Volunteer Spotlight: Julio Ramirez

Meet NDC volunteer Julio Ramirez, a Senior Designer at Transwestern. Julio generously donated 145 hours of his time to support the South Baltimore Community Land Trust in development of their incisive exhibition.

Julio brought his design expertise to the Toxic Overburden: 100 Years of Environmental Injustice and Resistance project, a youth-driven interactive exhibit. Working alongside a team of designers, he helped shape both the look and feel of the exhibit—and even helped during installation.

Beyond NDC, Julio continues to give back through organizations like AIGA Connecticut, reflecting his deep belief in the power of design to serve community.

We asked him a few questions:

1. What motivated you to get involved with your neighborhood, community, and/or the Neighborhood Design Center (NDC)?

“The desire to help support communities by providing my knowledge to empower their goals. When our people are provided the right tools and skills, they are able to thrive by having agency in their future.”

2. How has your involvement with your neighborhood, community, or NDC impacted your life this past year?

“I was able to re-evaluate what I thought I knew about struggle and the fight for basic rights for people to pursue better lives. It gave me more courage and clarity regarding what really matters.”

3. What would you say to someone who wants to get more involved in their neighborhood or community through volunteering, advocacy, or leadership but doesn’t know where to get started?

“Just show up. We all have something valuable to offer. Whether it is to create a strategy or clean the floor. It is about impact, not perfection.”

We’re grateful for volunteers like Julio who make community-led change possible.

If you’re considering volunteering with NDC, take Julio’s experience as a great example of the impact our pro bono work can have.