Lilian Darmono is a Creative and Art Director specialising in character-driven animated and illustrative pieces. Her expertise is helping clients communicate their brand message through a diverse range of aesthetic and mediums.

Her spare time is dedicated to helping the creative community flourish through journalism, mentorship and public speaking engagements. This has included being a speaker at Faux Images Berlin, a guest lecturer at Maryland Institute College of Art, and many more.

In this episode, Chris and Lilian talk about the staggering difference between the number of men and women in the design industry. They also touch on why women are less inclined to give speeches, attend design conferences, or act as a voice for the industry.

From Chris’s experience speaking at and attending design conferences, the majority of attendees are white males. Lilian is a major advocate for women in the design space, and offers some suggestions to make women feel more comfortable to speak up and stand up.

All it takes is one change to cause a ripple effect. And the first step to doing this is to encourage women to come forward. Those who already are well-recognized in the industry, and even event organizers, should say, “come forward and share.”

Many women often find themselves in a position where they feel like they have nothing to share. They feel like what they have to say isn’t something that’s going to impact anyone. Lilian finds that the women she interacts with share a similar sentiment: “I don’t know if I have anything interesting to say. My story is a bit boring.”

The industry has been male-dominant for quite some time, so it’s important to give women in this industry opportunities to speak up and add their own flavor to the conversations taking place.