secret’s out! i won an award! shout out to @theastergates and @prada for the commitment to supporting designers of color across creative disciplines. i’m so honored to be a part of this inaugural cohort. also thank you to the person who nominated me, you know who you are (i don’t, lol). 💫💫💫 Chicago and Milan, April 5th 2022 - World-renowned artist Theaster Gates and Prada Group announced the inaugural cohort of the Dorchester Industries Experimental Design Lab today. The Design Lab, a partnership between Theaster Gates Studio, Dorchester Industries, Rebuild Foundation and Prada Group, is a three-year program curated to support and amplify the work of designers of color working across the creative industries. Fourteen designers and artists from around the world have been selected by a committee of design industry leaders to form the program’s first-ever cohort. Nominated by luminaries across the creative industries including Prada S.p.A. Co-CEO and Prada Co-Creative Director Miuccia Prada, writer and director Ava DuVernay, the late designer Virgil Abloh, architect Sir David Adjaye, and other dignitaries, the awardees were selected through an extensive review process, having demonstrated extraordinary creative potential in their respective practices. The designers and artists selected as part of the inaugural cohort are: Tolu Coker, Fashion Design (London, UK) Germane Barnes, Architecture (Miami, FL) Norman Teague, Product Design (Chicago, IL) Kyle Abraham Dance Co., Dance (Pittsburgh, PA) Mariam Issoufou Kamara, Architecture (Niamey, Niger) Kendall Reynolds, Footwear (Chicago, IL) Yemi Amu, Agriculture (New York, NY) Kenturah Davis, Visual Art (Los Angeles, CA) Salome Asega, Art, Technology & Design (New York, NY) Damarr Brown, Culinary Arts (Chicago, IL) Maya Bird-Murphy, Architecture (Chicago, IL) Brandon Breaux, Fine Art & Design (Chicago, IL) Summer Coleman, Graphic Design (Chicago, IL) Catherine Sarr, Fine Jewelry Design (Chicago, IL)