Man-Wai Cheung and Angel Blanco: “Mom, Dad, I Want to Be a Designer”

Both Man-Wai Cheung, founder and creative director of the design studio Adolescent, and design student Angel Blanco, were raised by immigrant parents—Man-Wai in London and Angel in Yonkers, New York. As with many other first-generation children, their career and life choices weren’t so easy to explain to their parents. Here, they talk about deciding on a creative career and how they discussed that decision with their families.

About Connect 4: Design Bridges

Design shapes our world, no question. But who gets to do the shaping? The professional graphic design field, like so many other industries and spaces, has long been dominated by white people. Indigenous, Black, and other designers of color are changing that dynamic; design students have a chance to change it further.

The young creatives of color in this podcast are starting that journey. Here, they talk with their mentors—some of today’s most influential BIPOC graphic designers—about finding inspiration and confidence; beginning a career in the arts (and explaining it to your parents!); and what it’s like working within the largely white design field.

The mentors and mentees in this podcast were brought together by Connect 4: Networking for Equality in Design. Connect 4 is a growing initiative and current collaboration between the Mercy College Design + Animation program, Pentagram, and design leaders that supports design students of color by opening real pathways to leadership. Learn more about Connect 4 on Instagram: @cnnct4.

This podcast was produced by Hawk and Paw Productions in collaboration with Mercy College, Pentagram, and Design Observer. The theme music was composed by Isabel Sanchez.