Manifesto, by Taylor Conrad, class of 2020

I believe I have the passions and skills to create change through human connection and visual design. I envision a future that has inclusive education that critically analyzes history to create real solutions to problems we have created. I don’t think our current education system is doing us and our planet justice and I want to have a part in changing it. I am passionate about children and the hope they carry. I want to do my part in arming them with the critical perspectives we learn about in ENST that I believe they’ll need to continue this shift to a sustainable future. We need to not only teach accurate history of humanity but also what we must learn from the past to have a brighter future. I desire a world in which children are educated about more than a standardized curriculum and can gain a real understanding of our world regardless of their backgrounds. 

I am passionate about visual communication and I have to come learn how powerful and effective it can be. I want to further my education into visual communication so I can have all the skills I need to be able to communicate the messages I think are most important. I want to visually communicate the crucial connection between humans and our environment. I want to stress the importance of the sciences and the humanities coming together but also just the fact that we need to unite as a species if we want to stick around on this planet. My next steps are to complete my study of graphic design and visual communication. This is a crucial next step for me because although I already am producing content, I want to sharpen my skills and study the rules of design to be able to effectively communicate my messages. 

Through my time at HSU I have experienced the importance of knowing your positionality and privileges. This is something I was never taught in all my 12 years of school previously and it’s quite possibly one of the most impactful areas of study I have been exposed to. I want to continue to share with my peers and the children that I work with how each of us sees the world differently and acknowledging why we have that perspective can be so powerful. Another next step I want to take may happen through my service learning project (fingers crossed) or to seek out the opportunity in another avenue. 

I will make my first real attempt at visually communicating these messages to children. I envision myself exploring how to translate these often heavy ideas and topics into something digestible for children. I want to spark creativity and thought through my work. I will need to look into how others have done this and take inspiration to my own ideas to create something that can impact our youth. I also want to take these ideas, passions and ideas and spread them among my peers through conversations with active listening and empathy. It hasn’t been easy for me to realize all the ways I benefit from the oppression of other humans, animals and exploitation of the environment but it has forever changed the way I see the world and value this awareness so greatly. I will do my part to foster hope but also create inspiration and education on what actions are going to make the necessary changes.