matriarchal 
design futures


CO-CREATED BY HEATHER SNYDER QUINN & AYAKO TAKASE

A non-capitalistic, non-hierarchical pedagogical framework centering the practices and values of caregiving and nurturing, which holds for all identities: for caregivers, mothers, those who are not mothers, women, men, and nonbinary alike

The speculative imaginary of Matriarchal Design Futures counters the values and priorities created by white supremacy and capitalism. It values collectivism over individualism, cooperation over competition, inclusivity over elitism, and human rights over profit. It does not keep score or use metrics to measure success. Matriarchal Design Futures foregrounds identities and agencies beyond the binaries shaped by heteropatriarchy.

The nature of design futures is not to provide answers, but rather to raise awareness, make the invisible visible, and provoke thoughtful dialogue and debate; ultimately we hope that the spark of this public conversation will lead us to imagine and co-create the world anew. With that said, we wish to supply tools for provocation and reflection rather than specific conclusions through our workshop and the workbook.