In a past life, I ran afoul of a witch in the forests of Lithuania, and now I can’t save my Adobe files until all the kerning is perfect.

I've dipped toes in many disciplines, from branding & digital design to wayfinding & signage. I’ve obsessed over typefaces and Pantone chips, and felt awed in the hulking presence of an offset printing press. But I always say that being a barista for five years had an outsized impact on my work. There are many parallels between customer-facing service jobs and design—namely, anticipating the needs of the user and putting accessibility first.

At the end of the day, graphic design isn’t about making things look cool; it’s about conveying a message. When used to advertise the irresistibility of justice, it’s one of the most powerful tools we have in creating a better world.