A note from Designers Today Editor in Chief Jane Dagmi
The Designer Experience is a true collaboration beginning with the desire to educate, entertain, support and inspire. For 2020’s spring DX, and our first digital conference, we wanted to set the tone with someone who spoke truth from the heart and was clearly in forward motion, and someone with a unique point of view and distinct story to share. Looking back at our former events, we also knew it was time for a man to keynote the show.
I sent an email to Corey Damen Jenkins. And he said Yes.
We met briefly five years ago in Atlanta. While growth was happening inside each of us, I don’t know if either one of us would have wagered that I’d be editing a national design trade magazine and he would be working on his first Rizzoli book. Our unique evolution has put us in proximity more and more.
This past winter, I went to hear him speak at the Atlanta Market. It was a solo performance with the feeling of a soliloquy, followed by a generous Q&A period. While Corey continues to accumulate accolades, he is willing to point out the failures that have, unknowingly, contributed to his success. Corey has figured how to deftly lace professionalism with personal emotion.
We admire him as a compassionate human and skilled product and interior designer, and are so excited to have him as our keynote for the DX x Zoom.
As a way of giving back, a portion of all registration fees will go to the charity Feeding Lisa’s Kids. Feeding Lisa’s Kids is a volunteer-based non-profit focused on serving those who are experiencing food insecurity, especially children, in High Point, NC. What began as a small grassroots movement by Lisa Hawley, owner of Southern Roots in Jamestown, NC, has become a year-round endeavor providing meals for over 170 families in need. The organization is completely volunteer-based with no overhead allowing for 100% of donations to go directly into purchasing food for the community.