In 2016, Christian Solorzano graduated from Chicago’s DePaul University with a BFA in Graphic Design. Throughout college, he volunteered at various design organizations in Chicago, notably AIGA and the STA — which is where he gained exposure to the ins and outs of how communities function.
Immediately after obtaining his degree, Solorzano spent some time in advertising where he quickly learned that the world of advertising, was not a right fit for him. He said “I just couldn’t sit through working on deliverables where the only goal was to help the clients gain more profit. Sourcing stock photography of millennials drinking beer around a table eventually led to a lack of interest in the work, which as a result caused the quality of the creative executions to suffer. Eventually, I had to leave because design should be about questioning our work and considering its impact on society.”
He left advertising in exchange for experience design, where he currently focuses on building digital products and services rooted in empathy and strategy.
However, it wasn’t long before Solorzano began to miss the intellectual and introspective dialogue of a classroom setting. Four years into working full-time in the industry, in 2020, right as the COVID-19 pandemic took a grip on the world, he saw an opportunity to create a community.
Solorzano founded the Chicago Graphic Design Book Club, which eventually dropped the book from its name, and became what it is today. In the beginning, the objective was to read design text and unveil ways to respond to contemporary issues through the lens of our disciplines and capabilities.
Today, the club’s vision is simple:
To engage in conversation about the theory, craft, and practice of graphic design across Chicago. To provide our community with accessible resources and opportunities to connect and be inspired by one another.
Communities are not just about meeting a target or goal. They are about listening, constantly observing, asking questions, and not waiting for permission to help. Communities need a spectrum of representation across both visible and invisible attributes — we don't want to be an echo chamber. At the end of the day, I believe what we do is at the intersection of compassion, belonging, conversation, and design — we are not interested in being a cool kids club or an ivory tower.
In Underscore’s latest episode, Solorzano shares his background and ways in which he’s making it his mission to bring people together.
Today, Solorzano leads the club’s programming through close collaboration with a wide range of creatives in and out of the city of Chicago. When not working on the Chicago Graphic Design Club, Solorzano can be found teaching meditation, training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, writing, and traveling.
Follow Christian Solorzano on Instagram.
