Let’s Talk: Design Camp – a personal journey of passion and purpose

Here’s a question for you this month. Are some of us just born to tell stories? If any of us are – Latitude’s designer, Salman Ahmed, has to be near the top of that list. Fresh from last month’s Design Camp, the annual think tank and inspirational get together of Twin Cities talent, we asked Salman to give us his personal perspective on the event that launched his career and ended up landing him on the doorstep of Latitude.

LAT: So Salman, first off, welcome to Latitude officially, and could you tell us about how Design Camp launched your career?

I was in college in Menomonie, Wisconsin, at UW-Stout, studying graphic design – and loving it. As part of an ad class, I worked on a tourism ad called Visit Remarkable Rwanda. The project was designed to educate and inspire people to learn about, and travel to, Africa's most improved and progressive country, rewriting the story of Rwanda to reflect its resilience and transformation. I was fortunate to have Professor Nagesh Shinde, who loved my project and recognized it as a culturally rich, story-driven piece. He encouraged me to make it the centerpiece of my collection for an upcoming portfolio review of student work. Thanks to the support of Monica Little, founder of Little, my work stood out, and I was selected to attend Portfolio 101. Monica went above and beyond by sponsoring my trip to Design Camp, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

I felt like I was on my way, but getting to Design Camp, I also felt discouraged. There is so much incredible talent in the Twin Cities, and it felt challenging to stand out while hoping to make meaningful connections and find a job. My goal was networking with professionals, which led to an unexpected opportunity. 

I met Jeremy Carrol, Latitude co-founder, in the dinner line on the first evening. What began as a casual conversation quickly turned into something more profound. We connected deeply over their mission-driven work and Latitude’s belief in business being a force for good — an idea that truly resonated with me. Jeremy and Krista were inspired by my story: the journey of a lifelong learner, driven by passion and hunger to turn my vision into impactful work. We talked about how my origin story as a Somali immigrant had shaped my ambitions and how it aligned with Latitude’s values. That connection would soon become the foundation for an incredible opportunity to tell meaningful stories through design at Latitude. 

The next day at lunch, I wanted to showcase my portfolio — not just to Jeremy and Krista but also to other professionals I had met during Design Camp. It was during this smaller, more intimate gathering that I shared my portfolio and design vision and how I wanted to use it as a way to inspire others.

After lunch I started talking with Krista and Jeremy. Not about design – but our back stories. Theirs in the incredible 15 years of work they’ve done with international causes around the world, and mine as a Somali immigrant starting a new life and a new career. It was that conversation that started everything for me – and a chance to tell stories through design at Latitude.

Fast forward to this year, and North House, Latitude’s home base, just hosted the 2024 Design Camp. I sometimes joke, did the event follow me here? It was fantastic mixing with creatives and I told some of the students attending the most important thing I have learned in my career to date: “never let your struggles be a barrier. Don’t wait to start conversations. Your story really can be your superpower and it can transform opportunities in ways you might never expect.”

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