We first came together during the uprisings in 2020 under Design to Divest, intending to mobilize design skills for grassroots work. After nearly two years of meeting together, we identified a larger question about the future of design as a practice. The building of Áróko Cooperative has been an exercise in positioning design as a tool for liberation. Design to Divest has evolved from a call to action into a larger philosophy, foundation, and approach to our practice of design, exploring design as a communal practice—one that celebrates communities on the margins.

ORIGIN