greatest teachers is @bstphill of @concordianola in New Orleans. She showed me the importance of prototyping EVERYTHING. During an interview with her several years ago, I asked Bobbie to demonstrate how Concordia facilitates community members through a prototyping process. Bobbie surprised me by starting with explaining how the Concordia team prototypes their prototyping process! Long before a community member participates in a Concordia prototyping process, the Concordia team has worked behind the scenes testing whether the prototyping activities are effective and inclusive. In this spirit, I first tested out all the workshop activities before implementing them during our talk at @woodhullsfa. Shoutout to @mytalliiica for volunteering her time and expertise as a tester. #equitydesign #designequity #designasprotest #designjustice #designjusticenetwork #humancentereddesign #prototyping #metaprototyping #meta taken in Washington D. C. by @curbcutdesignstudio

10

3

6 years ago