In this English episode, Monique and Gustavo are joined by Mai Nguyen, the Board Chair of World Design Capital San Diego Tijuana 2024 and a professor of Urban Studies and Planning at UC San Diego. Mai’s dedication to reshaping communities through human-centered design has positioned her as a leading force in addressing some of society’s most complex challenges like homelessness, mental health, and climate change. Her visionary approach focuses on fostering lasting economic, social, cultural, civic, and environmental impact, making her a pivotal figure in the world of collaborative design solutions. Together, we explore the transformative potential of World Design Capital San Diego Tijuana 2024, the strategies for overcoming cross-border collaboration challenges, and how design can drive meaningful change. Mai’s deep expertise and passion shine through as she shares how design can address pressing social issues and create sustainable, inclusive communities. This is a conversation about the power of design to truly transform our border and the world!

(Algunos episodios serán en español y otros en inglés, conectando perspectivas únicas de la frontera.)

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(Originally live on Feb 12, 2025)

The key moments in this episode are:

00:00:01 - The Power of Design Thinking 
00:09:14 - Rewriting Border Narratives
00:13:30 - The Meaning of Design
00:15:38 - Uniqueness of the San Diego Tijuana Region
00:17:51 - World Design Capital Programming and Legacy
00:19:33 - Fostering Community Engagement
00:22:41 - Building Trust and Collaboration with Tijuana
00:24:42 - Reaching Global and Local Audiences
00:27:41 - Lasting Impact and Collaborative Initiatives
00:35:05 - The Design Lab at UC San Diego
00:38:08 - Embracing the Border
00:39:22 - Making the Border Seamless
00:39:56 - Evolving Relationship with the Border
00:41:17 - Power of Community

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