Rachel Gogel

As a queer design leader, I’ve become more self-aware and am able to recognize my own power, privilege, and voice to help uplift others around me — especially self-identifying women, non-binary, and queer creatives. I’ve always aspired to put something out in the world that matters. For me, that energy gets poured into hopefully helping other creatives and design leaders thrive. I’ve looked for ways to get involved and/or support women- or queer-led initiatives — from walking the runway for NYFW in 2015 for Carrie Hammer’s initiative called “Role Models, Not Runway Models” to doing a Story takeover for The 3% Movement’s Instagram during 2019’s SF pride parade to activating Airbnb’s employees during 2021’s Pride month. At the end of the day, I just want to inspire other queer women by holding design leadership roles in my industry. Also, in terms of projects I get to work on, I tend to seek out purpose-driven brands and organizations that lead with clear values — and where design serves as a force for inclusion and positive change, and where authentic relationships lead to meaningful collaboration. This is how we build a more equitable and impactful creative industry for all. Beyond some of the more ‘known’ companies I’ve worked for, I am beyond grateful to have partnered with companies that align closely with my personal mission of supporting women- and queer-led causes, such as Acora, Amaí, Anew, A Space In Between, Chicken & Egg Films, HoneyBook, The On Being Project, and AIGA SF’s Women in Leadership & Design (WILD).

Recent favorite piece of queer visual culture: Jon Key’s “Black, Queer, and Untold: A New Archive of Designers, Artists, and Trailblazers” book. It’s a must-read! Also, if you live in the Bay Area or are passing through, definitely check out the Unspeakable Vice queer history walking tours (https://www.unspeakablevice.tours/).

I’m inspired by all self-identifying women, non-binary, and gender-expansive creatives questioning the 9-to-5 job model. I’m committed to supporting their causes and addressing gender-based disparities in the design industry. I published an article capturing my determination to see more women founders launching their own small creative businesses in PRINT Magazine to align with International Women's Day 2024 (https://www.printmag.com/design-business/the-undervalued-force-of-women-founders/). A few of the individuals I featured are wonderful and identify as queer. We’re witnessing the dawn of what I call the age of personal agency: a time when we’re not just claiming our power, but fundamentally reimagining what success looks like in the creative world. For all marginalized voices in the creative industry, so much is being questioned as more of us choose self-employment over conventional corporate roles. This isn’t just a side hustle — it’s a deliberate choice to build businesses on our own terms. The future I envision is one where ‘success’ has many definitions — all of them valid. Where diversity isn’t just a buzzword, but a reality because we’ve designed a system that supports individual agency. Where we hire each other, uplift one another, and cross-promote our services. What continues to inspire me is the incredible kindness and generosity I see among self-employed creatives — from trading advice to sharing opportunities. Some of my fave queer women and non-binary creative humans (who I’ve featured on @designbywomen_ in the past): 1. Nubia Navarro @nubikini 2. Cari Sekendur @butterstudio.co 3. Fer Cozzi @fercozzi_letras 4. Melody Yung @yung__studio 5. Isabel Castillo Guijarro @byisabel 6. Annika Hansteen-Izora @annika.izora 7. Shanée Benjamin @shaneebenjamin 8. Sara Berks @saaaarae 9. Veronica Corzo-Duchardt @winterbureau 10. Leslie Xia @thelesliexia 11. Sophia Yeshi @yeshidesigns 12. Eduarda Nieto @dunieto 13. Emily López @emmiliana 14. Hannah Jacobs @hannahjacobs_animates 15. Rebekah Rhoden @neverbetter.gif 16. Luiza Dale @daleluiza 17. Carra Sykes @carrasykes 18. Rachel Berger @birdhousesofamerica 19. Elly Ayling @pixellyyy 20. Rebecca Brooker @beccabrooker