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Sirens in the headlines, snow in the streets, and that low-grade hum of anxiety—yet we still have to make breakfast, answer emails, and figure out who we want to be. We open up about a week shaped by national strikes, immigration fear, and the relentless churn of news, and we ask a simple but urgent question: how do we keep living creatively when the ground won’t stop moving?

We start with the anchors that hold: music before media, incense before inbox, water before coffee, a Sunday outfit ritual that gifts back time on Monday. From there, we trace how creative practice becomes witness. Adrian shares the lineage of political design—from early propaganda to Emory Douglas and beyond—and how posters, zines, and printed matter can slow time and preserve truth when feeds erase context by noon. Nicole talks about weaving the moment into her reporting and cookbook work, acknowledging the world inside a single sentence so professionalism doesn’t feel like denial.

Community care takes the mic. We talk calling friends instead of texting, sharing voice notes that carry tone and tenderness, and checking on immigrant-owned restaurants navigating fear and strikes. We also map boundaries: how to respond when people dismiss identity, excuse cruelty, or pretend not to notice what’s burning. Education shows up as praxis—teaching kids what a strike is, pairing words with museum visits and books, and turning facts into stories that stick.

Action scales from the kitchen table to City Hall: voting every time, knowing your local reps, and asking your workplace to act like people work there. And yes, we make a case for joy without guilt—dance floors and acupuncture, haircuts and Alice Coltrane, the small restorations that keep us in the fight. If you need a blueprint for steadiness, a nudge toward courage, and a reminder that creativity can be both shelter and signal, press play.

If this spoke to you, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs grounding, and leave a review so more folks can find us. Your voice helps this community grow.

You've been tuned in to Graphite Radio, where creativity meets culture. Part of the Kaffeine Audio Network and proudly distributed by Pepper Labs. Thanks for joining us on this journey of ideas, art, and innovation. Be sure to subscribe and stay connected for more stories that shape the world we create. Until next time, keep sketching your vision into reality.

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We dig into how third places — beyond home and work — shape creative lives, community ties, and everyday joy. From bookstores and gardens to restaurants, retreats, and our own living rooms, we map what makes a space feel safe, human, and alive.

• defining third places in 2026 and why they matter
• analog habits, dry-January resets, and meeting IRL
• bookstores, libraries, gardens, and record stores as daydream zones
• restaurants as cultural anchors and economic engines
• hotel lobbies, social clubs, and the cost of belonging
• building third spaces at home with simple programming
• the role of friction, presence, and shared energy in creativity
• spades tables, game nights, and designing for connection
• questions we ask listeners about missing third places

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You've been tuned in to Graphite Radio, where creativity meets culture. Part of the Kaffeine Audio Network and proudly distributed by Pepper Labs. Thanks for joining us on this journey of ideas, art, and innovation. Be sure to subscribe and stay connected for more stories that shape the world we create. Until next time, keep sketching your vision into reality.

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Have you ever walked into a space and immediately felt at home? That invisible but palpable sense of belonging isn't accidental—it's what we call "kinfolk energy," and it's at the heart of creating communities that nurture us in ways that transcend blood relations.

In this intimate conversation, we unpack our 21-year journey of building sacred spaces across multiple cities. From our first home off Bankhead in Atlanta to our Brooklyn apartment and art studio in Red Hook, to our current Maroon House in Athens, we've cultivated environments where people literally don't want to leave. But what makes these spaces so magnetic?

The roots of kinfolk energy run deep in Black American history. We trace this concept from Maroon societies—communities of escaped enslaved people who created self-sufficient havens—to the Great Migration networks where someone you'd never met would become "cousin" for life after helping you find housing and work in a new city. These weren't just survival tactics; they were profound expressions of community care that continue to influence how we build our worlds today.

Creating kinfolk energy requires both openness and boundaries. Not everyone deserves access to your sacred spaces, and learning this distinction is part of maturing as a community builder. We share practical wisdom about finding your different "tribes," being intentionally hospitable, and bringing your authentic self wherever you go. From the simple act of providing clean socks for guests in our shoeless home to hosting regular gatherings that feel effortless after decades of practice, we reveal how attention to detail communicates care in powerful ways.

As we navigate increasingly disconnected times, rekindling kinfolk energy might be our most radical act. Step back into freedom, pursue interests that naturally connect you with like-minded souls, and remember that community isn't something you find—it's something you create, one sacred space at a time.

You've been tuned in to Graphite Radio, where creativity meets culture. Part of the Kaffeine Audio Network and proudly distributed by Pepper Labs. Thanks for joining us on this journey of ideas, art, and innovation. Be sure to subscribe and stay connected for more stories that shape the world we create. Until next time, keep sketching your vision into reality.

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Ever wonder what those treasured objects in your home say about who you've been and who you're becoming? Welcome to the debut episode of The Maroon Life, where creative power couple Adrian Franks and Nicole A. Taylor open up about the spaces that shaped them and the intentional way they've built their world together.

From Adrian's childhood drawing table (lovingly brought home by his mother on a city bus) to Nicole's meticulously curated first apartment with its Pier One dishes and magazine clippings, our hosts take us on a journey through the physical spaces that have defined their creative evolution. There's something magical about hearing these two lifelong creators unpack how their environments—from cramped childhood bedrooms to Atlanta apartments—became catalysts for artistic expression and community building.

The conversation weaves between heartfelt nostalgia and profound reflection, touching on how certain objects carry our stories through time. A weathered trunk that once held hundreds of CDs and now stores linens. Lamps that have illuminated multiple homes across decades. These aren't just possessions; they're artifacts of identity that connect past to present.

What emerges is a beautiful philosophy about living intentionally and authentically. As Adrian puts it, "Wherever you land, you want to create something meaningful, something inviting, something comfortable—something that brings your personality to life." This isn't just about interior design; it's about crafting spaces that nurture creativity, honor heritage, and make room for joy.

Whether you're a designer, artist, home enthusiast, or simply someone who believes your environment matters, this episode offers both inspiration and permission to approach your spaces with intention. Because as Nicole and Adrian reveal, the way we build our worlds reflects who we are in full, glorious color.

Subscribe now to join us on this journey of creative living, where every episode promises honest conversations about design, self-expression, and the art of making space for what truly matters.

You've been tuned in to Graphite Radio, where creativity meets culture. Part of the Kaffeine Audio Network and proudly distributed by Pepper Labs. Thanks for joining us on this journey of ideas, art, and innovation. Be sure to subscribe and stay connected for more stories that shape the world we create. Until next time, keep sketching your vision into reality.

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The creative industry is experiencing a seismic shift as beauty brands hire more engineers than makeup artists and traditional retail stores get disrupted by digital-first competitors. This transformation represents the convergence of the creative and technical worlds, requiring new approaches to design and business.

• Bold Hue's groundbreaking personalized foundation device scans skin tone and creates custom makeup on demand
• Fast fashion retailers like Forever 21 are being disrupted by digital-first brands that better connect with Gen Z
• Traditional retail struggles with inventory management, digital transformation, and creating meaningful experiences
• Design professionals increasingly need to integrate AI, AR, and other technologies into their creative processes
• Sustainability and inclusive design are becoming essential considerations rather than optional approaches
• Economic challenges require creatives to understand business context and develop more efficient workflows
• Newcomers to creative fields must develop T-shaped skill sets and navigate competition from both experienced professionals and AI
• Successful creative professionals will need to continuously reinvent themselves and stay current with emerging technologies

Stay creative, stay hungry, stay human.

You've been tuned in to Graphite Radio, where creativity meets culture. Part of the Kaffeine Audio Network and proudly distributed by Pepper Labs. Thanks for joining us on this journey of ideas, art, and innovation. Be sure to subscribe and stay connected for more stories that shape the world we create. Until next time, keep sketching your vision into reality.

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Creativity meets social justice in this powerful exploration of Sylvia Harris's groundbreaking work in the design world. We dive deep into the life and legacy of a woman who transformed how millions of Americans interact with essential information systems, from ATMs to the U.S. Census.

Born in Richmond, Virginia during the era of desegregation, Harris drew from her personal experiences navigating exclusionary systems to pioneer what she called "public information design." Her mission was revolutionary yet elegantly simple: make complex information accessible to everyone. Through her firm 212 Associates and later Sylvia Harris LLC, she tackled projects with immense social impact, designing the first truly user-friendly ATM interfaces and serving as creative director for the 2000 United States Census where she developed innovative strategies to increase participation among historically underrepresented communities.

Harris's approach to design transcended aesthetics to address fundamental questions of equity and access. She believed deeply that designers have a responsibility to consider the social implications of their work—a philosophy that earned her posthumous recognition with the prestigious AIGA Medal and inspired the creation of the Sylvia Harris Citizen Design Award. As we continue to navigate increasingly complex information landscapes, her legacy reminds us that effective design must center human needs and experiences. Her integration of African diasporic perspectives into modern design practices created a blueprint for how designers can address systemic issues and contribute to a more equitable society.

Join us as we celebrate this visionary who proved that design can be a powerful tool for social change. Subscribe to Graphite Radio for more stories of creators whose work shapes our world, and stay connected with the Black Magic series as we highlight the accomplishments of Black designers, artists, and thinkers who have made significant impacts on modern art and design.

You've been tuned in to Graphite Radio, where creativity meets culture. Part of the Kaffeine Audio Network and proudly distributed by Pepper Labs. Thanks for joining us on this journey of ideas, art, and innovation. Be sure to subscribe and stay connected for more stories that shape the world we create. Until next time, keep sketching your vision into reality.

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Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the design industry, and this episode of Graphite Radio takes you on a deep dive into the tools and trends shaping our future. Your Design Uncle breaks down UIzard, an emerging AI tool that transforms hand-sketched ideas into interactive prototypes, and examines Figma's new AI Beta that promises to streamline workflows while enhancing collaboration.

Beyond tools, we explore Spotify's ambitious move into video podcasting with potential six-figure earnings for creators, signaling a direct challenge to YouTube in the content creation space. We also uncover the surprising resurrection of Digg, as its original founder Kevin Rose partners with Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian to reimagine the platform for a post-social media world.

The heart of this episode addresses the critical question on every designer's mind: which UX roles will thrive in an AI-powered future, and which may fade away? Growth areas include UX strategists, conversational designers, accessibility specialists, and ethical AI governance experts. Meanwhile, traditional UI generalists, manual researchers, and junior designers may face challenges as automation accelerates.

To survive and thrive, tomorrow's designers must develop "T-shaped" skill sets—deep expertise in strategic areas combined with breadth across multiple disciplines. The message is clear: AI won't replace designers who can think strategically about human needs and ethical concerns, but it will transform how we work and what skills command premium value.

Share your thoughts about the future of UX on social media or LinkedIn, and don't forget to check out the other amazing shows on the Caffeine Network. Stay cool, stay creative, be human.

:: Outro Music created by YG

You've been tuned in to Graphite Radio, where creativity meets culture. Part of the Kaffeine Audio Network and proudly distributed by Pepper Labs. Thanks for joining us on this journey of ideas, art, and innovation. Be sure to subscribe and stay connected for more stories that shape the world we create. Until next time, keep sketching your vision into reality.

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Enter the world of design innovation with our exploration of the incredible legacy of Charles “Chuck” Harrison, a true pioneer in industrial design. Born in Louisiana, Harrison broke both creative and societal boundaries, redefining the everyday objects that fill our lives. Through his transformative designs, including the first plastic trash can and an iconic redesign of the Viewmaster, Chuck became a critical figure in American consumerism and corporate history. His journey is more than just about creating functional products; it’s about dismantling racial barriers and leaving a lasting impact.

Harrison's story is woven into the fabric of modern design, where creativity meets the need for practicality. After serving in the military, he honed his skills at the School of Art Institute of Chicago and quickly climbed the ranks at Sears and Roebuck, becoming the first African-American executive in the company. With over 750 innovative products to his name, Harrison played a vital role in shaping the way we interact with household goods. His approach focused on enhancing user experience while making essential items, such as hair dryers and toasters, accessible and appealing to a broad audience.

Beyond his design work, Harrison dedicated himself to education, mentoring emerging designers and sharing his passion for human-centered design. His commitment to fostering creativity has made an indelible mark on the next generation, ensuring that his values of inclusivity and innovation continue to inspire makers and thinkers alike. His memoir not only chronicles his experiences but acts as a guide for those aspiring to leave their own mark on the world.

Join us as we celebrate not only the life of Chuck Harrison but the profound impact of design on our daily lives. Together, let’s explore how creativity can bridge gaps and transform our environments for the better. Don’t forget to subscribe for more stories that shed light on the powerful intersection of design, culture, and innovation!

You've been tuned in to Graphite Radio, where creativity meets culture. Part of the Kaffeine Audio Network and proudly distributed by Pepper Labs. Thanks for joining us on this journey of ideas, art, and innovation. Be sure to subscribe and stay connected for more stories that shape the world we create. Until next time, keep sketching your vision into reality.