Meet Robin A. Wright. Robin joined Design Impact in August 2019 as a Senior Social Equity Specialist, bringing a wealth of knowledge to the team. Read on to learn more about her deep commitment to equity, what keeps her up at night, and which superhero often makes a cameo appearance in her home.
Q: In your own words, what is your role at DI?
A: As a Senior Social Equity Specialist I will work with community partners to develop creative solutions to complex social problems. I believe deeply that by becoming the best possible version of ourselves and building meaningful connections across difference we can create communities, institutions, and a society that upholds the full humanity and dignity of all individuals. I hope to bring this belief and my commitment to centering people to my work at Design Impact.
Q: What are you working on these days?
A: These days I’ll be working to center racial equity on a number of community-focused projects. I’ll be working to integrate and deepen Design Impact’s explicit work on equity and operationalize the meta-themes throughout all of our projects.
Q: What keeps you up at night?
A: Knowing that there are so many folks in our work who are not able to embody their full and beautiful selves due to systems of oppression, rigid social and institutional structures, trauma, and pain. The way our world functions often leads us to feeling insufficient and dehumanized. This is true for all individuals regardless of their identity but is especially true for Black folks, other people of color, women, trans and LGB individuals, those in poverty, and other marginalized populations.
Q: What are some of your creative outlets?
A: I love listening to audiobooks. Especially sci-fi/fantasy genre books. I also love music, singing poorly, dancing around the house and writing and performing spoken word.
Q: What are some causes you’re passionate about?
A: Anti-racist systems building; healing and restoration work; gender/Sexuality equity; poverty-alleviation.
Q: What drew you to DI? And how do your superpowers lend themselves to what you do now at DI?
A: Design Impact’s theory of change and mission speaks to my heart. I love the commitment to challenging systems of oppression internally and in our work. I LOVE the metathemes and the truth they embody. I love the people. Who wouldn’t want to work here?
Q: When you’re not at DI, where can we find you?
A: When I’m not at DI I am probably with my son Kaden pretending to be spiderman or jumping on his trampoline. I also like to stay connected to the community and engage in advocacy related and community-building endeavors with fellow Black Cincinnatians.
Q: What is one highlight from the past year?
A: I moved back to Cincinnati and started doing motivational speaking.
Robin’s Noteworthy Accomplishments and Career Highlights
Education:
- MPA – John Glenn College of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University
- BA, Pan-African Studies, Kent State University
Awards:
- OSU – Leadership & Excellence Award (2015)
- UC – Equity & Inclusion Champion Award (2019)
- UC Women’s Center – Feminist Changemaker Award (2019)
Featured equity expert on multiple platforms:
- WBEZ NPR (Chicago)
- KCUR NPR (Kansas City)
- WVXU NPR (Cincinnati)
- New York Times
- Diverse: Issues in Higher Education
- Documentary on Gender Bias in Hollywood: This Changes Everything
Find Robin at www.robinawright.com and on LinkedIn
