Design as a Radical Act of Agency: Lessons from Lesley-Ann Noel

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, we speak with Lesley-Ann Noel, Dean of Design at OCAD University and author of Design Social Change. They explore how design can be a radical, joyful act of agency that shapes the world we want to live in.

From understanding your own positionality to deeply listening to others, Lesley-Ann shares how embracing both joy and anger can fuel social transformation. She also introduces the “abolitionist mindset,” a way of identifying when systems are too harmful to improve incrementally and must be dismantled entirely.

Key Takeaways

• Know yourself to create change. Self-awareness is the foundation of meaningful design work. Understanding your values, biases, and lived experiences shapes the questions you ask and the solutions you imagine.
• Listen beyond empathy. True change requires more than understanding another’s feelings. It calls for co-creation, proximity to the people affected, and attention to the unspoken cues that reveal deeper needs.
• Adopt the abolitionist mindset when needed. Not all systems can be fixed gradually. Recognizing when something must end entirely can be a catalyst for lasting, equitable change.
• Balance anger with joy. Anger can be a powerful motivator for action, while joy sustains the energy required to keep going in the face of long-term challenges.

Why This Episode Matters

Whether you lead a team, manage a project, or simply want to make a difference in your community, Lesley-Ann’s approach to design offers a practical and hopeful roadmap.

By combining critical reflection with bold action, she invites us to see ourselves as active participants in shaping a more just and joyful future.

About Our Guest

Lesley-Ann Noel is a Trinidadian design educator and Dean of Design at OCAD University in Toronto, Canada. She is the author of Design Social Change and co-editor of The Black Experience in Design. Her work includes the creation of critical reflection tools such as The Designer’s Critical Alphabet and the Positionality Wheel. Before joining OCAD U, she taught at North Carolina State University, Tulane University, Stanford University, and the University of the West Indies.