Jessica Brown is a multidisciplinary multimedia spectacle generator, Afrofuturist mermaid cosmonaut explorer, community builder and creative connector creating disruptive and discursive work centered in social justice, diversity and equity. Known around town as Lady J, she’s a visual and performance artist, activist, designer, entertainer, musician, producer, party thrower and world builder—curated and unscripted. She operates through a lens of joy and justice in order to empower, uplift and encourage discourse across audiences. She is fierce and unapologetically Black.
In her work, she uses multiple mediums and mixes music, light, sound, props and pop culture images from her childhood—offering a heavy dose of nostalgia in order to connect with her audience. Her work amuses all of the senses and, as a means to educate and inform, offers layers of engagement in order to engage in ways that feel comfortable to the viewer.
An associate professor of industrial design at RISD, she uses a liberatory design framework, creating flexible environments that facilitate safe and inclusive space for all people to explore, investigate, reflect and discuss intersectional topics of race, class, gender, environment, politics and human rights through the lens of her own lived experience as a Black woman of African American heritage living and thriving in the US.
She is stationed in the Industrial Design department and also teaches in Graphic Design, offering courses in toy design, activism and social engagement. She serves on the college’s Board of Social Equity & Inclusion (SEI) and Community Engagement Steering Committee, to name a few of her community engagements. In her classes, she has a high level of expectation from her students—mainly that they be good community members and supportive of one another, critical thinkers who keenly observe/examine/question everything around them, risk takers willing to fail repeatedly, and empathic people who contribute greatly to the world.
Courses
Fall 2023 Courses
ID 20ST-14 - SPECIAL TOPIC DESIGN STUDIO
LevelUndergraduate
UnitIndustrial Design
Subject Industrial Design
Period Fall 2023
Credits 3
FormatStudio
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
ID 20ST-14
SPECIAL TOPIC DESIGN STUDIO
LevelUndergraduate
UnitIndustrial Design
Subject Industrial Design
PeriodFall 2023
Credits3
FormatStudio
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2023-09-06 to 2023-12-13
Times: W | 8:00 AM - 1:00 PMInstructor(s): Jessica BrownLocation(s): Industrial Design Building, Room 300Enrolled / Capacity: 15Status: Open
SECTION DESCRIPTION
Juniors take two 3-credit Special Topic Design Studios in the Fall semester. Juniors choose one 3-credit option from the Content category such as Packaging, Typography, Play, or UI/UX, and the other option from the "Process" category such as Casting, Soft Goods or Prototyping. Students will gain multiple competencies by utilizing techniques and methodologies through practice and process. Each studio meets once per week.
Please contact the department for permission to register; registration is not available in Workday.
The execution of two assigned design projects provides the framework for a thorough examination of the design process. This structured and intensive studio will focus on the relationship between the implementation of sound design methodologies and successful problem solving in the design process. This first studio experience is intended to provide the methodological infrastructure for the remainder of the M.I.D. thesis experience.
Preference is given to Graduate Industrial Design Students.
Major Requirement | MID Industrial Design
ID 241G-02 - GRADUATE ID STUDIO I
LevelGraduate
UnitIndustrial Design
Subject Industrial Design
Period Fall 2023
Credits 6
FormatStudio
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
ID 241G-02
GRADUATE ID STUDIO I
LevelGraduate
UnitIndustrial Design
Subject Industrial Design
PeriodFall 2023
Credits6
FormatStudio
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2023-09-06 to 2023-12-13
Times: TTH | 1:10 PM - 6:10 PMInstructor(s): Jessica Brown, Paolo CardiniLocation(s): Center for Integrative Technologies, Room 201Enrolled / Capacity: 12Status: Open
SECTION DESCRIPTION
The execution of two assigned design projects provides the framework for a thorough examination of the design process. This structured and intensive studio will focus on the relationship between the implementation of sound design methodologies and successful problem solving in the design process. This first studio experience is intended to provide the methodological infrastructure for the remainder of the M.I.D. thesis experience.
Preference is given to Graduate Industrial Design Students.
Major Requirement | MID Industrial Design
Spring 2024 Courses
ID 248G-01 - GRADUATE THESIS STUDIO II
LevelGraduate
UnitIndustrial Design
Subject Industrial Design
Period Spring 2024
Credits 6
FormatStudio
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
ID 248G-01
GRADUATE THESIS STUDIO II
LevelGraduate
UnitIndustrial Design
Subject Industrial Design
PeriodSpring 2024
Credits6
FormatStudio
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2024-02-15 to 2024-05-24
Times: TH | 1:10 PM - 6:10 PM; T | 8:00 AM - 1:00 PMInstructor(s): Ayako Takase, Jessica BrownLocation(s): Center for Integrative Technologies, Room 217Enrolled / Capacity: 12Status: Closed
SECTION DESCRIPTION
This course concludes the Graduate Thesis through iterative prototyping, application and verification that positions and delivers a human-centered, discipline-engaging proposal that will be communicated through an exhibition format, product, product prototype and a final Graduate Thesis document.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate Industrial Design Students.
Major Requirement | MID Industrial Design
ID 248G-02 - GRADUATE THESIS STUDIO II
LevelGraduate
UnitIndustrial Design
Subject Industrial Design
Period Spring 2024
Credits 6
FormatStudio
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
ID 248G-02
GRADUATE THESIS STUDIO II
LevelGraduate
UnitIndustrial Design
Subject Industrial Design
PeriodSpring 2024
Credits6
FormatStudio
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2024-02-15 to 2024-05-24
Times: TH | 1:10 PM - 6:10 PM; T | 8:00 AM - 1:00 PMInstructor(s): Ayako Takase, Jessica BrownLocation(s): Center for Integrative Technologies, Room 217Enrolled / Capacity: 12Status: Open
SECTION DESCRIPTION
This course concludes the Graduate Thesis through iterative prototyping, application and verification that positions and delivers a human-centered, discipline-engaging proposal that will be communicated through an exhibition format, product, product prototype and a final Graduate Thesis document.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate Industrial Design Students.
