Design has been taking up more of my time this year, and I’m proud to share some great research reports we’ve been working on, including: linking innovation with inclusion for a more sustainable San Diego economy; the social impacts of DAPA on immigrant families’ well-being; strengthening leadership development programs for social movement building; and expanding employment opportunities for women in male-dominated industries.
My work on data and research-focused design has ramped up considerably this year.
In previous years, I’ve focused more deliberately on the digital, tech, and media side of strategic communications work: project managing, writing, PR/messaging, and advocacy. So it was refreshing to jump back into the nitty-gritty of “pixel pushing” with my old friends InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop! I thoroughly enjoyed art directing and producing these reports (and also co-designing two of them with my design intern.)
Especially in today’s hyper-visual media landscape, my background in graphic design and digital production skills have always served me well. In my media relations work, in strategic communications meetings, in managing projects — I still call upon my design skillsets daily.
So a big tip to all you aspiring communications professionals (nonprofit or otherwise):
Take a class – or three!- focused on digital design of any kind. It’s a fun way to exercise your creative muscles, and it will seriously pay off down the line in your career advancement.
If you’re a seasoned professional, it’s also worth your time to brush up on the latest tools and platforms, as upgrades and new products emerge yearly.
Hope you enjoyed this peek at my latest design geek-erations. And I encourage you to peruse the reports to learn about economic and gender equity, leadership in social justice, immigrant integration, and more!
~ GM
Gladys Malibiran 