THE LIBRARY IS OPEN 26: DEEM Journal

Please join us for a conversation with Nu Goteh and Marquise Stillwell wo will discuss their DEEM Journal and will be joined by GSAPP faculty Emanuel Admassu and Mabel Wilson.

Deem Journal was founded in 2019 by Alice Grandoit, Nu Goteh, and Marquise Stillwell. The founders, coming from diverse backgrounds in design, strategy, and cultural curation, sought to create a space where design could be discussed as an agent for societal transformation. Since its inception, Deem has published issues that center themes such as community care, collective creativity, and the role of design in addressing pressing global challenges. Each issue features essays, interviews, and visual narratives from a wide range of contributors, including designers, artists, researchers, and activists.

The journal has become a respected voice in the design community, challenging conventional perspectives and championing a more inclusive and socially conscious approach to design. Beyond the publication, Deem also engages in events, workshops, and collaborations aimed at extending its mission and fostering real-world impact.

Nu Goteh is a designer, strategist, and educator who envisions conditions for communities to thrive. A recipient of the 2025 National Design Award (Emerging Designer), Goteh is the Co-Founder, Managing Partner, and Creative Director of Deem Journal and the Founder and Principal of ROOM FOR MAGIC. Nu is at the forefront of an emerging generation of designers who integrate design, culture, art, community, and social practice. He has partnered with influential clients, including nonprofits such as the Art for Justice Fund, the Ford Foundation, and the World Peace Foundation; cultural institutions such as the National Memorial for the Underground Railroad; and global brands like Nike and Google. He serves on the boards of AIANY and SEGD, and his work has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Wallpaper, Design Miami, Monocle, and The Architect’s Newspaper. Influenced by his Liberian heritage and passion for counter-culture, he also presents keynotes globally on design as an invitation for communities to reclaim their futures.

Marquise Stillwell is a designer and a catalyst for building communities and products across design, art, and culture. His career spans across two decades, and his curiosity for people and spaces developed into a passion for designing systems to make environments better for all people. In 2009, Marquise founded Openbox. Within Openbox, he later co-founded Opendox, a film company that tells lesser-known narratives around art, science, nature, and politics. Marquise has executive produced The New Bauhaus and most recently co-directed This World Is Not My Own, which premiered at SXSW and Hot Docs. He has also co-founded Deem Journal, a biannual print journal and online platform focused on design as social practice, and Urban Ocean Lab, a think tank for the future of coastal cities. Most recently, he acquired Stae, a go-to open-source data hub that allows people to visualize and leverage open city data in a meaningful way. Additionally, Marquise serves as a board member for the Center for Architecture and the Public Housing Community Fund as well as on advisory boards for Creative Capital, Riverkeeper, and Black Girls Shred. He is also a member of the High Line Advisory Committee, a fellow at Urban Design Forum, and was a Founding Board Member and Co-Chair at The Lowline, the first underground park.

The Library is Open is a lunchtime series featuring recently published works and their authors, curated by Bart-Jan Polman, Director of Exhibitions and Public Programming and Curator of the Arthur Ross Architecture Gallery at Columbia GSAPP.