Code of the YDI tribe
A reminder for our clan; an invitation to our kin
Back in March 2020, as the world was moving into lockdown, a peculiar breed of humans were isolated from their natural habitats. These people, known for their unparalleled hunger to learn, eagerness to nurture and an insatiable desire to make a mark, were left in a dire situation. For them, the pandemic posed a hindrance to creative growth, and an impediment to peer interaction.
You must be wondering, who exactly are these people?
Well, the people in question here are the ‘Desi Designers’ (a.k.a designers originating from the Indian subcontinent). Their natural habitats? Messy design studios, post-it laden boards, dusty workshops and workspaces full of vigour.
Much like the rest of the globe, we also found refuge in the virtual world, and thus YDI (Young Designers India) was born. Since then, we’ve been on a quest to bring more of our kindred under one (virtual) roof. In this ongoing quest, we hope to foster creative growth in the pandemic and beyond.
Now, as our little tribe (of over a 1000+ Indian designers) completes one year of awesomeness, we wanted to put forth this code to remind us of what it means to be a part of YDI. More importantly, as we expand our presence on multiple platforms, we hope that this code acts as a beacon for any Indian designers out there to join our tribe.
Hence, we put forth the 5 tenets which we live by:
01| Celebrating Indian creatives
We believe that every Indian creative has a story worth telling and an idea worth propagating. We wish to bring these stories and ideas to the forefront by giving these creatives a space to share their journeys and a platform to showcase their talents.
Have a look at some of the stories we’ve shared so far, through our Design WIP series.
02| Democratizing Knowledge
Knowledge is power, and we believe it shouldn’t be restricted to academic and professional institutions. We wish to facilitate effective sharing of knowledge to enable continuous learning among the members of our tribe.
Our Medium publication (under construction right now) is one of our many endeavours to achieve this.
03| Fostering Collaborations
Through our virtual studio, we wish to create a hive of budding designers who forge connections and cross pollinate ideas; thus accelerating collaborations both short term and long term.
04| Amplifying Voices
We realize that every individual has potential, all they need is the right push. We wish to steward an environment where these individuals feel empowered and develop a confident mindset in the realm of creativity and exposure.
Have a look at our Behance Team profile where our tribespeople get to be a part of a curated group to get more exposure.
05| Striving to be Inclusive
We aspire to be an open space where differences are celebrated and opinions are valued. We are an ever welcoming home for everyone irrespective of their skill level and experience, where all can learn from each other and inspire one another.
Young Designers India (YDI) is a truly collectivistic cohort, nurturing the essence of design in India. YDI hopes to empower young creatives with a confident mindset in the realm of creativity and exposure. YDI is an ever-welcoming home for designers, artists, educators, makers, creators, leaders and thought starters. We celebrate cultural diversity and strive for inclusivity.
We setup camp on discord. Engage in our daily discussions and see mindblowing work from community members. YDI is unlike any other community when it comes to sharing and caring. We ask, we give feedback, we learn and we unlearn here at YDI.
Article written by Saurav Vaishnav for YDI Dimension
