Third-Culture-Kid-Crisis, disrupting the system, and the problem with chasing your dreams | with Emma Ismawi
2020/04/12
Emma Ismawi is a visual communicator, social and political disruptor, university lecturer, and as she likes to describe herself, a “unicorn” who does everything! Emma’s had her fair share of ‘climbing the corporate ladder’. Professionally, her portfolio consists of clients from ANZ to Sukin, with one of her more notable gigs being a Studio Manager for one of Australia Post’s design hubs. We talked about Emma’s earlier influences as an art student, from being taught by a graffiti artist and discovering the power of visual communication, to growing up as a third culture kid in a low socio-economic town. She is currently the Lead Designer (and unicorn) for BE. COLLECTIVE CULTURE, a social enterprise that platforms young people within the creative arts space. When Emma isn’t working on a master idea, she also volunteers with ASRC (Asylum Seeker Resource Centre) and SAIL (Sudanese Australian Integrated Learning). So how did she go from making political art at college, to designing for big corporations, to realising her calling in creating social change? Well, you’ll just have to sit down, tune it, and give this a good listen. Prepare: we unpack A LOT. (Recorded and edited by Sarah. Art by Zachary Patterson. Beats by LAKEY INSPIRED. Other mentions: Sarah Corbett, Big Ideas, Peter Drewitt, Barbara Kruger, Grace Dlabik, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Abe Nouk)
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