Type Electives Lecture Series:

Join us for a series of insightful conversations exploring the challenges of language support, diacritic design, and the role of type design in language revitalization. Our guests will share their experiences designing for diverse languages and scripts, offering both practical insights and critical perspectives.

In this session, we’ll speak with Chisaokwu Joboson, a Nigerian type and brand designer, about Type Design for African Languages and his work with Ụdị Foundry. We’ll explore the cultural, linguistic, and design considerations involved in creating type that elevates African stories and reflects the continent’s languages, character sets, visual traditions, and cultures. Chisaokwu will share his journey in type design, how his work challenges industry expectations, and his approach to authenticity, self-determination, and cultural representation. We’ll also discuss questions such as: How can designers expand access and equity in type design for African languages? What gaps exist in traditional typography education and resources? How can type support cultural identity, linguistic nuance, and visual expression across Africa?

This session will feature a short presentation, followed by a conversation moderated by Juan and Lynne, and an open Q&A for the attendees.

Send us your questions through our Instagram @typeelectives

The event will be hosted online via Zoom.

We look forward to having you with us!

Chisaokwu Joboson

Chisaokwu Joboson (he/him) is a Nigerian type and brand designer passionate about reflecting African culture and telling African stories through letterforms. He is the founder of Ụdị Foundry, an independent type foundry that creates expressive, culturally rooted typefaces. His work explores how typography can embody African languages, scripts, and visual traditions while challenging the dominance of Western narratives in design. He has spoken at international design events, including ATypI, and is an advocate for growing type education and access in Africa. Through his practice, Chisaokwu aims to expand the creative possibilities of African typography and inspire the next generation of designers.

Personal: @jobosonchisa

Ụdị Type Foundry: @udifoundry