Today we’d like to introduce you to Ami Ipapo-Glass.
Hi Ami, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m Ami Ipapo-Glass, a self-proclaimed mover, shaker, and graphic designer. I approach design as a form of activism — building brands, print projects, and digital experiences for impact-driven organizations. In other words, I do good work for people who do good work.
Being a graphic designer wasn’t always my goal. In fact, it’s my third career. I grew up on the east coast training as a competitive dancer, earned an undergrad degree in modern dance performance, and spent my twenties dancing professionally in New York City, most notably with the Streb Extreme Action company (think circus arts meets stuntwork meets postmodern dance).
Like many performing artists, my original side hustle was waiting tables, which I quickly learned wasn’t the most optimal job to support the healthy, active lifestyle that my dance career required. I started pursuing fitness instruction and got certifications in Pilates, Gyrotonic, and personal training. Once I stopped dancing professionally, I continued with a career in fitness for another decade.
While living in Brooklyn I met my partner Caryn, who was also a dancer. When we both started dealing with big city burnout, we decided to head west and take a chance on San Diego. Here we started our own dance theater company, The Movement Initiative, and spent several years producing our own work and building an amazing community of local artists and dancers.
When Caryn and I got married and decided to start a family, I was also feeling stagnant in my career and realized it was time for another change. Having always been a fairly balanced left-right brained person, the field of graphic design appealed to my internal sense of structure and order while fulfilling my impulse to make art and push boundaries. Known for its reputable graphic design program, I enrolled at San Diego City College. Three years later I left with an associate’s degree, a solid portfolio of work, and renewed inspiration to create art in a brand new way.
I was fortunate to find employment right after graduating, and I’ve been working as a designer here in San Diego ever since. After several jobs in the industry I really found my stride designing at Raygun, a local creative studio serving nonprofits and social impact organizations. It was here that I had the opportunity to sharpen my skills in brand development and web design, cultivate lasting client relationships, and collaborate with an incredibly talented and supportive creative team.
Today I’m working as a freelance designer (Ipapo-Glass Design) and teaching design classes at my alma mater, City College. In my free time I love adventuring with my wife, pups, and two wild kiddos.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My professional journey has been one of many phases, dotted with exciting advances and challenging obstacles. The biggest struggle was definitely going back to school as a middle-aged mom. My time at City College was bookended by major life changes — my first son was born two weeks before my first semester, and my younger son was born two months before graduation. I also unexpectedly lost my dad to cancer in my last semester of school, during the most intense period of crafting my portfolio. Balancing the demands of design school with the challenges of new parenthood under a thick shroud of grief was quite the wild ride.
My kids are 6 and 9 years old now, and I’ve found that my ongoing struggle continues to be maintaining a healthy work-life balance and not becoming consumed by one singular part of my identity. Being a working parent today requires tremendous flexibility, patience, and the ability to set and hold personal boundaries. With that I’m still a work-in-progress, continually learning from my mistakes and successes.
My decision to start over and change careers not once, but twice, was never an easy one. But it was always led by intuition, and each detour brought me to a new place that proved to be the right fit. In the end, the scary step of starting again was always worth it. And I firmly believe that it’s never too late to reinvent yourself.
I acknowledge that while my path is a winding one, it has also been paved with immense opportunity and a certain amount of privilege. I’ve tackled my obstacles with grit and determination, but also because I was surrounded by an incredible support system of family, friends, teachers and mentors. We all have struggles, but we don’t have to struggle alone.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a graphic designer specializing in social impact design. Creating positive change is something that has always been at my core. As a parent, my mission is to leave this world a better place for my kids. As an educator, I want to help cultivate the next generation of changemakers. And as a designer, I’ve chosen to focus my professional efforts on supporting organizations that are doing transformative social justice work. The world can often feel chaotic, unpredictable and frightening right now. My small way of combating the chaos is to be selective about working with clients who prioritize equity, accessibility and advocacy. If I can help my clients more effectively communicate their ideas, then their ideas have more impact in the world.
Looking back, the things I’m most proud of are rooted in collaborations with other artists. Regardless of the medium, I’ve found that the meeting of brilliant artistic minds is where the magic happens. Some of my favorite projects include Little Ease: Outside the Box (a dance film collab with filmmaker Matthew Tarr), Victor Charlie (a dance theater production created with my wife Caryn Ipapo-Glass and playwright Sarah Hunter), and Places We Love: San Diego Tijuana (a bilingual photo guidebook written by architect Megan Groth and co-designed with Stacey Edelstein).
What are your plans for the future?
This year I’m taking on more in my role as a design educator, working as a Graphic Arts professor at City College. I’m also looking forward to growing my freelance business and continuing to support my clients in the nonprofit sector. And I’m always on the search for my next brilliant artistic collaboration!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.amiipapoglass.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ipapoglassdesign/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ami-ipapo-glass/
- Other: https://placeswelovesdtj.com/
Image Credits
Morgan Miles
Adam Fields
Asian Law Caucus
Prebys Foundation
Lisa Conrad
Tailored for Education
The California Endowment
Raygun
