Power is a word that often evokes images of dominance, control, and authority. There’s an immediate negative connotation that creeps in my mind when I say it out loud, nagging me as I think of it. My mind drifts and wonders: If someone holds power, does that mean others do not? Is power infinite, or is it a zero sum game?
I have never been powerful in the conventional sense. The intersections of my identity place me far from the top of any social hierarchy. I’m not white. I’m not a man. I’m not from the Global North. I’m not wealthy.
Growing up, the power dynamics in my life were clear. My mother, a formidable Latina matriarch, was the embodiment of strength — unyielding and resilient. I was more like my dad. In school, the power balance was tipped towards the popular kids, and those that sat at the fringes. I was the latter. In college, I was an immigrant. In the boardrooms, I was the woman. I’ve sat at the edges of power, staring back at it.
For much of my life, power seemed distant — something held by others, something I neither possessed nor desired. But then I found myself in the world of design, where power takes on a different form. It’s not about control or dominance, but about influence and impact. It’s taken me many years to realise that my role as a creative is, in fact, a superpower – one that shapes minds, influences culture, and redefines possibilities. The power of design, the power in creativity, the power of curiosity — these are not just tools; they are forces that shape the world around us. And with this realisation came a profound sense of responsibility.
The world around us is unjust, unfair, and unkind. And it won’t change if we don’t try. Today, more than ever, designers hold the power to redefine the future. Our crises — from climate change to social inequality — are symptoms of an outdated worldview, one that no longer serves us. It’s time for us to embrace our role not just as creators of products, but as agents of change. You see, design is inherently future-focused. Our work is to create and in a system that rewards conformity, creativity becomes ever so powerful. The choices made by designers are then understood as choices about the kind of world we want to live in.
We must ask ourselves: What kind of world do we want to create? What does that world look like? And, most importantly, how will we use our power to bring it to life? Because this is the simple truth: we all hold power. As Ibram X. Kendi reminds us, “If we accept the idea that we have no power, we are falling under the sort of mind control that will, in fact, rob us of any power to resist”. Power isn’t always loud or visible — it comes in many shapes and forms. As a citizen, I wield the power to resist and demand change. As a parent and caregiver, I wield the power of nurturing the next generation and caring for my people – an act of resistance in a world that often devalues care. As an immigrant I have the power of memory and culture, and sharing them with those around me.
But perhaps the most profound power is the one we share: collective power. When we unite, our power is unstoppable—and that, above all, is the most dangerous idea of all.