Design Minded: Design Talk & Q+A with Joey Zeledón
Design Minded is an ongoing event series created in partnership with Design Austin, featuring film screenings and thought-provoking talks that celebrate the impact of design in our city and beyond.
This fall the series adjourns with a design talk by Joey Zeledón on October 15 (Wed).
Joey Zeledón will explore the transformative nature of design through the lens of their personal experience as a trans designer. Drawing from nearly two decades as an industrial designer designing shoes, furniture, housewares, tech and more, Joey will examine how both design and trans identity involve iterative processes of expressing an authentic identity through visual and physical forms and challenge conventional boundaries, creating new ways of engaging with the world. Joey will show how design is a universal language for navigating change and expressing our authentic selves through life and all its transitions. Design can help us make sense of ourselves, no matter who we are or how we identify.
Following the talk, our community partner, AIA Austin LGTBQIA+ Alliance will facilitate the Q&A with their co-chairs Sarah Biesterveld and John Stenzel.
Event Schedule
6:30P Rooftop seating & bar opens
7:00P Design talk by Joey Zeledón at sunset
7:30P-8:15P Q&A facilitated by Sarah Biesterveld and John Stenzel, co-chairs of AIA Austin LGTBQIA+ Alliance
9P Museum closes
Tickets include rooftop event entry with complimentary drinks, and general admission to the museum. Come early and take a moment to view our current exhibitions.
General Admission: $15
The Contemporary Austin or Design Austin Member: $7.50
Advanced registration is encouraged
Members of The Contemporary Austin
Please log in with your Member ID to purchase your discounted ticket.
Members of Design Austin
Enter your promo code at check out for discounted General Admission tickets. Please reach out Design Austin for your special discount code.
The museum and rooftop are wheelchair accessible, and there will be a designated mobility assisted seating area in the front row. If you need additional accommodation requests, please email [email protected].
About the panelist
Joey Zeledón (he/they/she) doesn’t just design things — they elevate them, helping products reach their higher purpose. An award-winning designer with nearly two decades of experience, Joey has collaborated with top industry names including HP, Steelcase, Smart Design, Continuum, and Clarks. Their work spans everyday objects to thoughtfully reimagined furniture, blending emotional depth with practicality — always with a focus on comfort, connection, and meaning. Joey is the author of "Design is Trans", exploring design as a vehicle for self-discovery and for expressing the true identity of the objects we create, and “Touchy/Feely”, which champions emotional ergonomics by reminding us that great design isn't just about how something looks or works, but about how it feels.
