Hi Reader,

What if the thing that changes your career this year is a conversation? Not a new tool, app or trend, but a conversation with a real-life human??

Mentorship has always been at the heart of our community. It’s how creative professionals find their voice. It’s how our confidence grows. It’s how new doors open, especially for those who haven’t always seen themselves reflected in the industry.

Check out some amazing interviews about Mentorship and be surprised at how it is not what you expected. We also created The Design Kids Guide to Mentorship so dive in and grab it.

Stop! We're also doing a free folio workshop with Readymag!! 🥰

If you want to level up your folio, we've got you!

Join our free Rethink your Portfolio online workshop next week! This workshop is designed to help creatives rethink and design their portfolio as a living, evolving project. Register here 👉🏽​

There are so many ways you can get involved in your city, or online, our global community is here too. This month, don’t go it alone and if you want to take part in our co-design session where we map out the future of TDK, drop your feedback here and you'll receive an invite in the next few days!

💙

The Design Kids Team

What about Mentorship?

“ Collaboration and mentorship aren’t optional. Design doesn’t thrive in silos. It needs cross-functional exchange, shared energy and open dialogue. Mentoring through communities reinforces this, and it’s a principle I bring into every team I lead. — Katja Alisaa Mueller (Head of Brand Design, Pliant)

“ We’re committed to building stronger, pathways for future First Nations creatives. Pathways that are paid, supportive and grounded in industry experience. We run an annual First Nations graduate cadetship, and we look to bring emerging creatives and young mob into projects so they gain meaningful, safe exposure within professional creative environments. — Keisha Leon (Founder, Cause/Affect)

“ When I was in my undergraduate design program, the syllabus was focused on western design principles. It was only during my Masters that I met Prof. Kirti Trivedi, who opened my eyes and mind to South Asian design philosophies. It was such an incredible experience. I finally started looking inwards and thinking about my design identity. — Kimya Gandhi (Type Designer)

“ I recently completed the Graphic and Interaction Design program at San Diego City College. My favorite part of the program was learning and growing as a designer alongside my talented peers. I’m deeply grateful for the guidance, support, and mentorship from all my instructors, especially Sean Bacon and Bradford Prairie, to whom I owe a lot of my growth as a designer. — Gizelle Farinas (TDK Award Winner)

The Design Kids Book Volume 01 will feature emerging designers from around the world, exclusive interviews, guides to our favourite TDK cities, a spotlight on our city hosts and more! Pre-orders close soon. Pre-order now

#TDKtuesdays meetups next week.

Our City Hosts bring their design communities together on the first Tuesday of every month for meetups, live events, panels, studio tours, presentations and a few laughs!

​Jump in here and RSVP to the next #TDKtuesdays event in your city!

Things We Love! 💜💜