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What Uplift Is
Uplift is a social career network™ that helps designers grow through connection, guidance, and opportunity. Unlike traditional mentorship, which usually means one long-term match, Uplift lets designers connect with multiple professionals for feedback, advice, and support. These connections build skills, confidence, and visibility — increasing the chances of being seen when opportunities arise.
Why Uplift Exists
The design job market is more competitive than ever. Roles are scarce, and many positions are filled through networks, not postings. Portfolios alone aren’t enough—access to strong professional connections often determines who gets noticed.
For too many designers from underrepresented backgrounds, those networks have historically been out of reach. Uplift exists to close that gap by creating a community where professionals share time, knowledge, and perspective so the next generation of design talent can grow and thrive. While Uplift is open to all, in practice it primarily serves Black and Brown designers of color—those who have been most excluded from the design industry.
Our Origins
Uplift began inside Inneract Project (IP), a nonprofit founded over 20 years ago by Maurice Woods, a design leader with more than 25 years of experience in product design, branding, and education. Maurice has dedicated his career to expanding opportunity for emerging designers and continues that work today through Uplift.
In 2020, IP's volunteer-led Design Advocacy & Engagement team — designers Anu Murthy, Paolo Ertreo, Fritz Riha, and engineer Theresa Ma — started Interview Prep, the first version of Uplift, starting with an online public Google Sheet posted on LinkedIn. The project paired emerging designers with professionals for interview practice. The overwhelming response revealed a bigger truth: designers didn't just need help preparing portfolios — they needed access to networks. That insight became the foundation for Uplift.
Current Product Team
Uplift is led by Maurice Woods, who oversees design and product. He works with Abdulsamii Ajala (Engineer) and Ada Runge (Community Coordinator) to continue building the platform alongside the community it serves.
