Design Emergency Sadie Red Wing on Indigenous design
Apr 2, 2025
Sadie Red Wing, a Dakota Lakota graphic designer, educator, and advocate for Indigenous design sovereignty, discusses the urgent need for Indigenous voices in the design field. She highlights how design can perpetuate colonization or serve as a tool for liberation. Red Wing explores visual sovereignty, emphasizing the importance of diverse perspectives in design education. She shares insights from the Standing Rock protests, showcasing the power of visual activism. Finally, she emphasizes integrating Indigenous knowledge into sustainable design practices to address ecological challenges.
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Urgency of Indigenous Knowledge Erasure
- Indigenous knowledge systems are being erased and Indigenous voices excluded from shaping futures.
- This erasure is an emergency because Indigenous wisdom is critical for survival and climate crisis solutions.
Define Visual Sovereignty Clearly
- Visual sovereignty means visually asserting Indigenous nations as independent entities through design.
- Designers should build protocols that communicate Indigenous government sovereignty effectively.
Grow Indigenous Design Education
- Prioritize Indigenous students and allies in design education to grow Indigenous design representation.
- Aim to create Indigenous-led institutions for Indigenous design to strengthen sovereignty and identity.