Design companies are still failing at diversity. Here’s how the industry can build a better pipeline

Organizations are working to ensure the next generation of designers is more diverse than the last.

In April, Jacinda Walker stood in front of a group of 28 fifth-grade students in Columbus, Ohio. Walker, who founded the education and advocacy program DesignExplorr, was there to lead a two-day workshop to introduce the students to the design profession. On the first day, she set up demo Adobe Express accounts so the kids would have access and exposure to professional design software. She then asked the students to turn a blueberry cheesecake graphic into a strawberry cheesecake—a task that helps them practice their technical skills with the tool and explore design principles.