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
Arielle Wiltz
May 04, 2020 11:00 - 57 minutes - 53.1 MBThe COVID-19 public health crisis is affecting us all, taking us out of the lives we led before and forcing us to move forward through a fog of uncertainty as we try to find our way back to some semblance of normalcy. Such is the case with this week’s guest, Arielle Wiltz. While she is typically based in NYC, she was sheltered in place in New Orleans when we spoke. We started off discussing her work at frog design, including how she’s taking the current relocation in stride with everything e...
Bekah Marcum
April 27, 2020 11:00 - 58 minutes - 54.1 MBI first heard of Bekah Marcum when I talked with Tim Allen a few weeks ago, and I'm so glad I had the chance to connect with her for this interview! Along with being a product designer for Zillow, Bekah is a community organizer and the founder of Black Designers of Seattle. We talked about how she's adjusting to working from home and self-isolation due to the coronavirus pandemic, and she shared the differences and similarities working at Zillow versus her previous role as an art director a...
Desiree Gibbs
April 20, 2020 11:00 - 51 minutes - 47.4 MBDesiree Gibbs is laser-focused on who she wants to be and how she expresses herself. Those skills come in handy not just in her work as a UI designer, but through the projects she oversees and clients she serves as the proprietor of Nü Bläc Studio. We spoke on St. Patrick’s Day, so our conversation actually started off with both of us discussing how to navigate this new social distancing reality due to the COVID-19 public health crisis. Desiree also talked about growing up between Japan and...
Ashley Bozeman
April 13, 2020 11:09 - 52 minutes - 47.7 MBBlack history isn’t just confined to February, as this week’s guest Ashley Bozeman clearly indicates. As the first Black woman art director at The Martin Agency, Ashley brings years of professional experience to the table to help some of the most well-known brands in the world get their message across to their customers. We talked shop about the day to day grind of working in advertising, and Ashley shared how her time at Hampton University and at The Creative Circus helped prepare her for ...
Tim Allen
April 06, 2020 11:00 - 53 minutes - 49.4 MBDesign can be a powerful way to bring people together, and Tim Allen embodies that as the VP of design at Airbnb. He oversees several teams at the popular online housing marketplace, including their newest offering Airbnb Experiences, and we spent the first part of our interview talking about how Tim got started at Airbnb, as well as the company's open culture. Tim also shared how growing up and living around the world as a military kid helped inspire his early design work, talked about att...
Billy Almon
March 30, 2020 11:00 - 57 minutes - 53.2 MBI first heard of Billy Almon at last year’s Black in Design Conference, and I was so energized by his talk that I knew I would have to have him on the podcast to share his story with you all. Being a biology-inspired storyteller and designer might sound a bit peculiar, but wait until you hear how vital and important his work is to all of us. Billy started off with a primer on biomimicry, and then shared how his experience with Hurricane Katrina changed the course of his life forever. We als...
Carolyne Hill
March 23, 2020 11:00 - 53 minutes - 49.3 MBRevision Path is back across the pond this week for a rousing conversation with creative director Carolyne Hill. She is the founder of ChillCreate, a lifestyle brand that celebrates creative living and the choice to create happiness where you can. Carolyne shared her inspiration behind starting the brand, which grew out of her love for Brixton and the Afro-Caribbean culture there. Carolyne also spoke about her time here in the United States, gave her thoughts on diversity in the UK creative...
Fonz Morris
March 16, 2020 11:00 - 1 hour - 65.5 MBYou know, I’ve interviewed hundreds of Black creatives over the years, but none of them have had the enthusiasm that Fonz Morris possesses. He is the growth design lead at online learning platform Coursera, where he oversees a staff of talented designers from all over. We talked about hiring, diversity and inclusion, and he gave some great advice for up and coming designers looking to land their dream job. Fonz also shared his story of growing up in Brooklyn and teaching himself architectur...
Terry Biddle
March 09, 2020 11:00 - 55 minutes - 51 MBMaintaining a creative career these days can be tough, but Terry Biddle makes it look easy. As product design director at DC-based edtech company EVERFI, he helps oversee a lot of UX work while also collaborating with his team to help create lasting social impact for millions of learners every day. Terry talked about how his love of design came from film and animation, and recalled his time at Howard as an undergrad before continuing at Pratt Institute while holding down a full-time gig. He...
Roland A. Wiley
March 02, 2020 12:00 - 1 hour - 66.8 MBI was recently in Los Angeles for work, and while there, I had the opportunity to do a live show with AIGA Los Angeles and interview renowned architect Roland A. Wiley. Roland spoke to a packed house about his day-to-day work through his firm, RAW International, including the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project, Destination Crenshaw, and other projects in the Leimert Park and Baldwin Hills neighborhoods. He also spoke about how his faith helps inform his work, gave his thoughts on gentrification ...
Jailyn Easley
February 24, 2020 12:00 - 59 minutes - 54.5 MBFor Jailyn Easley, combining design and technology with her work is like second nature. As a member of Accenture’s experience design team, Jailyn uses her phenomenal design skills with cutting edge tech like machine learning and mixed reality to create next-level work. But her journey as a designer doesn’t stop there! We began our conversation talking about Jailyn’s brand design work with the popular Atlanta restaurant Slutty Vegan, and she shared how growing up in Baltimore and working wit...
Nick Caldwell
February 17, 2020 12:00 - 1 hour - 59.8 MBNick Caldwell is passionate about inspiring people to get into technology. As chief product officer of Looker, he oversees the company’s product, engineering and design teams, and also serves as one of the public faces of the company. (And that face is all smiles — Looker was acquired in 2019 by Google for $2.6 billion!) What does life look like on the other side of such a big buy? Well you’ll just have to listen and find out! Nick talked about how his dad’s Tandy 1000 sparked his love of p...
Erwin Hines
February 10, 2020 12:00 - 1 hour - 63.9 MBI first learned about Erwin Hines last year when we profiled him for 28 Days of the Web. He serves as creative director at BASIC®, a branding and experience design agency that builds digital products and services that turn cultural values into company value. Creative direction is definitely a great fit for Erwin, as you’ll discover as you learn more about his story. We talked about Erwin’s upbringing in Cleveland, and he shared the moment that he knew design was his calling. Erwin also spok...
Joshua Leonard
February 03, 2020 12:00 - 57 minutes - 53 MBI only recently heard about Joshua Leonard, but I had no idea about his inspiring life story until we sat down for this interview. Joshua is currently doing freelance animation work for Nickelodeon, but he is perhaps most well known for Team Supreme — a group of differently abled super-powered kids! Joshua started our conversation with a little behind-the-scenes look at working with Nickelodeon, and we talked a bit about different animation styles and how long it can take a concept to go fr...
Alex Pierce
January 27, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 62.4 MBIt's great to be able to look back at the early days of Revision Path and see just how far some designers have come. Take for instance Alex Pierce, one of our first interview guests from 2013. Fast-forward nearly seven years, and Alex has risen to the ranks of associate creative director at Publicis Hawkeye! Alex talked about his day-to-day work at the Dallas-based outpost of Publicis, and spoke on how he approaches new projects and how his career has grown since starting at the agency over...
Dwight Battle
January 20, 2020 12:00 - 1 hour - 63.7 MBWhat does it take to work for a company like Amazon? Well if you're Dwight Battle, it's all about forging your own path. As a self-taught designer, Dwight has honed his design skills at agencies from Atlanta to Seattle, including product design at HBO. Dwight started off talking about his work at both Amazon and HBO, and then we talked about his live growing up in Ohio and moving to Atlanta to start his career. We also had a pretty spirited discussion about the changing tech and design sc...
Caitlin Crews
January 13, 2020 14:20 - 1 hour - 56 MBAdobe is a company that is synonymous with the creative industry, so I was really excited to finally talk with someone from the company for Revision Path! Meet Caitlin Crews: a creative outreach and design specialist on the Adobe Stock team. We started off talking about Caitlin’s day-to-day work, which includes a lot of writing, interviewing, and discovering new designers from all over the world. Caitlin also talked about her photography background, her work with Lord and Taylor, and she sh...
Anthony Harrison
January 06, 2020 12:00 - 1 hour - 56.3 MBWe're starting off 2020 with the one and only Anthony Harrison. If you loved the streetwear ads of the 90's from brands like Akademiks and Nike, then you've seen Anthony's work. Currently, Anthony is overseeing graphic design and identity at Adidas over in Germany, and helps makes the intangible tangible for the massive multinational sportswear company. Our conversation started off with Anthony talking about his work at Adidas, and from there he guided me through a retrospective of his care...
327: Handel Eugene
December 30, 2019 12:08 - 1 hour - 65.5 MBNavigating the creative industry is a big theme of this podcast. (Why do you think we're called Revision Path? Well, that's one reason.) For our final interview of the year, I had the opportunity to talk with motion graphics designer Handel Eugene. If you've seen Spider-Man: Homecoming or Black Panther, then no doubt you've seen Handel's amazing animation work. Handel talked about his typical day as a visual storyteller, detailing the tools that he uses, as well as how his educational and w...
326: Kendall Howse
December 23, 2019 11:52 - 1 hour - 62.5 MBWhat do you get when you combine top notch graphic design and illustration talent, the intensity of punk music, and world class skills in facilitation? Why, you get this week's guest -- Kendall Howse! As we head into this festive holiday week, I couldn't think of a better person to share their story and remind us of the power of inclusivity and empathy. Our conversation began by exploring Kendall's current work as a senior marketing designer at Red Hat. From there, we talked about employee ...
325: Chanel James
December 16, 2019 12:11 - 1 hour - 48.5 MBWhat does the "middle" of a designer's career look like? Does the "middle" exist outside of a corporate company's career ladder? I examine these questions and more with this week's guest, the one and only Chanel James. As a designer for EAB, Chanel works on production and design and for a number of different projects, all with the goal of making education smarter and our communities stronger. Chanel talked about what attracted her to work for EAB, and also spoke on her work with AIGA DC on ...
324: Jerome Harris
December 09, 2019 12:25 - 1 hour - 57.7 MBWhen I first heard about Jerome Harris' exhibit "As, Not For: Dethroning Our Absolutes," I knew I had to interview him for the podcast. I was thrilled to hear him speak at this year's Black in Design Conference back in October, and this conversation follows directly after that event. Jerome does it all — he's a graphic designer, an educator, a writer, a curator, a DJ, and even a choreographer! We touched on all those aspects in this interview, starting off with talking about his current wor...
323: Aricka Lewis
December 02, 2019 12:09 - 51 minutes - 41 MBI knew about Aricka Lewis through our mutual volunteer work through AIGA, so I'm really glad we had a chance to talk so I could learn more about her! Aricka is a senior UX designer at Ad Hoc, as well as an adjunct professor at the University of Arkansas, so our conversation began talking about the ins and outs of her work, as well as what it feels like teaching at her alma mater. We also spoke a bit about design communities in non-urban metropolitan areas and other designers who influence...
322: Jennifer White-Johnson
November 25, 2019 12:30 - 1 hour - 78.2 MBWhile the internet has helped loads of people get into design, it's design educators like Jennifer White-Johnson who really help teach the next generation of our industry. As a multidisciplinary artist, designer, photographer, activist, and advocate, Jennifer brings all this to her work as an assistant professor of visual communications and digital media arts at Bowie State University. Our conversation began with talking about HBCUs and the responsibility they bear, and we discussed Jennife...
321: Ari Melenciano
November 18, 2019 12:32 - 1 hour - 49.1 MBThe best way I can describe Ari Melenciano is that she is a renaissance talent. As an artist, researcher, and creative technologist, Ari is always finding new ways to express herself, speak to social issues, and find ways to use her art to enhance the lives of everyday people. Ari talked about her residency at NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program, which helped her create Afrotectopia, a multi-day new media arts, culture and technology festival. She also spoke about growing up around...
320: Randy Ellis
November 11, 2019 12:26 - 1 hour - 63.2 MBAs designers, we are uniquely equipped with the skills to tackle any number of problems. Randy Ellis knows this, and our conversation really reflects just how much of his career and creative energy goes towards this very goal. We talked about his work through his consultancy, 5ivehat UX Agency, and then went into a spirited discussion on diversity in the design community. We also touched on design education and the for-profit university model, teaching at General Assembly, and even cryptocu...
319: Aaron Brooks
November 04, 2019 12:21 - 53 minutes - 42.9 MBY'all, we are starting off November with a really inspiring interview with DevOps engineer and tech education enthusiast Aaron Brooks. By day, he uses his skills at Baltimore-based software development company Fearless, and by night, he's helping educate the next generation of techies through MASTERMND Academy, a free 12-week bootcamp that he livestreams on Twitch. (And I thought I was busy!) We started off with a look at Aaron's day-to-day work, and he shared how his first exposure to tech...
318: Dee Tuck
October 28, 2019 10:46 - 40 minutes - 32.4 MBAs an engineering manager at Abstract, Dee Tuck juggles a lot. But whether it's overseeing teams or recruiting and retaining talent, Dee makes sure that diversity and inclusion are a crucial element of her work from day to day. That's where we began our conversation, but wait...there's more! Dee talked about her time attending the illustrious Tuskegee University, gave insight on where her strong sense of ambition stems from, and talked about the importance of bringing your whole self to wor...
317: Adrian Franks
October 21, 2019 11:52 - 1 hour - 51.6 MBAdrian Franks is a one-of-a-kind renaissance man. His work as a UX creative director at IBM focuses on experience design (iX) for their global business services brand, but trust me -- his skills don't stop there. Our conversation began with Adrian walking us through his typical days of meetings and projects, but things really came alive when we talked about his days growing up and learning design in Atlanta. Adrian also talked about how he connected with the venerable film maker Spike Lee f...
316: Sabrina Dorsainvil
October 14, 2019 11:04 - 1 hour - 51.7 MBCivic design focuses on the common good, and no one quite sums up just how vital that is to our local communities than this week's guest, Sabrina Dorsainvil. As the director of civic design for the Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics in Boston, MA, she uses her skills as a designer and illustrator to develop strategic, human-centered designs that address some of the city's most complex issues. Of course, I was fascinated to learn more about this, so Sabrina described what civic design is ...
315: Dantley Davis
October 07, 2019 12:00 - 46 minutes - 37.7 MBDantley Davis has been a mainstay in the Silicon Valley tech and design community for almost 20 years. His work at PayPal, SAP, Yahoo!, Netflix, and Facebook have all led him to his current role as VP of design and research for one of the most well-known websites in the world — Twitter. So as you can imagine, I had a lot of questions to ask him, and Dantley was gracious enough to give some insight into what he does and on his perspective of the current tech and design industries. Our wide-r...
314: Dr. Quaneisha Penha
September 30, 2019 12:26 - 55 minutes - 44.7 MBWe've had several people from Facebook on Revision Path before, but this week's conversation with Dr. Quaneisha Penha is a special one. As a user experience researcher, her work spans many of the industries and disciplines that make up the Facebook experience. Quaneisha walked me through her regular routine, which involves interviews, usability testing, and a lot of other methods. She also spoke about her time at Stanford, attending North Carolina A&T for her Masters and Ph.D., and we discu...
Introducing Function with Anil Dash
September 25, 2019 13:13 - 2 minutes - 2.48 MBCheck out Function with Anil Dash, which is returning for Season 2 on the Glitch Media Network! Our culture is shaped by technology, and the people building that technology determine how it's changing our lives. But who are they? And how do they think about their responsibility to the rest of us? Entrepreneur and Glitch CEO Anil Dash talks to developers, designers, and culture experts to understand the ways tech is changing culture, and what it means for us. Season 2 of Function ...
313: André Mack
September 23, 2019 12:55 - 1 hour - 56.2 MBWinemaker. Sommelier. Author. Creative Director. Designer. These are just a few words that describe the force that is André Mack. Whether he's at his vineyards in Oregon or opening up a new business in New York City, André is proof that you can do anything you want to do in life if you have the drive, passion, and creativity to make it happen. Our conversation begins with a look into André's current life, and from there he shared how he switched careers from finance to wine. He also talked ...
312: Randall Wilson
September 16, 2019 12:31 - 1 hour - 48.5 MBOne of the best things about Revision Path is that it allows our audience the opportunity to learn about so many great designers and their work, and Randall Wilson is a prime example of that. Randall is the UX design lead for the digital messaging team at Capital One, but he's also making major strides in the design community as one of the co-founders of the HUE Design Summit, a multi-day un-conference created for designers and developers of color. In our conversation, we spent time talking...
311: Erin Newby
September 09, 2019 11:29 - 37 minutes - 30.3 MBHow much do you factor accessibility into your work? If the answer isn't "a lot", then hopefully this week's interview with Erin Newby will give you some insight. Erin has recently struck out on her own, and she brings years of product design experience with her to help clients and companies provide the best experiences to their customers. Erin and I talked about growing up in Detroit, and she mentioned how she first got interested in design and what prompted her to move to NYC. We also spe...
310: Brian Douglas
September 02, 2019 14:00 - 1 hour - 53 MBWhile many technology companies these days have developer advocates, it may not be immediately clear to the rest of us exactly what it is they do. Advocating for developers at a tech company should be easy, right? Well, there's more to it then what the title suggests, and I'm extremely glad this week to talk with Brian Douglas to learn more. As a developer advocate at GitHub, he balances his time between coding and engaging with users on the platform. Brian talked about what attracted him t...
309: Nicole Davis
August 26, 2019 11:15 - 1 hour - 50.1 MBOne of the great things about Revision Path is that each guest shows that you can really carve your own path to success in the design and tech industries, and Nicole Davis is no exception! As a digital product owner at global insurance company Marsh, Nicole's work involves walking the line between tech and business. We talked about her new role at Marsh, and she spoke on the challenges that come when managing the overlap of product and risk management. We also touched on the concept of emot...
308: Jaline McPherson
August 19, 2019 12:55 - 55 minutes - 44.8 MBIf you're a long time listener of Revision Path, then you have definitely heard me sing the praises of the Black in Design Conference that takes place every other year at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. The next conference takes place in October, and I am thrilled to have the chance to talk with one of the current co-chairs Jaline McPherson. Our conversation started off with a look into Jaline's background, and she talked about her interest in landscape architecture and ho...
307: Isaak Hayes
August 12, 2019 14:00 - 42 minutes - 34.1 MBIt's a rare occurrence when I get the chance to talk with someone at a crossroads in their career, so this conversation with Isaak Hayes is especially interesting. Isaak has worked in a variety of roles in both large tech business and startups, most notably perhaps as a former product designer at Facebook. We spoke just days before he and his family embarked on their latest adventure — moving to China! Isaak and I talked about how he first fell in love with design, and he discussed his earl...
306: Jeremi Dudu
August 05, 2019 14:00 - 55 minutes - 44.6 MBWe're kicking off August with an inspirational conversation with Jeremi Dudu. By day, Jeremi works at Salesforce as a UX designer on Philanthropy Cloud, a platform that turns employees into citizen philanthropists by empowering them to give back and make change. Outside of work, Jeremi's keeps that same charitable energy going, paying it forward to his community through mentoring and tutoring in his community. I started by asking Jeremi what drew him to Salesforce, and from there we talked ...
305: Sarah Huny Young
July 29, 2019 14:00 - 1 hour - 57.9 MBSarah Huny Young is an ambitious and thoughtful award-winning creative director and artist. Her accomplishments and accolades are well deserved and humbly appreciated. Her passion project, 'American Woman', uniquely and profoundly showcases black women's relationship with America and identity. Huny is a leader and organizer in this industry. She strives to bring people together and make them feel comfortable in any space from hosting gatherings to collaborating on projects. Huny's career tr...
Welcome to Revision Path!
July 25, 2019 17:08 - 1 minute - 1.23 MBThis is Revision Path, an award-winning weekly interview podcast that showcases the world's best Black designers, developers, and digital creatives. If you're looking to get inspired, then tune in each week for in-depth conversations that explore the creative journey, including the processes, thoughts, and motivations behind these awesome creators shaping the future of art, design, and technology. Some past guests include Kimberly Bryant (founder and executive director of Black Girls Code)...
304: Samuel Green
July 22, 2019 14:00 - 43 minutes - 35.1 MBThis week, I sat down with Samuel Green -- a product designer at Airbus Aerial in Atlanta, GA and a visual artist. Samuel is also the owner of Studio Mobius, which they call "a small creative group composed of like-minded humans who think differently." Samuel's trajectory hasn't been a conventional one, but that didn't stop them from achieving their goals. If anything this proves that there is a multitude of different paths for people to take to get to their destination. Our chat covered ma...
303: Brian Cherry
July 15, 2019 14:00 - 43 minutes - 35.3 MBBrian Cherry is driven and passionate about design! He's a true hustler--not only is he the Creative Director of Nutrisystem but he also runs his own design agency Cherry Fresh Designs. Brian is a nonstop force to be reckoned with in this industry and he has no signs of slowing down anytime soon! We chatted about everything from his career trajectory and education to hopes for the future of the industry. Brian is truly humble and inspiring while his insights and observations are keen and on...
302: Jamil Bonnick
July 08, 2019 14:00 - 1 hour - 60.9 MBJamil Bonnick isn't just an experienced Product Designer, with a keen eye for design but he's also a storyteller. While we discussed his background and career journey, and his new job at Etsy, our conversation was so much more! Our chat spanned a number of interesting and surprising topics from design all the way to eastern philosophy and to effective business strategy. He truly is a renaissance man and his vast knowledge shines through during this conversation. ➡ Glitch is hiring a design ...
301: 300th Episode Celebration!
July 01, 2019 14:00 - 1 hour - 72.1 MBHow do you celebrate 300 episodes of dynamic conversations and thought-provoking opinions? You invite two leaders in the industry to sit down and dig even deeper! We recorded this episode live in New York's Green Space with over 50 guests for an intimate and passionate discussion and Q+A with Gail Anderson and Catt Small. Gail and Catt have both had impressive journeys and continue to push the conversation around inclusivity and the future of design forward. Their insights into the industry...
300: Hannah Beachler
June 24, 2019 11:33 - 1 hour - 87.3 MBFruitvale Station. Miles Ahead. Creed. Moonlight. If you've seen any of these films over the past few years, then you're familiar with the work of Hannah Beachler. You may also know her for her Afrofuturist design direction on Black Panther, becoming not just the first Black person to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Production Design, but also being the first one to win it as well. She's even worked with Beyoncé on Lemonade, as well as the On The Run II tour with Beyoncé and Jay Z...
299: Rich Smith
June 17, 2019 14:00 - 55 minutes - 44.7 MBNetflix is a major player in the entertainment industry, and their streaming video service is available nearly worldwide on smart TVs, game consoles, mobile phones, and more. But how do they provide such a consistent visual experience to millions of customers? It's thanks to people like Netflix's senior UI engineer, Rich Smith. As a member of the marketing tech team, he focuses on the web app experience. Rich explained his process behind designing at Netflix, and talked about what drew him ...
298: Husani Barnwell
June 10, 2019 14:00 - 1 hour - 51.8 MBHusani Barnwell not only has two impressive degrees under his belt from Parsons and Harvard, a mile long resume, but he continues to reinvent himself. He is a storyteller, a designer, and a leader in the industry. His passion and drive shine through in his work and in our conversation! He is honest and open, and our chat was an enlightening experience that I appreciated. His experience ranges from Creative Consultant to Educator and so many things in between. Talking to him highlighted the i...