AIGA, the professional association for design, is the country’s largest community of design advocates, uniting practitioners, students, and enthusiasts to behind common goal: advancing design as a professional craft and a vital cultural force. It was founded in 1914 in New York City, and has since grown to encompass 68 chapters including over 25,000 members. Here in Los Angeles, our chapter has a rich history dating back 30 years, involving such design legends as Saul Bass, Deborah Sussman, April Greiman, and Sean Adams, among many others.

Last month, while serving as Vice President of AIGA Los Angeles, I was asked by Noreen Morioka to assume the role of President as she stepped down to focus on personal and business matters. It was my great privilege to say yes, and I want to thank Noreen for the countless hours she’s devoted to our chapter over the past few years; AIGA Los Angeles is where it is today because of her leadership.

I joined AIGA four years ago because I wanted to see change in our local design community. We live in exciting times. Design is everywhere, and has crept into the public consciousness and everyday language. People are more aware of design and designers, and there are many more opportunities to make a difference with design, both inside and outside of the industry. This is also a transformational time for the design field which presents unique challenges: the increasingly-fractured nature of the profession, the rise of crowdsourcing, and ongoing economic struggles. LA itself suffers from segmented creative industries and distant communities.

Now, surrounded by a fantastic board of directors and dozens of talented, amazing volunteers, I’m excited to help chart a new course in the history of our organization while facing those challenges head-on. Through a strong and united design community, we can address these issues directly — through relevant resources, events, and partnerships.

Together, we can elevate the profile of our profession, benefiting everyone in the creative community, no matter their role, whether they’re students, in-house designers, freelancers, studio owners, art/creative directors, or anyone in between. 

If you’re a design professional, I invite you to join AIGA, and add your voice to the mix. Our community is what we make it, and there’s plenty of room for more.

Onward,

Jason Adam