Name: Inclusive Design Communities
Author: Sameera Kapila
ISBN: 978-1-952616-15-0

foreword by Danielle Barnes

Build the design industry you want to see—the one we all deserve.

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What does it mean to be a member of a community? And how do we ensure that our communities—from classrooms to workplaces to meetups—are welcoming to all who want to be a part of them?

Sameera Kapila answers those questions and more by examining how our identities intersect with our design practices. Whether you’re a student, educator, practicing designer, manager, recruiter, mentor, or organizer, you’ll learn to notice subconscious bias, interrogate your values, and actively create welcoming spaces for all. Inclusive Design Communities will empower you to build the design industry you want to see—the one we all deserve.

This book explores:

Inclusivity practices within the design industry
Strategies to address bias and disrupt exclusive systems
How to transform design curricula and classroom environments
Steps for developing equitable hiring and retention practices
Creating thoughtful conferences and community meeting spaces

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I have a deep and genuine love for those who can take a complex topic and make it actionable. As the need for more inclusive design communities grows daily, Sameera’s straightforward, intentional approach meets the call. I love this book and I’m a better person for reading it.

Ryan Rumsey

Author of Business Thinking for Designers and founder of Second Wave Dive

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Whether you’re experienced with or new to diversity, equity, and inclusion work, Inclusive Design Communities is an essential resource. Sameera's caring yet direct approach offers clear steps to evolve our design communities, proposing that we start the work within ourselves. Designers, technologists, human beings: Keep this on your bookshelf for clear-eyed reference and a welcome shift in perspective.

Raquel Breternitz

Design leader and strategist

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This book is a gift. In these pages, Sameera has sketched out a compelling vision for the design industry’s future. What’s more, she’s given us a map that—if we put in the effort to use it—leads toward a better, more inclusive version of that future.

Ethan Marcotte

Author of Responsive Web Design

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About the Author

Sameera Kapila is a designer, educator, manager, and writer who works as a senior product designer at Netlify. Born in India, raised on the Dutch island of Curaçao, and currently living in Austin, TX, Sameera has held roles in agencies, educational institutions, and consultancies ranging from individual contributor to executive leadership, student to educator, and everything in between. This experience influences and powers Sameera to analyze design holistically, identifying gaps and advocating for solutions.