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Our newsletters are the best way to take us with you as you travel your world. Opening one is like pulling up a seat to the cool (and kind) kids’ table from your phone. (Or your browser, since a lot of you read our newsletters on your desktop, which is sort of nice.)

The Observatory

Come for the inspiration, stay for the joy. Curated by Design Observer editors and contributors for our community of more than 20,000 makers, thinkers, leaders, and wayfinders, this weekly roundup features essays, news, opinion, global insights, and pithy observations on design and life. It’s guaranteed to stir the creative spirit.

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The Observatory Newsletter

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Delaney Rebernik

Your (A)ttent(I)on, please

GenAI art is enlivening the search for Mexico’s disappeared.

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Rachel Paese

Willfully conflicted

Human friction is inevitable, but urban practitioners have a say in whether it builds or destroys cities.

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Ellen McGirt

Red, white, and much ado

A witty July 4th reflection on vintage postcards, American myth-making, and what a modern “Safe and Sane” movement might look like today.

The Design of Business with Ellen McGirt

Redesign your approach to leadership and innovation with The Design of Business (formerly Equity Observer), a twice-weekly newsletter from award-winning journalist Ellen McGirt.

Read more about it.

The Design of Business Newsletter

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Ellen McGirt|Essays

Gratitude? HARD PASS

We ask too much of gratitude.

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Ellen McGirt|Democracy

New kids on the bloc?

Equity, race relations, preserving Black history, and saving democracy are top of mind.

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Ellen McGirt|Essays

The advertising industry has work to do

Troubling testimony from Black talent in advertising shows an industry struggling with inclusion.

What you’ll get:

  • Fresh insights on workplace transformation for a diverse and evolving world
  • Critical advice from leaders and experts driving equity, innovation, and sustainability
  • AI trends decoded to manage risks and seize opportunities
  • Essential leadership skills to thrive in today’s fast-paced environment
  • Proven strategies for building inclusive and responsive cultures

Real people, real stories. Join a community that reimagines business for a better future. Be the first to know how leaders are transforming challenges into opportunities.

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To get a sense, check out the Design Observer Twenty: The Redesigners, a now annual list of remarkable people, projects, and big ideas solving an urgent social need.

The Design of Business with Ellen McGirt Subscription

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Audio

Ellen McGirt

On Location at the Aspen Institute Part 1: Diving Into Disruption

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Analysis

Rebecca Billi

Cop cities and covert communes: how architecture shapes urban conflict