10:15-10:55 AM

With the rise of reverse mentorship and the influence of the Millennial Generation through Generation Alpha voices, why are organizations still endorsing speakers and collaborators who say the same thing over and over? Why do we keep listening to sales pitches, projects that are obviously greenwashing, or the same old design thinking for the win?

In 2020, WDO launched a pilot program called the Young Designers Circle. Twenty young designers from around the world came together to bring a new voice to the organization, create projects, deliver impact toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and collaborate globally and locally. This group of international future design leaders, now in their second cohort, is ready to establish a brave place, to raise their voice, and say, "Hey, you keep saying we have wonderful ideas, but we are not there yet. As designers, we do not have the influence we should and could have.”

This honest dialogue will address the aim of providing a brave space for young designers and why older generations should listen. Companies and universities should empower their younger voices to speak up and challenge the status quo, because we are constructing the future in which our generation will live. We will announce a global conversation series to have young designers participate and have a global impact.