About Me

My name is Rains, I am a product and UI/UX designer located in Harlem, NYC! Currently, and for the past 3 years, I have been designing interfaces to be used on the worlds first commercial space station. With over 1 year of experience in qualitative research, and an education in the Social Sciences, I am an interdisciplinary designer who can operate across the design process.

In addition to my work in product design, I started and run a clothing brand called lock down collective. In my free-time, I play video games, play basketball, run, box and write poetry.

Commencement Speech

To really get a better idea as to who I am and what my journey has been, you can view a commencement speech I gave at my alama mater. Skip to 23:58 for my part.

My journey would have been impossible to predict, so, embrace the chaos; it may actually be freedom!

23:58

My Journey

DOWNLOAD CAPSTONES

Southwestern University POLITICAL SCIENCE AND HISTORY

HISTORY

INDEPENDENT STUDY

My journey to the Software industry began at Southwestern University, while studying my bachelor's degree. During my Junior year, I was asked to conduct qualitative research on a paper and later book on meditation and mindfullness practices. At this same time, I received approval and funding to conduct an independent research project on online communities, platforms and political behavior.

This was my first introduction to the world of Software and qualitative research. I concluded my time at Southwestern completing two capstones, one of which focused on how users engage with political content on Youtube.

A Video Essay I completed for my senior capstone project.

The University Of Chicago
SOCIAL SCIENCES

In risk of being too candid, like some who graduate collage, I still did not really know what I wanted to do. My advisor highly encouraged me to attend graduate school, which I did. My program at UChicago was perfect; one year where I had an open ended selection of course work. I built my skills in qualitative research, while delving into some pretty heavy political theory.

In preparing me for the job market, I took classes like Qualitative Research Methods, Digital Ethnography, and Digital Media Aesthetics to build my skills in understanding the design of Software, and research practices to understand users.

Axiom SpaceUI/UX DESIGN AND RESEARCH

GO TO AXIOM PROJECTS

I landed the job! I was brought on as a qualitative research, and immediately began building a research framework for both the UI team, and the Industrial Design team. But, I quickly realized I missed a crucial part of school: learning. In attending design reviews and talking through design problems, I became interested in design.

I voiced this to my team, and I quickly took on two mentors who taught me the various elements of design, the design process, and using design tools. Within a few months, I transitioned to design full time, taking on a UX project, and later the Design Language System.

GO TO DLS

GO TO COMMANDING

GO TO TELEMETRY

GO TO LOCK DOWN

My Brand and Passion

Lock Down Collective is my brand. Inspired by Virgil Abloh iconic Off-White, Lock Down collective is a streetwear brand. My brand focuses on high quality, hand-drawn images on high quality materials. The core of the brand: things I like to wear.

Intertwining ideas from my education in political theory, the brand imagery relates to the idea of interpolation, and the panopticon. We use the world around us, people, objects, ideas - to form a self-regulating idea of “self”.

The Future Of Lock Down

Lock Down is a project that has many goals. On the one hand, the brand exposes me to the many elements of creating a brand: graphic designs, web-design, web-development, running a business. In addition, I am navigating the many elements of creating a clothing item.

Lock Down is not a project about making profits. It is about learning new stuff, and wearing things I like. My most ambitious goal for the brand: create a collective. I would love to have an organization of creative people making art, music clothing all under one unified aesthetic.

What About Everything Else?

Like is more than work. Aside from all my work stuff, I have an array of hobbies and passions that drive my life. My partner is the light of my life, and our life together in Harlem is most important to me. I’ve got more hobbies than I know what to do with; those including: basketball, boxing, running, video games, clothing design, poetry and watching movies!

My days and weekends are split between these various hobbies, which is always a bit of a struggle!

I love a top 10 list. If you want to like or dislike me instantly, here is one list that will make someone angry.