Clever with Amy Devers

Michael Ford is the designer and activist known as The Hip Hop Architect. Born in Highland Park, Michigan the son of a minister, Michael was raised to be inquisitive and question the world around him to find deeper truth. Early on, he found his passion for design and music, expanding it into a practice of architecture and design through the lens of Hip Hop culture. This led to his founding of The Hip Hop Architecture Camp®, a camp that positions Hip Hop Culture as a catalyst to introduce architecture and design to underrepresented youth. He’s also working with some of Hip Hop's greatest names as he leads the design of The Universal Hip Hop Museum in The Bronx. Images, links and more from Michael Ford!Please say Hi on social! Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin - @CleverPodcast, @amydevers.If you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making a donation, becoming a sponsor, or introducing us to your friends! We love and appreciate you!Clever is hosted & produced by Amy Devers, with editing by Rich Stroffolino, production assistance from Ilana Nevins and Anouchka Stephan, and music by El Ten Eleven. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Product Specialist, Ana Arriola-Kanada, grew up in ‘the valley’ just north of LA, watching Robotech and working in the family shop. She moved to Japan just after HS to work in Anime. An autodidact driven by a powerful work ethic and growth mindset, she propelled through all facets of tech & design playing key roles in the development of web design, emoji (Adobe), mobile computing and the original iPhone (Apple), UI/UX, PlayStation (Sony)…etc. It was Elizabeth Holmes at Theranos who tripped her ethical alarm wire, which, as traumatic as that was, has led Ana to the forefront of ethical AI where she has led teams in designing ethical frameworks (Meta, Microsoft, IDEO) and advocates for the inclusion & intersectionality of all humans and the care of our planet in developing those data sets.Images and more from Ana on cleverpodcast.comPlease say Hi on social! Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin and Facebook - @CleverPodcast, @amydevers,If you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making a donation, becoming a sponsor, or introducing us to your friends! We love and appreciate you!Clever is hosted & produced by Amy Devers, with editing by Mark Zurawinski, production assistance from Ilana Nevins and Anouchka Stephan, and music by El Ten Eleven. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Malene Barnett is an artist, activist, speaker and legacy maker working in one-of-a-kind ceramic sculptures and bespoke textiles. Raised in Norwalk, Connecticut, she’s an authority on the cultural traditions and practices of art in the African diaspora and how it translates into the modern black experience. She founded the Black Artists + Designers Guild, and is on a mission to use art as a tool to expand the conversation around marginalization in the arts and create greater opportunities for inclusion.Images and more from Malene on cleverpodcast.comPlease say Hi on social! Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin - @CleverPodcast, @amydevers,If you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making a donation, becoming a sponsor, or introducing us to your friends! We love and appreciate you!Clever is hosted & produced by Amy Devers, with editing by Rich Stroffolino, production assistance from Ilana Nevins and Anouchka Stephan, and music by El Ten Eleven. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Legendary visual artist Cey Adams grew up in NYC immersed in the excitement and danger of graffiti, embellishing buildings and tagging “Cey City” on subway cars. From there, he began selling in galleries along with contemporaries Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, and designing merch, logos and singles for Run DMC, Beastie Boys, and LL Cool J. As founding Creative Director of Def Jam he designed cover art for Slick Rick, Public Enemy, Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, etc., toured with his good friends the Beastie Boys, and asked Method Man for parenting advice - all in a day at the office. 40+ years into his prolific career as a celebrated commercial and fine artist, he’s recognized as a defining visionary of hip-hop culture.Images and more from Cey Adams on cleverpodcast.comPlease say Hi on social! Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin - @CleverPodcast, @amydevers,If you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making a donation, becoming a sponsor, or introducing us to your friends! We love and appreciate you!Clever is hosted & produced by Amy Devers, with editing by Mark Zurawinski, production assistance from Ilana Nevins and Anouchka Stephan, and music by El Ten Eleven. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lettering artist Lauren Hom was a super shy and studious child. Her crafty mother would make snacks with her initials cut out of cheese slices. In her teenage years, her first love led to slipping grades and the realization that her creativity, not science, would be her path to college. She sold her parents on going to art school with the promise of learning the advertising business. After a brief stint at an ad agency, she started freelancing with her art, and now has made an art out of freelancing.Images, links and more from Lauren HomThanks to Adobe MAX for hosting us in the Airstream podcast lounge.Please say Hi on social! Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin - @CleverPodcast, @amydevers.All past Clever episodes are available here in our archive. (Free, of course!)If you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making a donation, becoming a sponsor, or introducing us to your friends! We love and appreciate you!Clever is hosted and produced by Amy Devers, with editing by Rich Stroffolino, and music from El Ten Eleven. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lighting Designer John Sorensen-Jolink grew up in Portland, filling his days with soccer, youth symphony, horseback riding, and taking cabs between schools to train for a future as a pro dancer. After 10 years of performing with the best of the best (think Twyla Tharp et al) he answered an urge to learn how to design and make objects grounded in human connection. Now Coil + Drift is celebrated for its material forward honesty and graceful gesture with light and space. I guess you can take the designer out of dance, but you can’t take the dancer out of the design.Images and more from John on cleverpodcast.comPlease say Hi on social! Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin - @CleverPodcast, @amydevers,If you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making a donation, becoming a sponsor, or introducing us to your friends! We love and appreciate you!Clever is hosted & produced by Amy Devers, with editing by Mark Zurawinski, production assistance from Ilana Nevins and Anouchka Stephan, and music by El Ten Eleven. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Josh Rubin and Evan Orensten fell in love at first sight when they met in the office of Razorfish in the 90’s. But before then, Josh grew up straddling Miami and Vermont, where he gained experience navigating different worlds and perspectives. While Evan, growing up in Minneapolis, was bursting with curiosity, learning languages, and pushing to travel as often as possible. Their chemistry and compatibility ultimately led to the founding of COOL HUNTING. Now after 20 years, they are still exploring the edges of art, design, cars, craft, tech and travel, while also leading the charge (custom project with Ferrari blending traditional craft with high-tech luxury) and the conversation (new podcast, Design Tangents) on the design of a meaningful and beautiful future.Images and more from Josh and Evan on cleverpodcast.comPlease say Hi on social! Twitter, Instagram and Facebook - @CleverPodcast, @amydevers,If you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making a donation, becoming a sponsor, or introducing us to your friends! We love and appreciate you!Clever is hosted & produced by Amy Devers, with editing by Mark Zurawinski, production assistance from Ilana Nevins and Anouchka Stephan, and music by El Ten Eleven. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this extra special episode, we’re taking a practical look at the modern leadership methods and values that support a thriving culture and new vision of prosperity. We’re joined by four exceptional leaders - Natalie Nixon, Creativity Strategist & CEO of Figure 8 Thinking, Jenny Vazquez-Newsum, author of “Untapped Leadership: Harnessing the Power of Underrepresented Leaders” and CEO of Untapped Leaders, Jen Ruckel, Senior VP of Sales at 3form, and Karli Slocum, VP of Product and Marketing at 3form. Together, they unpack what inquiry-based leadership can look like, discuss the importance of contextual agility, define mentorship vs sponsorship, map out concrete strategies for wrangling the complexities, and make a solid business case for bringing your full humanity to the table.Images, transcript, and more on cleverpodcast.comSpecial thanks to 3form for sponsoring this episodeWe are 3form. We do radical things with form, texture, and light so creators can realize their dreams in a way that’s ethical and sustainable for the planet we love.3form is a leading manufacturer of architectural resin, glass products, acoustic solutions, markerboards and light fixtures.At 3form we believe in meaningful design. Our approach promotes craftsmanship, community, sustainability, and respect for the environments where we work and live. Our product portfolio ranges from simple materials to sophisticated solutions for the architectural and design industry. Learn more at 3-form.comPlease say Hi on social! Twitter, Instagram and Facebook - @CleverPodcast, @amydevers,If you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making a donation, becoming a sponsor, or introducing us to your friends! We love and appreciate you!Clever is hosted & produced by Amy Devers, with editing by Mark Zurawinski, production assistance from Ilana Nevins and Anouchka Stephan, and music by El Ten Eleven. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

World-renowned architect and designer Patricia Urquiola discusses her upbringing as the middle child and her love for being 'in between'. She shares her journey of becoming an architect and studying with pioneers of the time. Studio Urquiola transforms architecture, design, art, virtual space, and AI. They reflect on their early years and the growth of the Clever podcast while discussing the evolution of design in Milan. They emphasize embracing change and constantly evolving as individuals.

Julian Lennon, artist and humanitarian, discusses his adventurous spirit, creative endeavors, and the importance of nature. He talks about his environmental and humanitarian efforts, his formative years by the seaside and in the countryside, and the struggle to establish his own identity. Lennon reflects on travel, photography, and the magic of not knowing in the creative process.