Conversation: What Does It Mean To Be a Creative Abolitionist?

Join us in Portland and online on January 26 for a conversation with Angela Medlin and Abibat Durosimi in celebration of The We Design Issue.

Abolition is a verb—a practice. It consists of the actions we take to build safety and to tear down harmful institutions. Amid nationwide uprisings against systems of oppression, individual, institutional, and societal, a new set of demands has been thrust into public consciousness, and designers and artists have answered the call. But this is not new. Artists, designers, and leaders have created new models for centuries—models of safety, creativity, and love—and places to dream beyond these constructs. As Derecka Purnell writes, “abolition is an invitation to find new answers to the problem of harm and to build new ways to prevent harm in the first place.”

CoDesign Collaborative is excited to bring back our popular Design Museum Mornings series with What Does It Mean To Be a Creative Abolitionist on January 26, 2023 in Portland and audio live streamed online. In partnership with PNCA Graphic Design, this living room-style conversation will feature longtime creative abolitionists Angela Medlin and Abibat Durosimi and will be moderated by Jocelyn Rice.

This event coincides with the forthcoming publication of The We Design Issue, which celebrates women, gender-expansive, and BIPOC designers. There will be music, coffee, tea, and treats; please join us!

Special thanks to OnPoint Community Credit Union for their partnership and support and to PNCA Graphic Design for hosting the program.

Design and Government: The Built Environment and Beyond

Join us on December 15, 2022 from 12:00-1:30 pm in Portland and online.

In the latest issue of Design Museum Magazine, Design in Government, Guest Editor Dana Chisnell set out to empower readers “to make your own corner of the world a better place.” People do not often talk about government through the lens of design. Instead, they might say governments institute policies and procedures, develop infrastructure, and create services. But, they do design, and all of us are not only a part of that process, but we are deeply affected by it, too.

Join us on Thursday, December 15, 2022, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm PT / 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm ET for Design and Government: The Built Environment and Beyond at Portland State University and online. In this hybrid discussion, Senator Akasha Lawrence Spence, Megan Horst, Associate Professor, Portland State University, and Wendy Willis, Director, Oregon’s Kitchen Table, will explore the possibilities of design and government, from the built environment and beyond, and empower attendees to take an active role in bettering the world. The conversation will be moderated by writer and educator Bruce Poinsette. 

Free program, but attendees must register in advance.

A special thanks to our partner Portland State University and Sy Adler, Interim Dean, College of Urban and Public Affairs.

We Design

People. Practice. Progress.

“You can’t be what you can’t see.” Marian Wright Edelman

We Design: People. Practice. Progress. brings together creatives from different backgrounds to examine and celebrate the range of career paths, applications, and impact in design. The exhibition features career stories showcasing how people have forged their unique paths into different creative professions; from graffiti artists and architects to civic designers and research scientists, We Design emphasizes the need for more diversity in the design and innovation fields, and highlights the importance of equity and inclusion in terms of generating ideas.

• Free & Open to the Public
• Clay Creative
• 240 SE Clay St, Portland, OR
• Hours: CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

Following the recommendations from Gov. Kate Brown, the State of Oregon, and the Oregon Health Authority regarding the COVID-19 virus, we are working to do our part to slow the immediate threat of infection.

At this time, our We Design exhibition is closed until further notice.

Portland Community Gallery Meetup

Join us on Thursday, November 9, 9:00am – 10:30 am for a creative event for CoDesign Collaborative members and the broader Portland design community.

Join us at Blackfish Gallery in Portland, OR on Thursday, November 9 from 9:00 am-10:30 am PT for a community gallery meetup hosted by CoDesign Collaborative! This event is open to designers, creatives, entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in meeting like-minded individuals in a creative environment.

Meet the PDX museum community and explore opportunities to network, collaborate on projects, and share ideas with fellow attendees. Whether you’re a freelancer looking for a change of scenery, a design startup seeking new connections, or simply looking for a supportive community, this gallery event is open to all creative problem solvers.

Space is limited; registration is required.

DIRECTIONS

Blackfish Gallery

938 NW Everett Street

Portland, OR

Upon arrival, look for the museum staff with the CoDesign Collaborative tote bag.

ACCESSIBILITY

Blackfish Gallery is a fully ADA accessible as we are on the ground floor of the historic Otis Elevator building on NW Everett between 9th and 10th. Street parking is available.

Community Meetup: Pedalpalooza Ride (PDX)

Meet our Portland-based Board and Council members on a morning ride through the Central Eastside

Join the CoDesign Collaborative community for a leisurely 1-1.5-hour morning ride on Friday, August 2, exploring Portland’s vibrant Central Eastside. Meet Board and Council members Hilary Olson, Alan Scott, and Julie Taraska at the Burnside Trolley Building (2705 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214) at 8am PT. The ride will begin at 8:10am PT.

Portland’s rich industrial history comes to life on the Central Eastside, a warehouse district where a new generation of craftspeople work in reclaimed ateliers and street artists color walls with murals. We’ll embark from the historic Burnside Trolley Building, where the echoes of Portland’s early streetcar era still resonate. Our first stop takes us to the West Ankeny Car Barns Bay E / Burnside Trolley Building, the former streetcar carbarn and vital hub for Portland’s bustling transit network. We’ll pedal past architectural gems like the Coca Cola Bottling Headquarters, the Pepsi arch from the former Pepsi Cola Bottling Plant, and the iconic Jantzen Buildings, established in 1916. (See the complete list of stops here).

Adults of all biking abilities are encouraged to join us, provided they can comfortably ride approximately 3-5 miles. The ride will predominantly follow greenways and quiet side streets, ensuring a relaxed pace with minimal elevation changes.

We will end at Stumptown Coffee Roasters (3356 SE Belmont St) where you are welcome to join Hilary, Julie, and Alan for a cup of coffee to learn more about CoDesign Collaborative’s mission, programming, and ways to get more involved.

This Community Meetup is part of Pedalpalooza, an annual festival in metro Portland, Oregon. During the festival, there are hundreds of volunteer-organized free bike events!

Registration is free, but encouraged.

Field Trip: Schoolhouse (PDX)

Join the CoDesign Collaborative community on June 6 for a Field Trip to the Schoolhouse Electric Factory.

Join the CoDesign Collaborative community on Thursday, June 6, 11:45 am–1:00 pm PT for a Field Trip to the Schoolhouse Electric Factory.

Located in the industrial district of Northwest Portland, Schoolhouse’s flagship store resides on the ground floor of their factory and headquarters. There, they manufacture lighting and homewares the old fashioned way—as one team under one roof.

Inspired by the lush greenery found throughout the Pacific Northwest, Schoolhouse’s 5,000 square foot showroom is ever-changing and rooted in bringing the outside in. Part factory and storefront, their flagship is truly the heart and soul of Schoolhouse.

Field Trips are a benefit of Membership and Organizational Partnership. Not-yet-Members are welcome to reserve tickets for $10/person. A select number of FREE student tickets are also available on a first-come, first-served basis.

The building and tour are accessible.

FIELD TRIP: Pratt + Larson (PDX)

Join us for a Field Trip to the Pratt + Larson Studio, a leading luxury tilemaker that blends ancient techniques with modern applications.

Field Trips are a benefit of membership in the Design Impact Society and Organizational Partnership. If you are a Design Impact Society member or an employee of an active Organizational Partner and you have not received the promo code for your free ticket, please email Liana Mestas at liana@codesigncollaborative.org General Members are also welcome to reserve tickets for $15/person. A select number of FREE student tickets are also available on a first-come, first-served basis.

DME Annual Meeting (PDX)

Join us for a meeting celebrating a year in review, as well as the year ahead, with updates on developing initiatives.

Join CoDesign Collaborative in Portland, OR on Tuesday, March 19, 5:30-7:30 pm for the organization’s Annual Meeting. This community event is an opportunity to celebrate this past year of programs and look ahead to 2024 projects related to inclusive design, emerging technologies, design research, and more. Meet national and Portland-based staff, board, and council members, and explore ways to get involved with our mission to inspire social change through the transformative power of design.

The event will feature a fireside chat with Ron Bronson, President of AIGA Portland, and Melissa Casburn, VP of Design at Coforma, followed by a facilitated discussion with attendees, led by Eric Corey Freed, DME Board member and Principal at CannonDesign, on design and social impact, and how the museum can best collaborate with and serve Portland’s design community.

Join fellow designers, museum members, program contributors, and community and corporate partners. Registration for the Annual Meeting is FREE and open to the public. Please register to attend, and bring a friend!

Directions

Parking: There is a parking lot with 40 available spaces at Bora Architects studio. Street parking is also available nearby.

Transit: Location is a 4-minute walk from the SE MLKing & Hawthorne Southbound stop (Stop ID: 13614).

Ron Bronson
President, AIGA Portland

Melissa Casburn
VP of Design, Coforma

Portland Community Gallery Meetup

Join us on Tuesday, September 12 9:00am – 10:30 am for a creative event for CoDesign Collaborative members and the broader Portland design community.

Join us at Blackfish Gallery in Portland, OR on Tuesday, September 12 from 9:00 am-10:30 am PT for a community gallery meetup hosted by CoDesign Collaborative! This event is open to designers, creatives, entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in meeting like-minded individuals in a creative environment.

Meet the PDX museum community and explore opportunities to network, collaborate on projects, and share ideas with fellow attendees. Whether you’re a freelancer looking for a change of scenery, a design startup seeking new connections, or simply looking for a supportive community, this gallery event is open to all creative problem solvers.

September is Abstraction Month at Blackfish Gallery

Four accomplished artists offer a feast of color, pattern, texture and fresh visual ideas in the form of new abstract paintings.

• Recent Work by Carol Benson / Michael Knutson
• Essence of Oregon: A Year in Review by Lori Latham
• Color Forms: New Abstract Work by Ellen Goldschmidt

Space is limited; registration is required.

DIRECTIONS

Blackfish Gallery

938 NW Everett Street

Portland, OR

Upon arrival, look for the museum staff with the CoDesign Collaborative tote bag.

ACCESSIBILITY

Blackfish Gallery is a fully ADA accessible as we are on the ground floor of the historic Otis Elevator building on NW Everett between 9th and 10th. Street parking is available.

Creativity and Collaboration: Coworking Event in Portland

Connect, Create, and Cowork with CoDesign Collaborative in Portland on May 25.

Join us at CENTRL,1355 NW Everett St, in Portland on Thursday, May 25, 2023 from 9 am – 12 pm for a coworking community event hosted by CoDesign Collaborative! This event is open to designers, creatives, entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in working alongside like-minded individuals in a collaborative environment.

Meet the PDX museum community and explore opportunities to network, collaborate on projects, and share ideas with fellow attendees. You’ll have access to shared workspaces, high-speed internet, and other amenities to help you be productive and inspired.

Whether you’re a freelancer looking for a change of scenery, a design startup seeking new connections, or simply looking for a supportive community to work alongside, this coworking event is open to all creative problem solvers. 

Space is limited; registration is required.