The past year has been tough. We've seen...
- A devastating genocide in Gaza with no end in sight.
- Political instability that seems to worsen the grip of oppression on the world.
- Mass layoffs, downsizing of DEI budgets (or cutting DEI programs altogether) and a focus on short-term returns above everything else.
All on top of our personal challenges.
If we're to persevere in rallying against oppression — in the workplace, in our design projects and in the world at large — we need collective strength.
We can't do it alone or in silos.
But the workplace isn't always the right container for incubating anti-oppressive work, especially with economic pressures and the constraints of capitalism looming over us.
So, where can we gather instead? Third places.
American urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg first defined third places in the early 90s as "settings a person frequents beyond their home (the first place) and work (the second place)." Essentially, it's a communal place familiar to you and its other regulars.
Third places are generally public spots found in the real world — such as neighborhood parks, libraries, bars, coffee shops, places of worship, parks, social clubs and beyond.
They are places where you can:
- Affirm your identity with those of similar backgrounds and identities
- Connect with people from across a range of lived experiences and identities
- Engage in all types of conversation and social interaction
- Cultivate artistic, creative and cultural practices and expression
Over the years, as digitalization, commodification and individualism have taken a greater hold of Western cultures, third places are declining. Some places have shifted online. And some have been shamefully overrun by racism.
I strongly believe that third places can be our container for anti-oppressive dreaming, play and exploration outside of work.
That's why I decided to reimagine Design Changemakers as a virtual gathering place that serves this purpose. Here, you'll find shared spaces to learn, play, gather and build liberatory futures with other changemakers — using design as our tool for social and environmental change.
