The Afterschool Special Podcast

Jessa Crispin, a writer and feminist voice, delves into the complexities of capitalism in contemporary society. She critiques how it shapes our identities and self-worth, emphasizing the struggle between authenticity and self-branding. The conversation sheds light on corporate co-optation of social justice movements and the ethics of content creation in a market-driven world. Crispin argues for reclaiming personal agency in work and creativity, suggesting true fulfillment lies in embracing one's authentic self amidst societal pressures.

The Afterschool Special Vol. 4 is joined by Imad Gebrayel Creative Director and Ethnographic Researcher.With a body of work combining memory, identity, and decoloniality, Imad looks at design with a critical lens diverging from eurocentric education and artistic trends. While advocating for separating design from the art school, he decided to break away from the predefinied academic structures and pursue a Ph.D. in Ethnology after two design degrees. His field research is centered around negotiations of memory and identifications in Sonnenallee - known as the Arab street of Berlin.At the Afterschool Special, Imad will discuss identity representation in design, looking at examples from popular culture contributing to an Orientalist, reductivist gaze, and propagating othering. Design, a capitalist domain par excellence, has been heavily involved in mediating colonial notions through visual narratives, reshaping memory, and reproducing discrimination. How can designers reposition their work, make space for minorities, and abstain from recolonizing cultural experiences? How can criticality serve design and vice versa? Watch the videoFollow on Instagram Join the next talk