Margarita Zulueta
Hi, I'm Margarita!
RECENT RECOGNITIONS
2022 Paula Rhodes Memorial Award Winner, SVA
Voted by my graduate faculty as the top student
Team Runner Up Placement in the Consumer Tech Category
Team Runner Up Placement in the Home Goods Category
2022 Design Presenter, NYCxDesign
Selected Presenter: How Design Can Address Anti-Fat Bias
2021 Design Presenter, Practice Makes Showcase
Selected Presenter: How to Build Intersectional Feminist Community Through Synthesizing Feminist Resources
MY THEORY OF CHANGE
By redesigning touchpoints of isolation, people feel safer, more connected, and less alone even if social attitudes and biases remain.
In my personal and design experiences, I noticed that interaction touchpoints reinforce systems of exclusion. From seat sizing to the length of boxes on forms to how we name our typeface weights, there are multiple points that perpetuate systems of exclusion that may not mean to make people feel excluded or alone, but they do. By addressing these interaction points, like making seating that accommodates everyone for example, people can see that they are included, they are welcome, and they belong.
Hi, I'm Margarita!
I use design as a tool to reduce systemic isolation.
I believe that utilizing the power of design to reduce systems of shame, loneliness and isolation is key to creating a safer and more equitable world. I have been blessed in a large portion of my life, but have also acutely experienced the deep pain and emotional toll that systemic isolation creates on individuals.
I have had a fortunate life of being born and raised between the Midwestern United States, the Philippines, Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, but constantly moving while holding the multifaceted identities of a Fat-Identifying - Third Culture - Second-Generation- Filipino American made it difficult to be accepted in social spaces.
I saw firsthand how instances of social isolation are globally reinforced through systemic means. But, if we can recognize these systemic touchpoints of isolation, this means we can change them.
MY RECOGNIZED DESIGN EXPERIENCE
My recognized design experience helps me strive to create this safer and equitable reality.
