Nancy Austin "Women & Social Entrepreneurship in American Design Education"

Social entrepreneurs should look no further for historical antecedents than the American design school. It is not well known that women established the first wave of American design schools for vulnerable women during the financial panics that preceded the Civil War. The second wave came in response to the long depression of 1873-1879. This history of the design school is important and should inspire us today as we face the current economic crisis. It is a moment when change is possible. I hope this conversation will be on the table as we discuss social entrepreneurship, "design thinking", and a renewed commitment to empowering women through design, today.

Here are slides from the talk I gave September 25, 2009 in Miami at the Industrial Designers Society of America [IDSA] annual conference. Nancy Austin, Austin Alchemy - writing, research, design

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