Meet Levi Tran. Levi joined the Design Impact team in August 2019 as a Social Innovation Fellow and he looks forward to using his graphic design and digital media skills to support several projects. Keep reading to learn more about what keeps Levi up at night, his creative outlets, and where you might find him around the city.
Q: In your own words, what is your role at DI?
A: I have been brought onboard as a Social Innovation Fellow and am looking forward to being part of Design Impact’s mission to address complex social challenges at the intersection of creativity, leadership and social practices. I will be helping to conduct design research and also assist in the organization and facilitation of workshops, as needed. I’m eager to take part in any ideation or synthesis sessions and hope to leverage my graphic, media, and creative skills, on behalf of the organization, towards any future assignments.
Q: What are you working on these days?
A: I’m looking forward to joining several internal DI projects and supporting those teams with my background in graphic design and digital media. I will also be looking to provide ideas on how to organize and share back findings from DI’s 10 Year Celebration and also help with whatever tasks come up.
Q: What keeps you up at night?
A: I sometimes find myself wired and awake while working through some creative concept – that, of course, occurred to me just as I was about to fall asleep. I am also kept awake by abstract, hypothetical and existential worries, but am, more commonly, obsessing over some form of story driven media, or as a byproduct of a hyperactive imagination.
Q: What are some of your creative outlets?
A: I really love to read and can generally be found listening to some new audiobook. I also like to try my hand at solving puzzles, enjoy doing research, and learning some new skills. I try to keep up with the day’s technological innovations and experiment with new softwares and tools – the most recent of which revolve around virtual reality, 3D printing, and digital fabrication.
Q: What are some causes you’re passionate about?
A: This past year, I’ve been plugged into issues around violence, accessible public transportation, transit equity, and the practice of universal design approaches. I like to be engaged with a variety of projects and work through their challenges using a human-centered approach. I love to explore nuanced issues and enjoy working through root causes and deeper motivations.
Q: What drew you to DI? And how do your superpowers lend themselves to what you do now at DI?
A: DI has an incredible team, doing amazing work, using a very unique process. I’m looking forward to learning from all these talented individuals and supporting the organization with whatever graphic, media, technology, or iterative skills I might be able to contribute.
Q: When you’re not at DI, where can we find you?
A: I’m expecting to spend a good amount of time at one of Cincinnati’s many public library branches. Despite generally defaulting as a shut-in and obsessing over my new high ceilinged rooms, I’m looking forward to running around and exploring the area – being on the lookout for charming spots and little known local secrets.
Q: What are some highlights from the past year?
A: This past year I was most excited to graduate from the Maryland Institute College of Art and then be offered a position at Design Impact, culminating into my move to Cincinnati.
Find Levi at:
Behance: www.behance.net/LeviTran
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/levi-tran/
