lIBERATORY DESIGN LAB (LDL)
a social justice maker space
In their Liberation Design Lab class, we teach our students how to tackle real-world problems using a problem-solving process called design thinking. It involves research, experimentation and hands on work with raw materials to develop prototypes that will deliver cutting edge solutions to issues that we see in our community.
Below, explore projects and photos from the Liberatory Design Lab at the Social Justice School, and get to know Ms. Khy, our amazing LDL teacher!
An SJS students learns how to mix audio
SAMPLE PROJECT
AUDIO + SELF-LOVE
SJS students recently finished editing a song called "Self-Love" following an LDL class on Go-Go as an act of resistance.
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Scholar-Activists learned how to audio engineer their original songs. Next, they made memorabilia for a go-go museum that is in D.C.
Click the play button below to listen to the song that our Scholar-Activists wrote, recorded, and mixed!
"Don't Mute DC" -- a 3D printing project
WHAT'S POSSIBLE?
FEATURES OF THE LDL
The Liberatory Design Lab at SJS features 3D-Printers, button making-machines, t-shirt making machines, Macbooks, iPads (coming soon), and more! We invite students to create change--literally.
If you have resources, tools, or opportunities that students may enjoy building with and/or want to teach a workshop, please get in touch with us!
SAMPLE PROJECT
MITIGATING GUN VIOLENCE
The 2023 Graduating 8th grade class of the Social Justice School chose gun violence as its key focus issue. To mitigate gun violence, SJS Scholar-Activisists researched and partnered with students from around the city. They used the LDL to make buttons and t-shirts, in addition to writing reports and gathering research. They then presented at End Gun Violence Citywide Festival 2023 in D.C.
LDL TEACHER
MS. KHY
Shoutout to our very own Liberation Design Lab educator, Ms. Khy! Jakiyah “Khy” Anderson was born and raised in Northeast Washington DC. She attended Kenilworth Elementary School and Cesar Chavez public charter middle and high-school. Khy received her bachelors of science in visual arts at the Lincoln University of Pennsylvania where she graduated summa cum laude in the class of 2017. There, she learned that she would use her creative gifts to inspire, encourage, and effect change in the black community. Her artworks are characterized by bold words, mixed media materials and graphic design. She also does body paint and performance art to convey messages to her community in a way that is impactful and memorable. Khy is also a spoken word artist, activist, community leader, author, and CEO of the Sunflower Sanaa brand. She believes that there a many avenues one may take to effect change in the world, and there is not one avenue she would not travel to do so. We value how Ms. Khy has used many different avenues to pour into our scholar-activists!