Design meets activism. Philosophy meets iconography. Wheelchairs meet graffiti.
In this philosophy-packed episode of Podcast Awesome, Matt chats with professor, artist, and co-founder of the Accessible Icon Project, Brian Glenny. Together with colleague Sara Hendron, they took a bold journey to make a tweak to the accessibility symbol — which led to a humble street art sticker to statewide legislation.
Brian’s story unpacks how a wheelchair icon went from stiff and static to dynamic and full of agency — and how that tweak sparked a global conversation about representation, identity, and inclusion.
Along the way, we hit:
- 🧠 The neuroscience of symbol recognition
- 🎨 Graffiti roots and punk rock influence
- 📜 Ethics and accessibility in visual design
- ♿ The making of a movement: from sticker campaign to state law
- 🤯 How even tiny geometry tweaks carry political power
If you’ve ever wondered how symbols shape culture — or why an icon isn’t “just an icon” — this one’s for you.
And knowing? Yep. That’s half the battle.
🔗 Links & Credits
🚧🎨🏙️Brian's Wiki Page
👀 Learn more about Sara Hendren
🎵 Theme by Ronnie Martin
🎹 Interstitial music by Zach Malm
🎛️ Audio mastering by Chris Enns (Lemon Productions)
🎥 Video support by Isaac Chase
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#PodcastAwesome #AccessibleIconProject #BrianGlenny #DesignActivism #InclusiveDesign #IconographyMatters #DisabilityRepresentation #GraffitiArt #DesignEthics #Semiotics #ContentIsCulture #DesignPhilosophy
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