A little while back… I finally got the privilege of meeting Jennifer White-Johnson in person. She not only designed an amazing poster for Pick Progress, but has also been one of the pillars of the design community, aiming to create greater visibility, equity, inclusivity, and accessibility for people of color and people with disabilities. The day was made even better because I got to hang out with the incomparable Sam Meier and some amazing KU design students. I am so blessed for these moments, and I don’t take them for granted.
The future is bright because these graduates have a ‘knack’ for design. Last week, I attended the JCCC graphic design showcase, and here are some of the talented individuals that I got to meet.
1. Preston Marchesseault
2. Alex Pizarro
3. Maddy Hornberger
4. Adinah Tong Pearson
5. Jack Warner
6. Cody Rasdall
7. Adrian Pino
8. Tierney Monroe
9. David Terrazas
10. Hannah Gage
11. Kenzie Mason
12. Lukas Van Ommeren
Six years working on Pick Progress, and I learned a lot about myself, especially about the person I want to be. My @cm_kansascity talk explores the ‘embers’ that made Pick Progress grow into a fire bigger than me.
Check out the full speech on YouTube or the @creativemorning website.
Speech title - Chandler Johnson: The “Embers” that made Pick Progress
Pardon the Interruption… But I just want to say there’s a port in the storm. I’ve been sharing all my photos from my solo trip to Chicago because this was my first major solo trip somewhere since my awful trip to San Diego. In 2022, I got to my Airbnb in California, curled into a ball on the bed, and basically lay there the entire trip. I was in a really bad headspace… one of the many moments that I should have recognized that I was having an existential crisis. I was lost. I was stuck in the middle of a storm with all the impacts of the pandemic, the racial tension, my fam, my friends, my past, my present mistakes… all of it. It’s hard to find your compass when you’re falling apart.
However, four years later, I want to let you know that THERE IS a port in the storm. It takes a lot of freaking work to get to the other side, and I don’t have any specific route to get there. For me, it’s taken a lot of self-reflection, accountability, and changing my internal narrative to remember that we are powerful beyond measure and can literally change the narrative for the better whenever we want. We just have to take the leap of faith. No matter how high or low the tides are, a good captain knows patience and making tweaks to steady the ship. My trip to Chicago helped me practice solitude, exploring parts unknown, and seeing the beauty in all spaces. I hope my photos and video inspire you to step out of your comfort zone and take a risk to become a better version of yourself. There will be moments on the journey when you’ll get lost, but just remember that there is a port in the storm.
Maybe the best food I had in Chicago… Bixi hit the spot. I had some fries that made it into my top five of all time. I tried my first crab raccoon roulette style, where each crab ragoon is filled with either crab, lobster, or shrimp, and you don’t notice which one it is—topped it off with some drunken noodles. All in all, it was a good time with Andrew and his friends.
@sextondesign.ai
