Kia Weatherspoon, Air Force veteran and accomplished designer, is determined to build a better world from the inside out

Kia’s career started with “three sheets and a string” on a military base in the Middle East. In June 2001, she was finishing up college finals when she decided to join the Air Force to help finish paying for tuition. A few short months later, the events of 9-11 changed the world and she found herself living in a tent with 14 other women in Doha, Qatar. The stress and uncertainty of her environment began to take a toll and she knew she had to find a way to create some respite amidst the chaos. She took a deep breath and hung the sheets around her cot, crying with relief when she felt first-hand how physical space can impact emotional well-being. In that moment, the first seeds of her mission as a designer and advocate were planted.

She spent several more years and deployments with the Air Force before eventually re-entering civilian life as a designer with a small residential design firm. Soon after, she decided to launch her own practice, Determined by Design, a veteran-owned small business that specializes in design projects in underserved communities. Kia is also a regular speaker and consultant for developers, architects, and others in the design community on the positive impact of design equity, which promotes diversity and inclusion through design.

What encouraged you to start your own design firm?

I had been working very long hours on projects I wasn’t really interested in and started feeling disenchanted. For a while, I thought about doing something else, but after some soul searching, I realized it was not the work, it was the mission that was lacking. I could have worked for another firm, but to honor my idea of design and my love for the craft, I knew I needed to choose my own way. I needed to build my own dream, and I felt it deeply. There was just no other option I could see at the time.

It’s been seven years since you launched Determined by Design. What have you built in that time?

I’ve built a business that’s truly about impacting people’s lives. Our “WHY” is to advocate for Design Equity™ so every person’s value is uplifted by the spaces they inhabit. I work on a lot of affordable housing projects and my goal is create spaces that honor diversity and foster inclusion for the residents. I want them to know and feel that they are represented and that they can have beauty in their lives. Good design is about empathy and the language we use around that space. I believe big changes happen on a personal level; Design Equity™ represents progress for our society.

What have been some of the challenges you’ve faced as a business owner and advocate? What have you learned?

At one point around year five, I felt a pressure to grow and expand. I created a bunch of metrics that looked good on a spreadsheet, but weren’t aligned with my mission, and I started to feel miserable. I started taking projects that weren’t right and taking on too much to support the idea of growth for growth’s sake. I remembered my business is not about the service or transaction, it’s about how many communities and people I can touch. I made the decision to scale back down to the mission and today I’m much happier and still successful.

What’s your favorite project to date?

I love all of my projects, but I think one that stands out is Cherry Blossoms Intimates. It’s a medical facility designed as a boutique where African American breast cancer survivors can get fitted for custom prostheses after a mastectomy. They also do bra fittings for everyone with the idea of bringing women together in a safe, beautiful space during a vulnerable time.

Your commitment to your work is inspiring. What is the biggest habit, shift, or mindset that you think has helped you?

It’s not about me. That’s what I wake up with every day. I’m not here to serve myself, I’m here to serve others and impact their lives. It keeps my ego in check and keeps me true to my Why. And one habit I started last year was to wake up and read and meditate every day. I went from reading about three books a year to 37 last year. Reading really helps me get out of my head and broaden my perspective on the world.

What’s on the horizon for you?

I continue to ask “how can I impact more people?” and one way I am doing that is going beyond individual projects and starting to do more advocacy, outreach, and education about equitable design. My biggest fear is that design, and affordable housing design in particular, will stay status quo. I want to continue to challenge that status quo to change perceptions and outcomes on a higher level.

Are you inspired? Me too! You can read more about Kia’s work at determinedbydesign.com.

You can also read more about the WHY, in this Career Charters blog post.