Launching Studio5050.org

Rob Forbes | 10-20-2021

A year ago, I reached out to you as to how I might realistically get involved in the battle against systemic racism in the US. We took some action and launched a program to mentor and assist Black-owned small businesses. A year later, we are a small team of largely volunteers assisting six talented entrepreneurs across the US: Studio 50/50. Please read on…

The name 50/50 is meant to convey that we work as equal partners in this program, and that we are all in this fight against racism together. The racial issues since the George Floyd murder seem to have been only exacerbated as we witness voting suppression measures that are attempting to take us back 100 years. What will it take to wake us up, another senseless murder?

We’re doing our small part. Please check out our program and the entrepreneurs we’re supporting. It’s an eclectic group spread out in several cities, but all are producing goods and services that range from CBD products to street fashion. We are using this platform among others to expand the reach of and (hopefully) support for this under-represented community. There are several ways to get involved. The easiest is to just sign up for their Instagram feeds and newsletters. You’ll find some cool products, the sales of which support their businesses and their local communities.

I’ll feature one person whose work is especially relevant to those of you in the modern furniture and design community. Norman Teague had been developing his design practice in Chicago for over 20 years. This video explains his persona quite well.

The “Chill” rocking stool featured in this video is a great example of Teague’s design talent, which is why it has been selected by fourteen museums in the US for their collections. Norman is looking to expand his manufacturing capabilities for his Titobi-branded products and develop a cultural hub in Chicago that exposes and highlights design as an outlet that uplifts communities. From furniture to tabletop items, Teague plans to not only research, design and develop lines of great atelier objects, but also employ and train people to produce in small and large batches in the south side of Chicago.

Thanks,
Rob Forbes

PS.

I use Studio Forbes to write about subjects that interest me and keep me connected to my community. My recent posts may seem random: visual patterns, chefs, design, racism. But in my (admittedly possibly rather weak) defense, they are all connected in more ways than just by own idiosyncratic mind. For example, the last two posts on Taking Some Action and Sol Mates both deal with the value of building relationships. Over this past year, we have built some genuine friendships with the businesses we have been mentoring. It’s friendships like these, based on trust, open communication, and some humor, that – if scaled up dramatically – could be one solution to the problems that Studio 50/50 was created to address.

Máximo Bistrot

Sol Mates