Mainstage Presentation
10. Resilience by Design: Lessons in Creativity, Leadership, and Hope
Sheharazad Fleming, WE MUST BE BOLD

In-house designers are often called to do more than create—they must persuade, advocate, and lead with resilience. Yet resilience is more than endurance; it is the act of adapting, reinventing, and holding on to a vision. Drawing on her career across universities, city government, and cultural organizations, Sheharazad Fleming shares how she has navigated moments of urgency and change. Through case studies, she illustrates resilience as a creative leader, from advocating for design’s strategic role in higher education to mobilizing design for civic and cultural impact. This session invites designers to reimagine resilience not as survival, but as a powerful act of hope and creativity.