<p>Content warning: This letter discusses multiple forms of trauma, including workplace abuse, power, and manipulation, and struggles with surviving trauma.</p>
<p>This letter retells my personal experiences as a former employee at IDEO, as well as stories of other alumni. This letter is a means of recovery for me and I hope it can support others on their journey of healing by giving vocabulary to behaviors that are common in an unhealthy workplace. I am compelled to name the harms I experienced as well as report on the ones that were shared with me.</p>
<p>I. Introduction</p>
<p>In the wake of George Floyd’s and Breonna Taylor’s deaths in the summer of 2020, the renowned global design consultancy IDEO announced their solidarity with Black and Brown communities on their social media accounts. That post was quickly retracted but not before being panned by both alumni of the firm and the wider design community for its performative, equity-washing shallowness.</p>
<p>IDEO is the most recognized design firm in th