New Outside Voice playlists celebrate designers whose work empowers their communities

Sophia Yeshi is an illustrator and graphic designer based in Brooklyn, NY. The kaleidoscopic depictions of diversity and activism found in Yeshi's work are influenced by her Black and South-Asian backgrounds, as well as the LGBTQ+ community. Seeking to harmonize and celebrate, Yeshi's designs have graced everything from brand collateral and digital content to product packaging and postal boxes for Be Unstoppable, a prominent UPS campaign.

In her playlist, Yeshi puts the onus on allies of BIPOC people to make space for diversity, but also on outside voices to "figure out what makes (them) stand out" so that they may lead with that in their work. "There are so many interesting and unique voices in the world," she says. "If more people were to put (themselves) into their work, they would be a lot more successful."

André White a.k.a. Monsieur Blanc is a fashion designer and multi-hyphenate creator. He helms Le Grand Heirs, a brand he built as a progressive amalgamation of fashion, art, film, philosophy, and philanthropy. Most recently White founded the C.A.L.M Institute, a nonprofit organization that brings mindfulness techniques and spiritual nourishment to youth in under-resourced neighborhoods across the country.

In his playlist, White details how his refusal to be marginalized and resistance to being defined is a powerful kind of internal reframing that keeps him from dwelling on the negative. "There's a saying that when you worry, you're using your imagination inversely to create the things in your life that you do not want… I would rather use my imagination to manifest the things that I do want. To hope, to dream, to breathe … and to offer all of those things to other people who may not have the tools or the know-how to do that."

We hope Yeshi's and White's stories inspire you to raise your voice whenever you can, and to create a better path forward for underrepresented communities, no matter what creative field you're in. Stay tuned for more playlists from more remarkable creatives in the new season of Outside Voice.