Conversations at SoBD x PVU with Ja’Ziah Woodard x L’Nard Tufts
THE OVERVIEW
Participation in the State of Black Design (SoBD) Conference created a meaningful moment for d.school students to step into a space where Black design practice was happening around them in real time while also requiring their full participation.
Ja’Ziah Woodard, Hillary Lodzanyama, Lord Crawford, and L’Nard Tufts entered SoBD not knowing what to expect, yet completely open to possibilities. Their participation reflected the d.school’s commitment to continue to expose students to design that values community, culture, and recognizes Black creativity as a foundational, active, and forward-moving design thinking framework.
Ja’Ziah is a junior at Stanford from Newark, New Jersey, pursuing a B.S. in Design with a concentration in health. Ja’Ziah aims to uplift her community through a future in civil rights law while also advancing accessible design that prioritizes neurodivergent students and inclusive physical spaces.
A passionate printmaker, she continues to build her creative voice through print work, using art to spotlight the causes that matter most to her.
THE INTERVIEW
L’Nard:
Before the State of Black Design Conference, had you heard of the term Black Design?
Ja’Ziah Woodard:
“No, actually.
Over the summer, I was thinking a lot about having a space for Black designers in the Bay Area, which was something that I wanted to create.
And then I heard about the State of Black Design (SoBD) Conference from Milan, and I was like, something like that already exists?!
So it was very refreshing to learn about this because I did not know Black Design before attending this conference.”
L’Nard:
What does Black Design mean to you?
Ja’Ziah Woodard:
“Being a Black person in America is a unique experience on its own, and so I feel like anything we do, we add a little bit to it because of our unique experiences here.
Black design, honestly, it is just the daily Black life. I feel like everything we do is very artistic or creative to some extent, even in our normal day-to-day lives.
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And so Black Design is not one thing to me. It is not like just when someone makes a fashion piece, or an art installation, or when someone designs a website. It is just our Black existence and how we carry ourselves throughout the world.”
L’Nard:
Do your plans after college involve design or design thinking?
Ja’Ziah Woodard:
“I do. It would definitely be two routes.
I design where I am creating inclusive spaces for neurodivergent people.
Or fashion design using the diaspora to influence fashion and art and textile work, which I am very interested in.
I am very interested in being a lawyer, and so being a design major has been very important for me because even though I plan to go to law school, the things you learn as a designer are a very unique experience, and it has shaped the way I view the world every single day.
When you see the little things, see how they could have designed it better. It literally makes me think critically about the world and how I am navigating through it.”
L’Nard:
Is there a person or organization you associate with design or Black Design?
Ja’Ziah Woodard:
“Yes. Rebecca Henry and Kiki Shabaka of House of Ama.
My sophomore year I got them to come to campus at Stanford to talk to us about their work.
House of Ama is beautiful. Their fashion brand is very unique and inspiring. Fashion is something I want to pursue. If I could have the ideal brand, it would be like House of Ama because I love doing research, and their biggest thing is research involving the African diaspora, especially within America.
There is so much history, and they allow that history to influence their textiles and each line that they design.”
L’Nard:
Any final thoughts from Day One of State of Black Design?
Ja’Ziah Woodard:
“I am having the best time ever.
I had a FaceTime call with my mom to tell her how much fun I am having.
It has been a very wonderful and refreshing experience. It feels amazing to be surrounded by so many people who look like me who are in so many different areas of design that I did not even know existed.
It has been very rewarding to see how much I could do with design and how much is out there.
It has been a beautiful experience to be on an HBCU campus and see design so lively and inspired by the Black experience.
I cannot wait for everything else to come.”
REFERENCE:
Ikogwe, C. April 18, 2025. “The Conversation” series. SIDE-NOTE.
