The KickBack Podcast

Life can get crazy sometimes, but even in those times of chaos, we still deserve to bring in slowness. In these moments of tumultuous heaviness, we must come back to the breath. Introducing Kickback breathe breaks, guided by yours truly, Zariah.

About the Episode: In Part 1 of this KBP episode Kevin and I discuss his perspective of a Kickback as reset, his ritual love for running, his greatest joy in his son and how his son's curiousity leads us in the conversation of his brand new book, Nonlinear: Navigating Design with Curiosity and Conviction About the Guest: Kevin Bethune is the Founder & Chief Creative Officer of dreams • design + life, a "think tank" that delivers design & innovation services using a human-centered approach. Kevin's background spans engineering, business and design in equal proportion over his 25+ year career, positioning him to help brands deliver meaningful innovations to enrich people's lives. Kevin began his career as a mechanical engineer in the nuclear power industry. This chapter gave him deep product experience working with high performing teams across 14 nuclear reactor upgrade campaigns. After his MBA, Kevin joined Nike, Inc. in a business capacity, but quickly navigated to the Global Footwear product engine to drive advanced digital product creation capabilities, discovering the world of design in the process. After solidifying his creative foundation through further studies at ArtCenter College of Design, Kevin co-founded distinct design & innovation capabilities at two Tier 1 management consulting firms in Booz & Co. and the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). As Vice President of Strategic Design at BCG Digital Ventures, he led a large cohort of designers that would influence and shape every corporate venture spun out from the incubator. Kevin left BCG Digital Ventures to carve his own path under the banner of dreams • design + life, focusing on unlocking human potential through strategic design, industrial design and the building of new ecologies. Connect with Kevin Bethune: Kevin's Personal Site Kevin's Company Site Preorder Nonlinear Instagram - @kevinbethune Referenced Songs from the Episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The KBP Music Playlist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Referenced Resources ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit the KBP site ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with me & KBP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin

About the Episode: In Part 1 of this KBP episode, Ritesh and I discuss sustainability through fashion, at its finest, our definition of girl and boy math, and what it could look like to experience moods of a kickback through the lens of scent. About the Guest: Ritesh Gupta (he/they) is a Wieden+Kennedy alum & former director at 2 Shark Tank companies, Ritesh is the Founder of Useful School and volunteer for Where Are The Black Designers? Ritesh has helped rebrand one of the world's largest nonprofits, redesign an app to become one of Apple's favorite apps of the year, triple a website's conversions, and launch new business models. If you'd like to sponsor or partner with Useful School, need a designer, workshop facilitator, or speaker please get in contact with Ritesh! Connect with Ritesh: UsefulSchool Instagram UsefulSchool LinkedIn Ritesh's Site Ritesh's LinkedIn Referenced Songs from the Episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The KBP Music Playlist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Useful School Playlist Referenced Resources ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit the KBP site ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with me & KBP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin

About the Episode: In Part 2 of the KBP, Kaleena and I dive deep into her new book Centered: People and Ideas Diversifying Design, and the importance of a diverse cultural and racial perspective in the teachings and execution of design. About the Guest: Kaleena Sales (she/her) is an Associate Professor of Graphic Design and Chair of the Department of Art & Design at Tennessee State University, an HBCU (Historically Black College and University) in Nashville, TN. She was co-host of Design Observer’s The Design of Business | The Business of Design Minisodes podcast with Omari Souza. Her design writing and research centers on Black culture and aesthetics, recently co-authoring the book Extra-Bold: A Feminist, Inclusive, Anti-Racist, Non-Binary Field Guild for Graphic Designers, alongside Ellen Lupton, Farah Kafei, Jennifer Tobias, Josh A. Halstead, Leslie Xia, and Valentina Vergara. Her book, Centered: People and Ideas Diversifying Design highlights those who have been underrepresented in design history. Connect with Kaleena: @kaleenasales (Instagram) ⁠kaleenasales.design⁠ Referenced Songs from the Episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The KBP Music Playlist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Referenced Resources ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit the KBP site ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with me & KBP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin

About the Episode: In Part 1 of the KBP, Kaleena and I reminisce about memories of our HBCU experiences as design students and what healing looks through the form of writing. About the Guest: Kaleena Sales (she/her) is an Associate Professor of Graphic Design and Chair of the Department of Art & Design at Tennessee State University, an HBCU (Historically Black College and University) in Nashville, TN. She was co-host of Design Observer’s The Design of Business | The Business of Design Minisodes podcast with Omari Souza. Her design writing and research centers on Black culture and aesthetics, recently co-authoring the book Extra-Bold: A Feminist, Inclusive, Anti-Racist, Non-Binary Field Guild for Graphic Designers, alongside Ellen Lupton, Farah Kafei, Jennifer Tobias, Josh A. Halstead, Leslie Xia, and Valentina Vergara. Her book, Centered: People and Ideas Diversifying Design highlights those who have been underrepresented in design history. Connect with Kaleena: @kaleenasales (Instagram) kaleenasales.design Referenced Songs from the Episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The KBP Music Playlist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Referenced Resources ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit the KBP site ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with me & KBP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin

About the Episode: In Part 2 of the KBP, Raja and I discuss the beauty of non-conforming spaces and how we both wish the rest of society was like a design class. This episode is also for all the misunderstood Black Women wanting to make a difference in this world. About the Guest: Raja Schaar, IDSA (she/her) is an Associate Professor and Director of the Product Design Program at Drexel University’s Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design. She was the inaugural chair of IDSA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council and is the past Education Director for the organization. Prior to joining the faculty of Drexel, Raja taught at Georgia Institute of Technology School of Industrial Design and the Department of Biomedical Engineering. Raja is an industrial designer with an extensive background in museum exhibition and healthcare design. She is passionate about ways Design can positively impact social inequities at the intersections of health equity, environmental justice, and STEAM education. Raja studies the ethical implications of design and technology through her research and teaching through the lenses of science fiction, speculative design, and social entrepreneurship. Her current projects address biases in maternal health through wearable technology and participatory design; community-based co-design for engaging black girls and underrepresented minorities in STEM/STEAM through design, technology, and dance; and biologically-inspired design, sustainability, and climate justice. Raja received her Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design from Georgia Tech in 2001 and completed her graduate work at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2003. Connect with Raja: @raja.jaja (Instagram) Referenced Songs from the Episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠The KBP Music Playlist⁠⁠⁠⁠ Referenced Resources ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit the KBP site ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with me & KBP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin

About the Episode: In Part 1, Raja and I discuss what it means to take your power back in your individuality - Especially as a black woman - giving yourself more permission. And discussing the soundtrack of our culture. About the Guest: Raja Schaar, IDSA (she/her) is an Associate Professor and Director of the Product Design Program at Drexel University’s Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design. She was the inaugural chair of IDSA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council and is the past Education Director for the organization. Prior to joining the faculty of Drexel, Raja taught at Georgia Institute of Technology School of Industrial Design and the Department of Biomedical Engineering. Raja is an industrial designer with an extensive background in museum exhibition and healthcare design. She is passionate about ways Design can positively impact social inequities at the intersections of health equity, environmental justice, and STEAM education. Raja studies the ethical implications of design and technology through her research and teaching through the lenses of science fiction, speculative design, and social entrepreneurship. Her current projects address biases in maternal health through wearable technology and participatory design; community-based co-design for engaging black girls and underrepresented minorities in STEM/STEAM through design, technology, and dance; and biologically-inspired design, sustainability, and climate justice. Raja received her Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design from Georgia Tech in 2001 and completed her graduate work at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2003. Connect with Raja: @raja.jaja (Instagram) Referenced Songs from the Episodes: ⁠⁠⁠The KBP Music Playlist⁠⁠⁠ Referenced Resources ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ Visit the KBP site ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ Connect with me & KBP: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Linkedin

About the Episode: In part 2 of this episode of the KBP, TB and I discuss Not attaching your value and worth to your job and how liberating that can be for you and building trust with your users and team members.  About the Guest: Timothy Bardlavens is chaotic good. He is a Gay, Black man from the Carolinas, a highly regarded social intrapreneur, and an advocate for equity in technology and design. For more than a decade, Timothy has dedicated his career to dismantling systemic barriers, building and scaling teams, and launching innovative digital products for companies like Microsoft, Meta (formerly Facebook), and Adobe, delivering more useful, impactful, and equitable experiences for billions of people globally. He is a Product Executive, Cultural Strategist, Diversity, Equity, and Justice expert, Co-Founder, Writer, and International Speaker and Facilitator.  Connect with Timothy: ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ⁠https://www.bardlavens.com/ ⁠ Referenced Songs from the Episodes: ⁠⁠The KBP Music Playlist⁠⁠ Referenced Resources ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ Visit the KBP site ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ Connect with me & KBP: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Linkedin

About the Episode: In part 1 of this episode of the KBP, TB and I discuss our KickBack experiences as introverts and how giving our own selves permission is a true form of healing. About the Guest: Timothy Bardlavens is chaotic good. He is a Gay, Black man from the Carolinas, a highly regarded social intrapreneur, and an advocate for equity in technology and design. For more than a decade, Timothy has dedicated his career to dismantling systemic barriers, building and scaling teams, and launching innovative digital products for companies like Microsoft, Meta (formerly Facebook), and Adobe, delivering more useful, impactful, and equitable experiences for billions of people globally. He is a Product Executive, Cultural Strategist, Diversity, Equity, and Justice expert, Co-Founder, Writer, and International Speaker and Facilitator.  Connect with Timothy: LinkedIn https://www.bardlavens.com/ Referenced Songs from the Episodes: ⁠The KBP Music Playlist⁠ Referenced Resources ⁠here⁠ Visit the KBP site ⁠here⁠ Connect with me & KBP: ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Linkedin

About the Episode: In this episode of the KBP, we talk about what's been healing for Gabi and what it means to shift the perspective of Black storytelling and design and how they're told. About the Guest: Gabrielle Smith is a British-Grenadian creative and cultural producer found somewhere between the newsroom and Black Twitter. She is also the founder of the:nublk, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to celebrating stories from the Black diaspora through art, conversation, and film. Her love languages are memes and plantain. Connect with Gabi: ⁠@gsdotco⁠ ⁠@thenublk⁠ on Instagram ⁠www.gabriellesmith.co⁠ ⁠www.thenublk.com⁠ Referenced Songs from the Episodes: ⁠The KBP Music Playlist⁠ Referenced Resources ⁠here⁠ Visit the KBP site ⁠here⁠ Connect with me & KBP: ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Linkedin