Lita Talarico spoke with AIGA executive director Julie Anixter about why it’s important to take risks even in the face of scrutiny, why you should be a person who says “yes,” and why only increased awareness will lead to change in gender parity. (Read the entire interview here.)

How does your MFA program create a culture that supports women?
It just creeps into the culture. There are many companies currently trying to overcome gender bias. There are many movements addressing it including at SVA. For instance, in fall of 2016 the Master’s Series recipient was a woman, Louise Fili, whereas traditionally it had been men. It’s a good sign that they chose Louise; not because she’s a woman but because she deserved to be honored in that way.

There are surveys that indicate this and one that I became aware of last year is Elephant in the Valley, a report that documents workplace challenges in the tech industry. We need to make people aware of what’s going on, and only then can we have change.