Dignified Futures
March 18-19, 2026 | Institute of Design at Illinois Tech | Chicago
How might we design for dignity?
How might we bring about dignified futures?
The pace of change isn’t slowing — and the “now” feels heavier than ever. Political shifts, scarce resources, and constant urgency can short-circuit our best intentions to collaborate, listen, and create with care. In the rush for progress, it’s easy for dignity to get lost in the noise.
But what if we chose a different rhythm? What if we designed the updraft together - one that lifts possibility, connection, and shared purpose?
Dignified Futures 2026 is a space to explore that question. A call to reimagine how we design systems for social impact - grounded in dignity, powered by community, and moved by curiosity. Let’s learn, experiment, and build forward… together.
Keynote Speakers & Artists
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Kim Erwin, MDes
Director, Equitable Healthcare Lab
Associate Professor, Institute of Design
Visiting scholar, UChicago Medicine -
Zayna Khayat
Chief Program Officer & Managing Director for the History and Future of Healthcare, AMS Healthcare
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Amy Heymans
Founder & Chief Strategy Officer, Beneficent
Assistant Professor, Massachusetts College of Art and Design
“We need to aim higher. The work we do isn't only impactful – it's essential. The people we serve need and deserve it..”
Juhan Sonin, CEO @ GoInvo
Agenda
The 2 day conference will feature workshops, inspirational keynotes, informative talks and an open space agenda designed by conference attendees. There will also be networking, surprises as fun. You will make some new friends for life.
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9:00 Registration
9:30 Future-Forward Workshops
11:30 A Hearty Lunch with Strangers -
12:45 Welcome, Keynotes and a Few Surprises
1:55 Ignite Talks
2:55 Randomized Coffee Trial
3:25 Art Experience and Open Space Keynotes
4:15 Opening the Open Space -
9:00 Final Open Space Schedule Posted
9:15 Open Space Sessions
12:15 A Hearty Lunch with New Friends -
1:30 Making Sense of it All
2:30 Closing Keynote and Wrap Up
3:00 Hang out with friends and snacks and/or head to the airport
2024 Conference Glimpse: Songs for Social Justice
At the 2024 conference in Boston, we were joined by students from Berklee School of Music as they performed songs and poetry on health topics and gave us a strong reminder why we do the work we do.
Conference Organizers
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Chris McCarthy
Founder, ILN Coaching & Consulting
Co-Host & Co-MC -
Amy Heymans
Founder & Chief Strategy Officer, Beneficent
Co-Host & Co-MC
Contact Us
Have a question about the conference? Want to stay informed or collaborate in some way? We can’t wait to hear from you!