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Omari Souza

Assistant Professor

University of North Texas

Department of Design

Email: Omari.Souza@unt.edu

Education

  • MFA, Kent State University, 2017
    Major: Design Research
    Specialization: Visual Communication Design
    Dissertation: Title Chasing Vertical: Diversity & Recognition in the field of Graphic Design
  • MFA, Kent State University, 2017
    Major: Visual Communication Design
    Dissertation: Title Chasing Vertical: Diversity & Recognition in the field of Graphic Design
  • BFA, Cleveland Institute of Art, 2015
    Major: Technology and Intregrated Media
  • BFA, Cleveland Institute of Art, 2009
    Major: Graphic Design
    Specialization: Technology and Intregrated Media

Professional Positions

    Academic - Post-Secondary

  • Assistant Professor, University of North Texas. University of North Texas. (2022 - Present).
  • Assistant Professor, Texas State University. Texas State University. (2019 - Present).
  • Assistant Professor, Laroche College. Laroche College. (2017 - 2018).
  • Adjunct Professor, Kent State University. Kent State University. (2016 - 2017).
  • Adjunct Professor, Cuyahoga Community College. Cuyahoga Community College. (2017 - 2017).

    • Professional

  • Lead Design, User Researcher, Capital One. Capital One. (2022 - Present).

Licensures and Certifications

  • Enterprise Design Thinking Co-Creator, IBM. (2019 - Present).
  • Enterprise Design Thinking Co-Creator, IBM. (2019 - Present).
  • Enterprise Design Thinking Practitioner, IBM. (2019 - Present).
  • Enterprise Design Thinking Practitioner, IBM. (2019 - Present).

Professional Memberships

  • International Society of Visual Literacy. (January 2019 - Present).

Development Activities

  • Workshop, Inspire Camp, Kent State University. Kent ,OH,United States of America. (July 2016 - July 2016).

Teaching

Teaching Experience

    University of North Texas

  • ADES 1513 - Contextual Research Methods, 2 courses.
  • ADES 1543 - Foundations of User Centered Design, 1 course.
  • ADES 2513 - Typographic Systems, 1 course.
  • ADES 2523 - Digital Patterns and Systems, 1 course.
  • ADES 3548 - Topics In User Experience Design, 1 course.
  • ADES 4518 - Cause Based User Experience Design, 1 course.
  • ADES 5410 - Foundations & Frameworks of Interaction Design, 1 course.
  • ADES 5420 - Human Centered Interaction Design 1, 1 course.
  • ADES 5450 - Data and Information Visualization and Design, 1 course.

Teaching at Other Institutions

  • Texas State University, ARTC 5399B - THESIS, Fall 2021.
  • Texas State University, ARTC 5360Q - EXPERIENCE DESIGN, Spring 2021.
  • Texas State University, TYPOGRAPHY I, Spring 2021.
  • Texas State University, ARTC 5343 - COMM DESGN SEMINAR, Fall 2020.
  • Texas State University, ARTC 4314N - DESIGN FOR EXPERIENCES, Summer 2020.
  • Texas State University, ARTC 5399A - THESIS, Spring 2020.
  • Texas State University, ARTC 1301 - COMM DSGN FOUN I, Fall 2019.
  • Texas State University, ARTC 5340 - ISSUES & CRITICISM, Fall 2019.
  • Laroche College, Digital Photography, Spring 2018.
  • Laroche College:, Foundation Design II, Spring 2018.
  • Laroche College:, Special Topics: Creative Process, Spring 2018.
  • Laroche University, Foundation Design I, Fall 2017.
  • Laroche University, Graphic Design I, Fall 2017.
  • Cuyahoga Community College, Advertising, Spring 2017.
  • Cuyahoga Community College, Graphic Design 1, Spring 2017.
  • Kent State University, Motion Design, Fall 2016.
  • Kent State University, Typography 1, Fall 2016.
  • Kent State University, VCD 13001 INTRODUCTION TO VISUAL COMMUNICATION DESIGN STUDIO, Spring 2016.
  • Kent State University, VCD 13001 INTRODUCTION TO VISUAL COMMUNICATION DESIGN STUDIO, Spring 2016.

Directed Student Learning

  • Dissertation Committee Chair, "INNOVATION IS THE NEW BLACK BOX: A CRITICAL REVIEW OF HUMAN-CENTERED DESIGN," Design. (August 2020 - May 2021).
  • Dissertation Committee Chair, "Lost on the Trail: Investigating Hiking Wayfinding and Trail Navigation," Design. (August 2019 - May 2020).
  • Dissertation Committee Chair, "Societal Perceptions of Femininity as Impacted by Gendered Branding, and the Social Responsibility of Designers,," Design. (January 2019 - May 2019).

Awards and Honors

  • The 2019 Design Incubation Educators Awards, Design Incubation. (October 2019).
  • Design Incubation Educators Awards selected, Design Incubation. (August 2019).

Research

Published Intellectual Contributions

    Abstracts and Proceedings

  • Souza, O.A. (2020). Call and Response | Equitable Design Frame Work. https://designincubation.com/publications/abstracts/call-and-response-equitable-design-frame-work/
  • Souza, O.A. (2019). African Americans in Advertising: Images, Stereotypes, and Symbolism. https://designincubation.com/tag/african-american/
  • Souza, O. Making the World a Better Place: Design for Social Good. 46. UCDA Design Education Summit.

    • Book

  • Souza, O., Moses, T. (2022). An Anthology of Blackness: State of Black Design.

    • Book Chapter

  • Souza, O. (2020). Passive, Brutish, or Civil? Racist Motifs in Every Day Branding. Other. University of Plymouth Press.

    • Broadcast Media

  • Souza, O. (2022). Episode 437: Omari Souza. https://revisionpath.com/omari-souza/
  • Souza, O. (2021). Episode 19 Omari A. Souza - Works in Process podcast. https://www.wip.show/ep/19/
  • Souza, O. (2021). Episode 05 — It’s about time we are catalysts of change. https://www.ibm.com/design/racial-equity-in-design/podcast/episode05/
  • Souza, O. (2017). 213: Omari Souza Revision Path.

    • Journal Article

  • Souza, O. (2019). Hue Design Summit. Other. Taylor & Francis Group.

    • Newspaper

  • Souza, O. (2020). Language, Symbolism And The Toxicity Of Trump's Rose Garden Address. https://blavity.com/language-symbolism-and-the-toxicity-of-trumps-rose-garden-address

Presentations Given

    Demonstration

  • Souza, O. (Author & Presenter), FALL 2023 LECTURE SERIES AT THE CUDC, INCLUSIVITY MATTERS: ELEVATING VOICES IN THE ANTHOLOGY OF BLACKNESS, Kent State University CUDC, Cleveland,OHIO, United States of America. (2023).

    • Design Work

  • Souza, O. (Author & Presenter), Graffiti to Graphics: 50 Years of Hip Hop and Design, Hip Hop as a tool of Critical Making, SEGD, Virtual, United States of America. (2023 - 2023).

    • Invited Talk

  • Souza, O. (Author & Presenter), An Anthology of Blackness" roundtable discussion event, An Anthology of Blackness" roundtable discussion event, Ohio State University, Columbus Ohio, United States of America. (2024).
  • Souza, O. (Author & Presenter), Designing for Equitable Futures, Designing for Equitable Futures, Work&Co, Brooklyn,NY, United States of America. (2024).
  • Souza, O. (Presenter), The IBM Inclusive Design Guild, A Journey to Inclusive Futures, IBM, Toronto,Ca, Canada. (2024).
  • Souza, O. (Presenter), Design Lecture Series, Fall 2023, Inspirational Dialogues: An Inside Look at 'The State of Black Design', Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh,PA, United States of America. (2023).
  • Souza, O., IBM - It's about time Podcast, It’s about time we are catalysts of change, IBM, Virtual, (2021).

    • Keynote/Plenary Address

  • Souza, O. (Author), The IDSA International Design Conference (IDC) & Education Symposium, Woven Futures: The Fabric of Restorative Design, IDSA, Austin,Texas, United States of America. (2024).
  • Souza, O. (Author & Presenter), Cleveland Institute of Art welcomes alum Omari Souza as 2024 Commencement speaker, Rising Above: Harnessing the Power of Persistence, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, United States of America. (2024).
  • Souza, O. (Author & Presenter), Design Forge 2022, Research for Activism: Redesigning Higher Education for Justice, Elon University, Elon University, Elon, NC, United States of America. (2022).

    • Lecture

  • Souza, O. (Author & Presenter), 51st Annual Conference of the International Visual Literacy Association, African Americans in Advertising: Images, Stereotypes, and Symbolism., International Visual Literacy Association, Leuven, Belgium, Belgium. (2019 - 2019).
  • Souza, O. (Presenter), Lee, A.J. (Presenter), The Digitally Engaged Learning (DEL), Challenging Western Dominance in Technology for Increased Inclusivity and Access, The Digitally Engaged Learning (DEL), Austin, TX, United States of America. (2019 - 2019).
  • Souza, O. (Author & Presenter), Design Incubation Colloquium 5.3: Merrimack College, African Americans in Advertising: Images, Stereotypes, and Symbolism, Design Incubation, Merrimack College,North Andover, Massachusetts, United States of America. (2019).
  • Souza, O. (Presenter), Lee, A.J. (Presenter), 108th CAA [ College Art Association] Annual Conference, DECOLONIZING DESIGN TOWARDS SYSTEMIC EQUITY, College Art Association, Chicago,Il, United States of America. (2019 - 2019).

    • Other

  • Souza, O., Work in Progress Podcast, Work in Progress 19, (2021).

    • Panel Presentation

  • Souza, O. (Author & Presenter), AIGA DEC LENS Symposium, Expanding the Design Canon: The State of Black Design and the Lens of Inclusivity, AIGA, New York,NY, United States of America. (2023).
  • Souza, O. (Panelist), Sharma, M. (Panelist), Denmead, T. (Panelist), Garcia, A. (Panelist), The Onstead Institute, Department of Art Education present: Education as Experimentation 3 Symposium, Studious Drift: Movements and Protocols for a Postdigital Education, University of North Texas, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, United States of America. (2022).
  • Souza, O. (Panelist), SXSW, IBM Designs A New Culture: Racial Equity in Design at Austin Marriott Downtown Waller Ballroom DEF, SXSW, Austin,TX, United States of America. (2022 - 2022).
  • Souza, O. (Chair), Disarl, G. (Presenter), Sorensen, D. (Presenter), Harris, L. (Presenter), Design Incubation Colloquium 6.3: Fordham University, Call and Response | Equitable Design Frame Work, Design Incubation, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, United States of America. (2020).
  • Souza, O. (Panelist), Lee, A.J. (Panelist), Murdoch, J. (Panelist), Hughes, L. (Presenter), AIGA Design Educators Community conference, The Past, Present, and Future of “Good Craft, AIGA, Herron School of Art + Design, Indianapolis, ID,, United States of America. (2018 - 2018).

    • Paper

  • Souza, O. (Author & Presenter), CAA 113th Annual Conference, Restorative Design: Transforming Practice Through Empathy, Inclusivity, and Justice, the College Art Association (CAA), New York,NY, United States of America. (2025).

Artistic and Professional Performances and Exhibits

  • Other. Souza, O., "Design of Buisness, Buisness of Design Minisodes", Design Observer, Virtual, United States of America. (July 2022 - February 2023).

Media Contributions

    Magazine

  • "Black designers on the 6 things companies can do to promote diverse leadership," Fast Company. (March 2, 2024).
  • "Best books of 2023 — Architecture & Design," Financial Times. (November 17, 2023).
  • "Black design and activism in Cleveland Author/designer Omari Souza highlights the need for design diversity and equity in new book.," Signal Cleveland. (November 9, 2023).
  • "Five Essential Design Books to Decolonize Your Studio, Library, and Classroom," Print Magazine. (October 31, 2023).
  • "10 books to read this summer," Domus. (July 21, 2023).

    • Newspaper

  • "Black design and activism in Cleveland," Signal Cleveland. (November 9, 2023).

    • TV

  • "America by Design," Design in America. (June 2021).

Contracts, Grants, Sponsored Research

    Grant - Research

  • Souza, O., "The Pittsburgh Foundation and The Heinz Endowments, Advancing Black Arts in Pittsburgh," Funded.

Service

University Service

  • Chairperson, Target ADD Program Advisory Committee. (August 2024 - November 2024).
  • Chairperson, State of Black Design Conference | Planning Committee. (September 22, 2023 - September 23, 2023).
  • Committee Chair, State of Black Design Conference | Planning Committee. (March 2022).
  • Chairperson, State of Black Design Conference | Planning Committee. (September 2020 - April 2021).
  • Chairperson, State of Black Design Conference | Planning Committee. (September 2020).

Public Service

  • Member, International Visual Literacy Association. (January 2019 - Present).

Professional Service

  • Other (Board Member), The International Visual Literacy Association (IVLA). (January 2019 - Present).
  • Other (Board Explorer), AIGA. (2017 - 2018).
  • Member, YMCA PNC. (2017 - 2018).

Consulting

  • For Profit Organization, HCSC ( Blue Cross Blue Shields), RIchardson, Texas, United States of America. (May 2024 - October 2024).
  • For Profit Organization, Target inc, Dallas, Texas, United States of America. (June 2024 - August 2024).
  • For Profit Organization, CapitalOne, Virtual, United States of America. (July 2022 - July 2023).
  • For Profit Organization, The Watson Group / Unilever Global, Chicago, United States of America. (June 2022 - August 2022).