We’re thrilled to announce that Noun Project is partnering with Disability:IN, the leading nonprofit resource for business disability inclusion worldwide, the School of Visual Arts MFA Interaction Design Program, and Canva, one of the world’s best-known tools for design and publishing, to host an Iconathon design workshop dedicated to accessibility and inclusion.
Today, 1 in 6 people worldwide live with a disability. Yet, despite growing awareness about the importance of accessibility and inclusive design, there is still a stark lack of visual resources dedicated to this space. In addition, many icons commonly used to depict accessible locations and experiences are often homogenous or uphold negative stereotypes. At Noun Project, we believe accessibility should be a continuous practice to ensure environments and experiences, both on- and off-line, are designed so everyone can fully participate. Through this initiative, we’ll be working together to create new, more inclusive visuals that represent key accessibility principles, technology, and concepts to fill a critical content gap in iconography.
“We are excited to partner with Noun Project to address the need for better disability representation in iconography. Visual language holds immense power in shaping perceptions. Too often, the disability community lacks authentic representation in visual and digital realms- this Iconathon provides the opportunity to close that gap. These new icons will play a vital role in encouraging businesses and individuals alike to embrace more inclusive design practices.”
-Disability:IN
The visual resources we have access to should reflect the rich diversity of our world so that everyone can share more inclusive content in their projects. During this free design workshop, we will learn about key accessibility concepts and considerations, and we’ll work together to create new icons for the public domain. From “universal design” and “digital accessibility” to “curb-cut effect” and beyond, we’ll explore different ways to visually represent terms that champion accessibility and inclusion in visual language.
“If we’re not explicitly designing for inclusion and accessibility, then we are designing for more exclusion. As designers, it’s all of our responsibilities to design for belonging and joy.”
– Adriana Valdez Young, Acting Chair, MFA Interaction Design Program at SVA
Iconathon Details
Date: Saturday, October 19, 2024
Time: 9:45 am – 3:00 pm
Location: School of Visual Arts MFA Interaction Design Building, 136 W. 21st St. 3rd Floor, New York, NY, 10011
Space is limited, please RSVP here.
Speakers
Allyce Torres, Disability:IN
Allyce (she/her) is the Director of Marketing and Communications at Disability:IN, a global non-profit driving disability inclusion and equality in business. Before her work at Disability:IN, Allyce served as the Associate Director of Awakenings where she focused on leveraging content to elevate the artistic expression of survivors of sexual violence. With a background in the arts, Allie is passionate about inclusive storytelling as a vehicle for change.
Pinar Guvenc, Partner at SOUR and Faculty at SVA and Parsons
Pinar Guvenc is Partner at SOUR – an award-winning global design studio with the mission to address social and urban problems – where she leads business and design strategies. She is an Adjunct Faculty of Parsons School of Design, MS in Strategic Design and Management, and the School of Visuals MFA in Interaction Design programs, teaching Ethical Design Leadership and Inclusive Design. She serves on the Board of Directors of Open Style Lab, a National Design Award-winning nonprofit organization with the purpose of making style accessible to people with disabilities.
Pinar is a frequent public speaker and the host of the podcast “What’s Wrong With“, where she interviews field experts from around the world to discuss and ideate around social and urban challenges.
Thank You to Our Partners
Disability:IN is the leading nonprofit resource for business disability inclusion worldwide. More than 550 corporations partner with Disability:IN to create long-term business and social impact through the world’s most comprehensive disability inclusion benchmarking and reporting tool, the Disability Equality Index; best-in-class conferences and programs; expert counsel and engagement; and public policy leadership. To learn more about Disability:IN’s key initiatives, visit www.disabilityin.org
The MFA Interaction Design Program at the School of Visual Arts explores the edges and possibilities of new technologies toward a more inclusive and accessible world. In this two-year stem-certified graduate program located in the heart of New York City, a community of designers, artists, entrepreneurs, and technologists learn interaction design skills, methods, and mindsets to seed healthier and more diverse futures.
Launched in 2013, Canva is a free online visual communications and collaboration platform with a mission to empower everyone in the world to design. Featuring a simple drag-and-drop user interface and a vast range of templates ranging from presentations, documents, websites, social media graphics, posters, and apparel to videos, plus a huge library of fonts, stock photography, illustrations, video footage, and audio clips, anyone can take an idea and create something beautiful.
About Iconathons
Iconathons are free community design workshops dedicated to developing and growing the world’s visual language. With a focus on civic, DEI, and social impact-centered content, Noun Project partners with world-class organizations to help define and create new public domain icons that fill critical content gaps. Past Iconathon partners include The New York Times, the American Red Cross, the City of San Francisco, the City of Los Angeles, and the Wikimedia Foundation.
