Meet the Artist: The 26-Year-Old Designer Inviting Visions for America’s Future
Katie Costa’s Wish Wall invites visitors to the Smithsonian to participate in a living work of art, for our country’s future
At a major milestone like the United States’ 250th anniversary, upcoming in 2026, it’s only natural to reflect on our long, complex past that brings us to the present moment.
But it’s equally important, and sometimes more fun, to imagine the America that we might become in the future. What will our country look like in 10, 50 or 100 years?
This summer, as part of Civic Season held between Juneteenth and July 4th, museums across the country are inviting the public to share their wishes for the future of the United States. At pop-up “Wish Walls” and online at OnOur250th.org, you can add your voice to the choir. Imagining the future is the first step to building it — and by articulating our many different visions, we contribute to the ever-evolving American story.
This summer, at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, Made By Us is co-hosting the Civics Pavilion. At the center of the Pavilion is a 28-foot “Wish Wall” mural designed by 26-year-old Katie Costa, of Atlanta, GA. Visitors are invited to spend time at the wall reading wishes or taking photos next to the portals to the future, and to add their wish to the wall. Wishes will be archived in a time capsule!
We hope you’ll join us this summer. Katie, the founder and owner of BLYNK, and a member of the Youth250 Bureau, spoke with us about her unique vantage point as a designer shaping public spaces in which we can imagine, connect and grow.
Get to know the artist behind the Wish Wall, and don’t forget to find a wish wall near you or add your voice at OnOur250th.org.
Made By Us: Tell us about your background as a designer — how did you get interested in this career, and what do you like about it?
Katie: I like to say my career in design began in elementary school, when I (humble brag) definitely made the best powerpoints in class. I have been digitally designing for as long as I can remember, indefinitely faced with creative briefs by choice. At each retail or service job I had growing up, I ended up being the un-official graphic designer.
I discovered the online world of brand design through social media, particularly through TikTok as it was blowing up during pandemic lockdown. I immersed myself in all things design and self taught through free resources. One of the things I like about being a designer is that I am able to use my creativity to tell stories and visualize worlds for brands and organizations.
MBU: What does having your designs as part of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, in the Civic Season Pavilion, mean to you?
Katie: It’s extremely meaningful to have the Smithsonian give artists like myself the opportunity to create art centered on collective dreaming for our future. It’s empowering to know that an institution that holds so much of our shared story places real value in young voices shaping what comes next.
MBU: Many of your design projects have supported local community empowerment or youth civic engagement. What role do you think graphic design can play in our democracy or civic life?
Katie: Playful and inclusive human-made design can help civic engagement not feel so intimidating. Digital design can especially make democracy more accessible, elevate marginalized voices, and break down barriers to information. Intentional design can help people see themselves as an influential part of the system and civic conversation.
MBU: What is your ideal design process like?
Katie: I think the best design process between designer and client can mirror a healthy democracy. Each project begins with core values and a common vision. It is then shaped by communication and problem solving. My ideal design process is a combination of big ideas, bold design choices, and creative collaboration.
I love beginning any design project with inspiration that can be taken from various mediums, historical references, or current cultural influences. Trust in the designer allows space to execute wild ideas, and feedback from the client makes the execution stronger.
Designs are refined until the final versions are reflective of the people the art is meant to serve. The goal is to land on designs that resonate and don’t just look good.
MBU: The Wish Wall you’ve designed is future-facing, inviting people to imagine the U.S. in 10, 50 and 100 years. Why do you think it’s important for people, especially young people, to think about the long-term future?
Katie: Thinking long-term can help us zoom out and commit to civic work that lasts. The Wish Wall is asking people to stretch their imagination of what’s possible for a better future. Inviting young people to think 10, 50, 100 years ahead is about planting seeds for a future we actually want to grow into.
Katie: How does this design help people imagine something seemingly far away and abstract?
I hope people can take away the comfort of a shared vision — you are not alone in imagining something better for our country and communities. I hope people feel a sense of connection to their imagination that can be fuel for change, no matter how big or small.
The portals invite visitors to step into the future and visualize themes and values they hold dear to them. Participants don’t need perfect answers, just a quick moment of curiosity and hope. Change begins with mindful intention. I hope this will be a memory that visitors can hold on to as a spark of hope that positive change is possible and is consistently in the works.
MBU: What are you most excited about in regards to the installation?
Katie: I am eager to see how this piece evolves with the interactive element of visitor wishes! I love that this piece is never “finished”. I hope this can be a blip of hope in grim times and sparks a collective wishful dialogue amongst visitors.
MBU: You wrote the following quote to accompany the wall description. “‘My Wish For U.S.’ is an invitation for visitors to dream with unrestrained possibility and to wish for something greater than each of us can accomplish alone. . . . This piece is a reminder that our future is not fixed. It’s ours to reimagine, together.” While each of us writes their wish, it’s almost that once the wish is shared, it seemingly locks arms with the other wishes, forming a community of voices. Was that an intention of yours in the design process?
Katie: Absolutely! I imagined the wall almost as a live feed of dreams, with each wish floating into a big collective cloud. As you read through this shared collection of hope, you’ll notice more similarities than differences. Our wishes aren’t isolated, they’re a part of a living network that can be uplifted and embraced to spark positive change.
MBU: Where can we find out more about your work?
Katie: I am most active through my creative agency based in Atlanta, GA: BLYNK Social! You can find us on the web, Instagram, TikTok, Linkedin or by email at contact@blynksocial.com.
This Q&A is part of the “Gen Z at 250” series from Youth250, the nationwide initiative from Made By Us to increase youth voice in American history. Discover more stories of young people shaping this milestone moment at Youth250.org.
