Predictions

Things (the personal & professional)

It was a busy start to the month in Canada: In Toronto, I spoke at the Shift Shapers Design Thinkers conference which was followed by a book signing. The following day, I gave the opening keynote at the ShiftShaping Design Educators. Finally, I concluded with a book talk and in conversation with Chiara Del Gaudio at Carleton University.

I responded to 20 questions for the podcast Unique Ways, which felt strange when there wasn’t an exchange on other end. In any case, listen on Spotify or on Apple Podcasts.

My article “Moments of Palestine” was published in Disegno #40: Freedom. Buy a copy. I’ve also scanned the article so you can read it :)

Amazing to see my book Designerly Ways of Knowing being used as it intended: interactively. Check out this post

New Series: Exploring Designerly Ways of Knowing

Books:

Design Otherwise: Transforming Design Education in the Arab Region is available for purchase online, or order it at your favourite bookstore.

Designerly Ways of Knowing is available with a new cover (big up Pali!), and is now on its third print! Order here.

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I’m starting to scare myself with my predictions. A few months ago, I decided to apply for UK naturalisation. I have had Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK for several years. I did not feel the need to apply for naturalisation, it’s more money (you don’t want to know how much I’ve already contributed to visa fees and everything that comes with it), and I wasn’t planning on leaving. But Farage’s popularity ignited a That’s So Raven premonition that he has a strong chance of being PM in four years time due and will get rid of IRL, so it nudged me to apply. Behold, the news ⬇️.

If only these trash headlines outlined the hoops many of us who have ILR status had to go. How has the “migrants are the problem” narrative secured front page news for over a decade? Even my friends in Canada are asking me if we have an overwhelming immigration increase in the UK. 🤦🏻‍♀️

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On the subject of headlines, I was drafting this on a Via Rail train somewhere between Ottawa and Toronto, and I forgot how dated the trains look (and how spacious they are!). Are these the same trains I rode as a child 25 years ago? Our table tray was broken and could not be put back up, Via Rail staff hold up phones with the coach number, they weigh bags (WHY?)…and their new trains – which I rode on the way back – have little space for luggage. After a dreadful Air Canada flight which compelled me to actually fill in the survey request, transport in Canada is becoming an embarrassment. At least Via Rail’s wifi kinda works and they don’t overbook the trains and have piles of people on top of each other like all UK rail providers.

But poor infrastructure and services do not make the news because they are not individual enough. Instead, it’s better to sell a story that blames the other for the deteriorating infrastructure. Once bad infrastructure is seen, it is never unseen. So why isn’t there more outrage? Maybe we are too busy with the digital convenience our phones seemingly provide to notice.

visual roundup of things I liked/made me happy/laugh or tsk this month.

Old features kept or uncovered (Battersea, Camberwell, MJ + MF Doom collaboration mixtape)

Graphic design I liked // Neoliberal self care spaces

Danahtello / Dispensers that prevent grabers / More bad Fashion Retail Academy ads

read//check out//listen//watch

August mixtape // September mixtape

I like this newsletter a lot, gutted a lot of the content is now for paid subscribers (another post on this another time).

• NB small world effect when I realised I overhead one of the chef’s featured (who opened a

  new restaurant) interviewing sous chef’s at a cafe near my place.

I enjoyed reading this article

Be well,

Danah (The Pessoptimist)