Mohanad Elshieky is a Portland-based, Libyan-born stand-up comic who wants you to think he’s funny, but doesn’t want you getting too chummy. He likes to twist preconceived notions into punchlines, and then you’ll probably feel a little guilty about that first laugh. But don’t worry—it’s what you’re supposed to do.

Laura Allcorn is laughing with you. She’s the founder and lead researcher for the Institute For Comedic Inquiry (IFCI), where she creates interactive objects and performances that highlight absurdities through a technique she’s coined as Participatory Satire. It’s where humor meets behavioral science, and where the seriousness of current events is explored with a light touch.

Portland In Color seeks to disrupt the homogeneity of representation in Portland arts and media by highlighting the voices and experiences of people of color. Their work is to promote the work of others, to ensure visibility into diverse creativity.

As the built environment inevitably changes, sometimes aggressively, Akasha’s first question is always the same: who gets to decide?

Jen Thomas, of Visible Design and The Beauty Shop, believes that design should be less a privilege for a few and more an equal opportunity for all.

As Design Portland evolves into a year-round organization, the people who made it happen reflect on the past seven years getting here.

Eden Dawn’s conversation with the curator of the 2017 Sustainable Fashion Forum

A conversation with Josh Lovejoy, the UX lead for People + AI Research (PAIR) at Google.

A conversation with the curator of "Empathy, Bots & the Future of AI"

The need for more inclusive design has become vital, particularly in times like these. Rick Turoczy calls on two leaders in the field to hash out whether or not design itself can serve as a form of diplomacy.