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NEWSCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
Written by Mohamed Bassie Kamara and Noah Ragas
Photography by Katherine Hayler-Jones
Talking to Allan Manzano did not feel like a regular interview; it felt like a real conversation with someone who has been through adversity in life and came out wanting to give back. Allan is from southeast San Diego. He is a graphic designer by trade, but he is also a creative person who mentors others and someone who remains humble and never forgets where he came from.
Growing up in southeast San Diego in the ‘80s and ‘90s, Allan saw a lot of street life including gang activity and just about everything in between. But he also saw art. And he learned early on how to bring street life and art together. Yet art wasn’t just something that Allan liked— it was how he came to understand the world around him. His cousin first introduced him to drawing by sketching He-Man and Voltron characters, and from there, Allan never stopped creating.
Yet, he didn’t always feel seen in the design world. As a person of color, Allan felt he had to code-switch for years, dress a certain way and put on the button-down shirt and “talk proper,” just to play the part and fit in. But deep down, he knew that was not really him. “I became numb,” he said, “and I kind of lost my identity.”
It was not until after many years in the industry and getting laid off that Allan dealt with burnout and decided to start using his voice. “It’s not about what you do, it’s about what you talk about, what your ideas are. Just remember, you’re a designer second. You’re a human first.”
Currently, Allan runs his own design company in the same area where he grew up. He also teaches and mentors young artists, and he is helping to build the next generation of designers. For him, design is about more than logos or layouts. It is about representation and about giving kids from neighborhoods like his, a reason to believe that they can make it. Allan does this by empowering them to believe that their creativity matters. He shared that his biggest challenge is no longer his design work, but getting parents in the community to see the value of art and design for the next generation of children.
“There’s a lot of talent out here,” he said. “But some people still don’t take it seriously. They’d rather their kid be a nurse or engineer, not a designer.” This is why stories like this matter. We did not visit Allan’s studio simply to interview him and then write this article to make our professor sound special. Instead, we did the interview to highlight that mentors like Allan exist, designers who are willing to help students like us learn and mature. We hope there are other designers like Allan out there, ones who have made it through all the noise, stayed true to themselves, and who are willing to help others do the same.
If there is one thing to take away from Allan’s story, it is this: do not quit on your gift. Even when it feels like no one else understands it. Even when the path gets difficult. Stay the course. And once you figure it out— reach back and help someone else do the same. Design can change lives, and Allan Manzano is helping change ours.
from left to right: NewSchool of Architecture & Design students, Katherine Hayler-Jones and Noah Ragas, faculty, Allan Manzano, student, Mahammed Bassie Kamara
Allan Manzano currently teaches design courses at NewSchool of Architecture & Design.
You can find him on Instagram here:
