About

M is a current graduate student at the Maryland Institute College of Art and is studying Social Design–the practice of using design methodologies to address systemic social problems. They created this blog as part of their elective coursework for a fabrication class called Expanded Design.

Prior to their studies, M spent a decade using their skills in qualitative research, human centered design, data analysis, impact measurement, and global collaboration to try to have positive impacts at the systems level. M has applied their skills in a variety of contexts, including at Ashoka (a global network of social entrepreneurs), the World Bank, social enterprises, community based organizations, and international development projects focused on economic development and public health. M lived in Rwanda for three years and was part of the start up team of Inyenyeri, a renewable energy and clean cookstove company.

M’s work spans a variety of sectors, including grassroots led impact investment, community based harm reduction, relationship based direct services, climate change mitigation, gender-based violence prevention, patient-centered healthcare, and international development projects focused on economic development and public health.  Across this variety of contexts, M strives to pursue collective liberation by focusing on overturning oppressive power structures. In particular, M is interested in pursuing work that elevates lived experience as expertise.

M earned a Bachelor’s degree with honors from the Public Policy department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with a focus on transforming power within social entrepreneurship and international development.