Sonja Angst (she/her)
I was born in Hawaii and raised on the island of Molokai, where I had the opportunity to grow up in a unique environment. Family, community, and respect for the land were all important to me. I am passionate about the environment, focusing on uplifting indigenous practices and bringing affordable, sustainable products to marginalized communities. I think critically about sustainability by looking at the choice of materials, processes, locations, production, consumption and behaviors of design. I value the native practices of preserving the land and their notion that we are not above or separate from nature. We depend on ecological systems to sustain us and our approach to design must be informed by this knowledge.
Moloka’i: A Self-Sustaining System
For my thesis project, I want to uplift my community on the island of Molokai and showcase their achievements and involvement in sustainable practices through a cohesive campaign. The end result of this campaign will include a magazine and website that will educate and inform people on real initiatives that community members on Molokai are doing. The magazine allows me to showcase my design strength in publication design while the website allows for a wider audience reach. With the help of community members and local artists I am able to encourage the future generation to be more aware of Native sustainable practice, advocate for these issues, and implement these efforts within their community.
View full publication: Moloka’i: A Self-Sustaining System Magazine
View project website: www.sangst2020.wixsite.com
