“Intersecting Margins: Amplifying Calvin Ashford’s Interior Design Legacy from Chicago and Beyond” by Will Fryer & Cotter Christian – Nov 14, 2025

The Black Metropolis Research Consortium (BMRC) invites you to join us on Friday, November 14, 2025, from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM CST for a virtual presentation in the 2025 Fellows Fall Speaker Series. Will Fryer & Cotter Christian will share the results of their joint research on "Intersecting Margins: Amplifying Calvin Ashford’s Interior Design Legacy from Chicago and Beyond."

Will Fryer is an interior designer, researcher and artist from Brooklyn. He currently teaches interior design at Parsons School of Design, and previously taught architecture at CUNY City Tech. Will’s design practice is focused on finding deeper meaning in residential design. In addition to renovation and furnishing, his conceptual practice includes drawing, sculpture and video. He recently showed conceptual work in “Queer Clouds”, a joint exhibition with Will Eatough, at Compere Collective. Will also writes and produces Decorated with Cotter Christian, a podcast exploring the history of interior design and decoration and its relationship to gender, queer history, and broader social themes.

Cotter Christian is Dean and Associate Professor at the School of Constructed Environments at Parsons School of Design. Formerly Associate Dean and Director of the BFA Interior Design program, he brings professional experience in commercial design and holds degrees in Studio Art, Interior Design, and Theatre. His research explores how mindfulness and contemplative practices in design education can foster creativity, collaboration, and engagement with social and environmental justice. He is also the co-creator and host of Decorated, a podcast that uncovers overlooked stories and histories within interior design and decoration.

Join us online via Zoom: https://bit.ly/43CI6Kf.