Revision Path
550 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 155 ratingsThis is Revision Path — an award-winning weekly showcase of Black designers, developers, and digital creatives from all over the world. Each week, host Maurice Cherry interviews these creators about their work, their goals, what inspires them, and much more. First podcast in the Smithsonian NMAAHC.
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Episodes
Husani Oakley
April 11, 2022 11:46 - 55 minutes - 51.3 MBWith over 220 million worldwide subscribers across over 190 countries, it's hard to imagine pop culture without the media juggernaut that we know as Netflix. But how do they manage to distribute and create so much, while also maintaining a top-class user experience for so many people? It's thanks to geniuses like this week's guest -- Husani Oakley. Husani talked about stepping into his role as Director of Creative Practices during the pandemic, and shared how his team helps define the art a...
Russell Toynes
April 04, 2022 11:13 - 1 hour - 82.6 MBIf Austin, Texas had a contest for "Hometown Design Hero", I think Russell Toynes would definitely win the grand prize! Russell is the founder and creative director of Studio Dzo, a multi-disciplinary design-build studio that works with developers, architects, interior designers, and other business owners to elevate their work and help bring it to life. On top of that, he's also an adjunct professor covering portfolio development at Austin Community College, and is a core team member of Afri...
Kevin Carroll
March 28, 2022 11:52 - 53 minutes - 48.8 MBCan you believe we're almost a quarter of the way through 2022 already? I think now might be a perfect time for a creative tune-up, and this week's guest is a true instigator of inspiration -- Kevin Carroll. As a founder, author, and public speaker, Kevin's words and his work have influenced hundreds of thousands of people all over the world to tap into their creativity and accomplish epic tasks. Our conversation touches on a number of topics, including success, longevity, curiosity, and pe...
Rob Martin
March 21, 2022 12:00 - 57 minutes - 52.9 MBRunning your own design studio is no small feat, but design professionals like Rob Martin make it look easy. As the founder and creative principal of Majorminor, he and his team have done branding and digital work for a number of clients for over a decade, including ICA, Complex, and Sony. On top of that, Rob is a talented musician and producer who goes by the name RCA. That guitar you see in the photo ain't just for show! We started our conversation with a quick 2022 check-in, and from the...
Magnus Atom
March 14, 2022 11:40 - 56 minutes - 51.5 MBWith a name like Magnus Atom, I had a feeling I was going to be talking with someone extraordinary. This award-winning motion graphics designer and commercial artist has an impressive roster of clients, including Headspace, Viceland, Playboy, MTV, and Lil Uzi Vert. On top of that, he recently received a coveted Young Guns award! Very impressive! I caught up with Magnus a few months after his win, and he talked about working as an animation director with Strange Beast and settling down in up...
Manuel Godoy
March 07, 2022 12:44 - 1 hour - 57.5 MBIt's no secret that stories from comic books and graphic novels have dominated the pop culture landscape since the early 2000s. However, the heroes in those stories that you see often don't represent the true diversity out there in the real world. That's where Manuel Godoy comes in. As the CEO of Black Sands Entertainment, he is the engine behind one of the most exciting and barrier-braking publishing houses in the nation. And with over 5,000 investors and over 200,000 books sold, it's easy ...
Joe Blau
February 28, 2022 12:54 - 1 hour - 69.5 MBIt's our anniversary! For this special episode, I dug way back in the archives and talked to one of our early guests, Joe Blau. He was a software engineer then, but seven years have passed, and now he's an angel investor and the founder and CEO of his own company -- Atomize. We started chatting about the past seven years, and Joe talked about his time working for Uber and how that experience got him involved in crypto. We also talked about smart contracts, Web3, the metaverse, and a lot mor...
Azeez Alli-Balogun
February 21, 2022 12:23 - 1 hour - 55.6 MBAzeez Alli-Balogun came highly recommended by several former guests, so I knew that a great conversation was going to happen. Azeez currently works as a lead product designer on the globalization team at Netflix, and he's also a co-founder of Design to Divest. But if you think that's all there is to Azeez's story, then think again! We started off with a quick 2022 check-in, and then he talked about his plan to work on more Black-focused design projects, and also gave a glimpse at what it's ...
Reece Quiñones
February 14, 2022 12:34 - 1 hour - 55.4 MBIf you're in the know about the DC design scene, then this week's guest probably needs no introduction. Reece Quiñones is a force for good when it comes to design, whether it's in her role at The Hatcher Group as executive VP and creative director, or by teaching the next generation of designers as an adjunct professor at George Mason University. And she doesn't stop there! Reece talked to me about an average day for her at The Hatcher Group, and talked about growing up in DC and being expo...
Omari Souza
February 07, 2022 12:09 - 50 minutes - 46 MBFebruary is our anniversary month, and we're kicking things off with an interview with design educator and researcher Omari Souza. Longtime listeners of the show may remember Omari's first appearance on Revision Path back in 2017, and let me tell you, a lot has changed in four years! We start off talking about Omari's latest venture, the State of Black Design conference, and he went into the ins and outs of organizing it, and even gave a sneak peek on what to expect from this year's event. ...
The Mailbag Episode
January 31, 2022 12:21 - 1 hour - 56 MBAfter years of asking questions to designers and developers all over the world, now I'm in the hot seat! For this special mailbag episode, I answer your questions about Revision Path that you sent in from our website and via social media. (And I have to say, you all definitely asked me some hard questions!) How long does it take to put together a podcast episode, and have I ever had to take an episode down? What happened to our design anthology RECOGNIZE? Why did we have Facebook as a spons...
Emmanuel Nwogbo
January 24, 2022 12:32 - 1 hour - 62 MBWe're headed to the Great White North this week to meet someone that I learned about while doing a deep dive on Nigerian artists. Emmanuel Nwogbo is a visual artist based out of Montréal, and to me, his work reminds me so much of the creativity and fun that design can create. We chatted right around his first anniversary of moving to Canada, and we discussed his day job as a graphic designer, and how his passion for the arts inspired him to leave Lagos. We also talked about his 365 James Bo...
Xalavier Nelson, Jr.
January 17, 2022 07:36 - 49 minutes - 45.1 MBIn the early 90s, there was this show on ABC called Phenom about a tennis prodigy. If Hollywood were to reboot that for the digital age, Xalavier Nelson Jr. would no doubt be the star of the show. His body of work rivals those of people in the gaming industry for decades! We kicked off our conversation talking about his studio, Strange Scaffold, and he spoke about several of the games he's either worked on or created, including An Airport for Aliens Currently Run by Dogs and the popular 90s...
Harrison Wheeler
January 10, 2022 13:00 - 1 hour - 66.7 MBIf you've been a longtime listener of Revision Path, then you probably already recognize this week's guest, Harrison Wheeler. Along with being a senior design manager at LinkedIn, he's also a podcaster with his own show called Technically Speaking. (And I've been a guest twice!) Our conversation started off with a peek into life at LinkedIn, and he talked about working and managing remotely, as well as about how he's changed as a manager over the years. We also talked shop about podcasting,...
Charlene Atlas
January 03, 2022 12:24 - 52 minutes - 49.1 MBThe introduction of the metaverse to the general public was one of the biggest topics in tech last year. As we all learn more about the metaverse and what it means for the future of the Internet, I thought it would be a fantastic idea this year to talk with some of the folks out there who are involved with the metaverse in some capacity. Meet Charlene Atlas, an interaction designer for undoubtedly one of the biggest companies to stake their claim in the metaverse -- Meta. We started off our...
Alanna Flowers
December 27, 2021 13:00 - 34 minutes - 31.5 MB2021 has been quite a year for us all, including this week’s guest Alanna Flowers. This year, she became a full-time creative and launched her own business, AGF Design Studio, and I had the chance to talk to her in the midst of her very busy holiday schedule. Alanna gave me the rundown behind why she started her studio, how she plans to expand her services next year, and also gave some insight into her creative process. She also talked about growing up in NYC, the pros of art licensing, and...
André Smith
December 20, 2021 13:00 - 52 minutes - 47.7 MBNetworking is a valuable skill for designers and creatives to have, which interestingly enough is how I met this week's guest: André Smith! His career has touched several fields -- advertising, music, education -- and now he runs his own firm called Appendix where he offers strategy and branding services for companies from all over the world. We talked about his recent shift back into agency life, and he shared a bit about his day-to-day work and gave a peek into his creative process. André ...
Vida Cornelious
December 13, 2021 13:00 - 1 hour - 61.7 MBWhen you think of people who are masters of their craft, there's no doubt that Vida Cornelious would be part of that list. Her 25+ year career in the advertising industry reads like a who's who of agency titans -- GlobalHue, DDB, Burrell Communications, Walter Isaccson...the list goes on. Now, Vida's latest role as VP of Creative for New York Times Advertising will allow her work to reach a global audience. After a quick end-of-year check-in, Vida spoke about her work at the Times and the la...
Chris Burnett
December 06, 2021 12:55 - 1 hour - 67.8 MBI think my conversation with this week's guest -- artist, musician, and designer Chris Burnett -- is probably the most chill interview I've done this year. Don't be fooled though -- Chris is a creative dynamo, and someone you should definitely keep your eyes out for in the future. We start off with a quick talk about the creative scene in Los Angeles, and from there he talks about being an artist at heart and how his current editorial design projects have been keeping him active. Chris also ...
Matshoshi Matsafu
November 29, 2021 12:41 - 1 hour - 58.5 MBNovember ends with a fantastic conversation with Matshoshi Matsafu, and let me tell you...she has lived. Lived, I tell ya! She currently works as a senior UX designer at Microsoft on their Flipgrid product, but that's only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what she does and what she's experienced. Matshoshi talked about growing up in South Africa and attending college in Johannesburg, relocating to South Korea to teach for a few years, and about her most recent move to Minneapolis an...
Terell Cobb
November 22, 2021 12:37 - 53 minutes - 49.1 MBBack in the day, the path to becoming a designer might have meant attending an expensive art school, interning at a design studio or an ad agency, and then working your way up the corporate ladder. But this week's guest, Terell Cobb, illustrates how you can become a successful designer by carving your own path! Our conversation begins with a look at Terell's work at Microsoft, and he talks about his day-to-day schedule, working with his team of designers and researchers, and gives a peek int...
Roneka Patterson
November 15, 2021 12:44 - 52 minutes - 48.5 MBThese past two years have been stressful for all of us in a lot of ways, but this week's guest is proof that you can find a way to redirect those feelings into something positive. Meet Roneka Patterson, an associate creative director at Hawkeye in Dallas, Texas, and the co-creator of The Unwritten Rules. Roneka and I talked about adjusting to work from home life, and she shared a bit about her process and what it's like to be a creative director. From there, we discussed The Unwritten Rules...
Gabe Gault
November 08, 2021 12:39 - 51 minutes - 47.7 MBI’ve been getting into TikTok a lot lately — don’t judge! — and that’s where I stumbled across the work of this week’s guest: Gabe Gault! Gabe’s brilliant portraiture blends the work of the Renaissance masters with Black culture in a brilliant and beautiful way. Not only that, he painted the largest mural in the world — the Glass City River Wall in Toledo, Ohio. I mean…talk about impressive! Gabe talked about how he landed this massive project, and talked about growing up an artist in a big...
Terresa Moses
November 01, 2021 11:45 - 1 hour - 56.7 MBSeveral past guests have told me that I needed to interview Terresa Moses for the podcast — well, that day has finally come! If you’ve attended any design events over the past couple of years, then you know that Terresa is all about liberating Black and brown people through art and design. Wait until you hear her story! We started off talking about her teaching work as an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota, including her position as the director of design justice. We also we...
Dawn Okoro
October 25, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 58.3 MBI discover new guests for Revision Path in the most interesting ways. Take this week’s guest — artist Dawn Okoro, for example. I learned about her work from the back of a bottle of LIFEWTR! Talk about refreshing! (And I don’t mean the water.) Dawn gave an update on how 2021 has been going, including becoming a full-time artist and working on a new set of drawings using a surprising material — Kool-Aid. We talked a bit about one of Dawn’s past exhibits, “Burden of Respectability”, how she’s ...
Brian A. Thompson
October 18, 2021 12:00 - 48 minutes - 44.7 MBWhen Dian Holton told me that a Black designer was behind the new $100 bill, I had to reach out and have him on Revision Path. I mean, how often are you able to talk to someone who's design work is literally seen all around the world? (You might even have it in your wallet right now!) While we couldn't go into specifics about the whole US banknote process. Brian and I had a great conversation about his inspiration as a banknote designer, and he talked about how he got into the field right ...
Eric Bailey
October 11, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 61.9 MBYou may not have heard much about Eric Bailey, but there’s a pretty good chance that you’ve encountered his work out in the world. As the VP of experience design at Zillow, he brings over 20 years of strategic thinking, imagining, and making to revolutionize the process of buying or selling your home. Our conversation began with Eric discussing how he builds culture and maintains joy on his team, and he spoke broadly about what he calls “the limitless possibilities of UX design.” He also ta...
Keni Thacker
October 04, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 61.2 MBIf you’ve been keeping up with the advertising world over the past couple of years, then this week’s guest hardly needs an introduction. Meet chief diversity creative Keni Thacker, founder and chief creative officer of 100 Roses from Concrete. Keni uses his decades of experience in the industry to challenge norms while also advocating for diversity and inclusion for the current and next generation of creatives. Keni and I spoke about 100 Roses from Concrete, including how the agency began a...
Janessa Robinson
September 27, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 66.7 MBSummer is over, y’all. As we head into a new season, it’s a perfect time to pause and reflect, gain some clarity, and reassure yourself about your purpose. That’s exactly what this week’s guest Janessa Robinson is all about, particularly now that she’s at the beginning of a new adventure — moving to Los Angeles! Our conversation began with Janessa talking about the recent move, and she spoke a bit about her day job as a content creator. We also dived into the backstory behind her company Ar...
Elsa Amri
September 20, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 59.1 MBWe’re going international this week to talk with a super talented visual designer — Elsa Amri. I first learned about Elsa via an Adobe Live presentation, and I had to reach out and learn more about her and have her share her story and her message with Revision Path! Elsa talked about how she’s grown over the past year, including doing work with Adobe, and she spoke about growing up in Tanzania and studying abroad in the United Kingdom and discovering design. We also talked about her time te...
Dr. Christina N. Harrington
September 13, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 71.9 MBOur back to school theme continues this week with a conversation with Dr. Christina N. Harrington. I first met Dr. Harrington as a contributor to the first volume of RECOGNIZE, and now she's an assistant professor in the HCI Institute at Carnegie Mellon University and the director of their Equity and Health Innovations Design Research Lab! Impressive! After a brief pandemic check-in, Dr. Harrington talked about some of the design research work she's doing at Carnegie Mellon, and spoke abou...
Zariah Cameron
September 06, 2021 12:00 - 58 minutes - 53.8 MBSeptember means it's time for back to school, so what better way to kick off the month here on Revision Path than by talking with a design student? Meet Zariah Cameron, a soon-to-be graduate of North Carolina A&T and an up-and-coming voice in the design industry. We talked about going through her senior year and working as an intern during this pandemic, and we also spoke about the AEI Design Program, an initiative she started to foster and establish relationships with partner companies to ...
Lisa Cain
August 30, 2021 11:05 - 44 minutes - 40.9 MBStriking out on your own can be tough, but I can tell you from personal experience that it can be one of the most rewarding things you do in life. And what better person to talk about this feeling than design strategist Lisa Cain. Lisa has worked in the visual design field for well over 20 years, so she knows a LOT about what it takes to get things done. We started off talking about how she started her studio, and Lisa gave a peek in to her creative process on some of her projects. Lisa al...
Derrick Fields
August 23, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 63.2 MBIt's no secret that I'm a big fan of video games, so when I learned about Derrick Fields and Waking Oni Games from the Wholesome Direct Indie Game Showcase back in June, I had to have him on the show. We talked about how 2021 has been going so far -- a new gig and a new baby! -- and he spoke on why he created his own gaming studio and gave some history behind the studio's first title: Onsen Master. Derrick also shared his inspiration behind getting into game programming, the indie gaming sc...
Reese Fuller
August 16, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 57.4 MBWhether you like it or not, writing is an integral part of the design process these days, and no one knows this better than this week's guest, Reese Fuller. As a senior writer for digital agency Work & Co, Reese works with visual designers and strategists to help "make the words sound good." Our conversation started off with Reese detailing how he works as a writer in a design agency, talked about his switch from STEM to writing, and cleared up some misconceptions designers may have about in...
Cedric Wilson
August 09, 2021 12:00 - 58 minutes - 53.7 MBSometimes you cross paths with people, and you never know if or how you will reconnect in the future. I have wanted to have a sound designer on the podcast for years, and through a series of conversations, now I have one -- one that I've worked with in the past! Meet Cedric Wilson, lead producer at Lantigua Williams & Co. We talk about some of Cedric's most well-known audio projects, and he shared how he got into music theory in high school, which evolved into studying sound design and bec...
Michael Collett
August 02, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 67.1 MB"A better world is possible if we approach our work with a class- AND race-aware lens." Michael Collett was dropping gems like this, and we hadn't even started recording! I have followed Michael's work since 2016, and I'm glad we finally finally got a chance to talk on Revision Path about his career and his overall philosophy to life. We talked about his involvement with Greenworks and Design To Divest, and Michael shared some of his origin story growing up between The Middle East and the ...
Ron Bronson
July 26, 2021 12:00 - 48 minutes - 44.8 MBIf you've had any sort of interaction with government services on the Web, particularly at the national level, there's a pretty good chance your experience in some form was designed or conceived by this week's guest -- the one and only Ron Bronson. Longtime fans will remember Ron's first appearance on the podcast seven years ago, and our conversation starts off with a quick recap of what lessons he's learned over the past year. From here, we talk about his career shift from education to civ...
Maxwell VanHook
July 19, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 69.8 MB"If you have a vision for yourself, go for it." When Maxwell VanHook told me that before our interview, I knew that he was about to drop some serious knowledge. And he did not disappoint! We started off in an interesting place -- the home -- and he talked about how newlywed life and how he's been re-evaluating the concept of work and code switching in this current age. He also shared a bit about his work as an associate creative director for Amazon Devices, and his role as co-host of the wee...
Jeffrey Henderson
July 12, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 97.4 MBBeing confident with your creativity will take you far as a designer, and this week's guest is a perfect example of that. Jeffrey Henderson is the founder of AndThem, an NYC-based creative collective that focuses on building creativity and business within Black and brown communities. We started off talking about plans for the summer, and then Jeffrey spoke about his innovative agency model and how he uses it to help give back to the next generation of creatives. We also talked about his 15+ ...
Keisha Okafor
July 05, 2021 12:00 - 56 minutes - 51.6 MBWe're halfway through the year! Summer's here, and I thought it would be a great time to feature an extraordinary young designer whose work I recently discovered -- Keisha Okafor. Her work is brimming with energy and vibrancy and joy -- feelings we all could use a bit more of these days. We start off talking about freelance design, and Keisha told a bit about how she helped make one of the features Google Doodles for Black History Month 2021. Keisha also spoke on her signature design style...
Cherry-Ann Davis
June 28, 2021 11:48 - 59 minutes - 55 MBWhat happens when a Trini woman ends up in the largest city in Switzerland to learn design? You have Cherry-Ann Davis, a graduate design student at Zurich University of the Arts, and a self-proclaimed creator of visuals and words. Quite a combination, right? Cherry-Ann and I talk about her design thesis, as well as her work at a feminist design publication called The Futuress. Cherry-Ann also spoke on growing up in Trinidad and Tobago, how she switched her career from marketing to design, a...
Adekunle Oduye
June 21, 2021 12:00 - 55 minutes - 51 MBOne of the benefits of hosting this podcast for the past eight years is that I get to see how guests progress in their career. Such is the case with this week's guest, Adekunle Oduye! He was one of our first podcast guests way back in 2014, and I recently asked him to come back on the podcast and give everyone an update! We talked a bit about his current role at Mailchimp, and he went into the importance of design systems in his work. Adekunle also spoke on how his career has shifted over t...
Brandon Groce
June 14, 2021 08:49 - 53 minutes - 48.7 MBA dear friend of mine asked me to include a creative on Revision Path that could speak to building a personal brand online, and my mind went immediately to UI/UX designer Brandon Groce. I first encountered Brandon a year ago hosting an AIGA DC design event, and was impressed by his work creating content for design brands including Disney, Hilton, and LG. Did I mention he's also an Adobe Partner? Our conversation started off with an update on what Brandon's been doing over the past year, and...
Tiffany Middleton
June 07, 2021 12:00 - 50 minutes - 46.8 MBWhat a difference a few years makes! This is definitely the case with this week's guest, Tiffany Middleton. When I first talked to her on Revision Path, she was just starting out as a junior designer from Childersburg, Alabama working for a Texas-based sports company. Now she's a senior art director for FanDuel and has continued honing and flexing her design skills, only this time in the Big Apple! We started off with a quick check-in, and Tiffany spoke on her interest in mentoring and help...
Sabrina Hall
May 31, 2021 12:00 - 56 minutes - 51.3 MBSummer is here, and we're closing out the month with a conversation with designer and design educator Sabrina Hall. As a senior product design manager at Justworks, Sabrina oversees a creative team dedicated to helping improve the payroll, benefits, and other human resources tasks for a number of businesses. We started off with Sabrina sharing starting at a new company during a pandemic, as well as some of the intricacies of her role (such as the overlap with strategy). She also talked abou...
Brent Rollins
May 24, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 72.1 MBThis week's guest is a true creative changemaker. If you're a hip-hop fan, there's a pretty good chance you've seen his work somewhere over the past 30 years. He's your favorite designer's favorite designer. For our monumental 400th episode, meet the one and only Brent Rollins. We have a wide-ranging conversation where Brent goes into some of his current projects and collaborations, and shares a bit about his creative process when starting on something new. Brent also talked about growing ...
Kaleena Sales
May 17, 2021 12:00 - 54 minutes - 50 MBOne of the things I love most about Revision Path is talking shop with design educators like Kaleena Sales. Kaleena is an illustrator, a design educator at Tennessee State University, and the author of Extra Bold: A Feminist, Inclusive, Anti-Racist, Non-Binary Field Guild for Graphic Designers. Kaleena is one of many Black design educators that are helping make the design canon more elastic for students by allowing Black culture and aesthetics to be a part of the conversation. We talked abo...
Joseph Cuillier
May 10, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 59 MB"If you don't see it in the world, see that as an opportunity." Wise words from this week's guest, the one and only Joseph Cuillier. Joseph is perhaps most well known for The Black School, an experimental art school teaching Black/PoC students and allies to become agents of change through art workshops on radical Black politics and public interventions that address local community needs. I spoke to Joseph fresh from his move back to New Orleans, and he spoke on how the city feels now in the...
Douglas Davis
May 03, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 75.2 MBI couldn't think of a better way to start off the month than by talking with author, professor, and strategist Douglas Davis. Longtime fans of the show will remember our initial conversation from 2016, so it was good to catch up and talk and get an update over what he's been doing. What follows is less of an interview and more of a general conversation that ranges a number of topics: creativity during the pandemic, design equity, social justice, the value of remote design education, relevan...