Graphic Support Group Podcast

It was a goal for the season to introduce new voices to the Graphic Support Group community and podcast. I’m so excited to welcome Shannon Doronio Chavez, a good friend, to lead an important conversation with designer / activist / educator Jen White Johnson.Over several months the two have coordinated their busy work, family, and life schedules to have this powerful talk. They talk about the hurdles of health, life, and working through times when the world is against you. All the while, Jenn shares what it takes to make your presence, needs, and issues known without alienating. Both Shannon and Jenn are committed to representing their cultures and filling in the gaps in the design world, while helping others do the same.Thank you Jenn and Shannon!We R Here 4 U. Get full access to Graphic Support Group Podcast at graphicsupportgroup.substack.com/subscribe

Hi everyone,Wow, we’ve got a big one, a true one, a real one on this episode. Bryan and I are so happy to have Meg Forsyth, current partner and Creative Director at Sylvain, on the show. There’s so much in this hour of conversation: from her early days making zines and selling them on James’ old blog GraphicHug, to the Netherlands, to gardening and parenting, to just being present and authentic for her family and her team. A written summary cannot do this exchange justice and we’re just so grateful to Meg for being 100% with us. We really hope you enjoy it and feel comforted that there are good bosses like Meg out there. Check out her work at meghanforsyth.com and of course the work that her stellar team is doing at Sylvain.We R Here 4 U. Get full access to Graphic Support Group Podcast at graphicsupportgroup.substack.com/subscribe

It’s James here. A few months back a friend sent me a text to an article with the headline “I lost my job, got divorced, and had to move within weeks. I found purpose in building a layoff support tool.” The situation sounded simultaneously shocking and familiar. With news of layoffs at companies like Microsoft and Meta along with daily debates about the impact of AI on labor across the globe, Amanda Snyder Cathey’s story was compelling. She recognized the gap in resources between a company’s human resource emails and the actual process of securing resources after a disruptive employment experience. I’ve been in the “fog” of a layoff before and Amanda’s empathy and positive resourcefulness brought me hope for the current moment of confusion many designers face today. If you or someone you know is dealing with a job transition please share her tool RIF Surfer. Amanda also recommends Never Search Alone to find support in navigating job searches.We R Hear 4 U. Get full access to Graphic Support Group Podcast at graphicsupportgroup.substack.com/subscribe

“Timing is everything” is as much of a cliché as “you only live once”, but behind those tired phrases is truth. When Bryan and I spoke with Abby Chen, the timing was right. She was celebrating two months since leaving a job at Apple and beginning her independent practice as Studio Present Tense. Throughout the conversation, Abby walked us through the tremendous amount of courage, deliberation and negotiation with her self that led up to that moment. She shared how she was able to give herself a chance and described the many barriers along the way. It was such a pleasure to share this intimate conversation that mirrors many talks many of us have in our careers and working lives.Congratulations again Abby on opening Studio Present Tense. Check out her work!Again, thank you all for listeningWe R here 4 U. Get full access to Graphic Support Group Podcast at graphicsupportgroup.substack.com/subscribe

Continuing on the mission to introduce more voices to the podcast, we’ve invited Berlin’s #1 fan Muj Abdulzade to co-host with James. When we first asked Muj about hoping on the podcast Naïma Ben Ayed was at the top of her list of people to talk to.We spent a lovely afternoon chatting with the London-based type designer on her family, the laziness of certain tech companies and the general challenge of working on Arabic type in a world that seeks to stay rooted in Latin. Naïma’s honesty opened space for James and Muj to relay their own experiences with language and culture in the globalized design world.It’s amazing to be releasing the 50th conversation! Thank you to all our past guests and for all the love from our listeners.Keep a look out on our Substack for more updates from GSG and news about Naïma’s forthcoming Arabic type design book! Get full access to Graphic Support Group Podcast at graphicsupportgroup.substack.com/subscribe