Embracing Differences—In Design and Beyond

“Different does not mean deficient!”

I remember clearly how those words, spoken by my high-school Spanish teacher Señor Binaghi, struck me as pivotal wisdom. One of the few gems he would reiterate time and again in English, that phrase has turned over in my mind—and come out of my mouth—across many scenarios.

For our adolescent brains, this phrase meant “press pause” on our human tendency to reject or make fun of that which does not meet the societal or cultural norms that we are used to. Over time, I’ve realized it also asks us to curb ignorance or assumptions by signaling us to choose curiosity and empathy.

Very recently, I was diagnosed with ADHD. I won’t go into full hyperfocus mode and explain in detail what that means, why many girls go undiagnosed until adulthood, and…okay, I will stop there. No info-dumping today. Suffice it to say, there have always been differences in how I think, plan, execute, communicate, and react to external stimuli. So I’m learning to view those differences with more curiosity and empathy, and explore ways to work with them—instead of dismissing them.

I set all that up to say that while ADHD is not my entire identity, it has made me reconsider my approach to activities like industry events now. At Hospitality Design Expo, for example, I worked in more breaks from the stimulation of the show floor. I also gave myself permission to spend more time where there was an encounter that allowed me to connect with exhibitors or other attendees on an engaging topic, rather than checking off a list of appointments. I still had a full schedule! But I found the experience left me with a different energy this time. Being less concerned with whether I might come across as “deficient” if I didn’t hit a quota of contact points meant being more present with the people I met. And I’m learning to appreciate “different.”

I felt I could share that with you—a compassionate community of designers that strives every day to understand and improve quality of life for all people through impactful projects, as well as working to translate an evolving body of knowledge on neurobiology, psychology, and physical well-being into evidence-based design practices (as seen on pages 8, 20, and 44).

Through a new lens, I’m looking forward to NeoCon and Fulton Market Design Days in Chicago. Editor Lauren Brant and I had the pleasure to connect with many interior product manufacturers during our pre-show Pitch Days, uncovering compelling themes we expect to see in Chicago and beyond. You’ll find our extended preview on page 24. Also, make plans to check out the hands-on materials education that will be available in the Material Intelligence: Destination NeoCon Pavilion, which we cover on page 40.

As we gather to discover what’s innovative in design, let’s also celebrate the novel ways in which we encounter the world—different, distinct, and anything but deficient.