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High Point by Design, an organization with the mission of making the North Carolina city a year-round destination, has tapped Marie Cloud, principal of Charlotte-based Indigo Pruitt Design Studio, as its first diversity and inclusion officer.

These topics have always been part of our narrative, but to be honest, there werent specific actions behind them, says Tom Van Dessel, the chairman of HPxD. We began having conversations with Marie earlier this summer, and she displayed her passion for being a spokesperson and an ambassador for diversity in the industry. Those talks led to us eventually asking if she had time to serve on our board and to help us develop specific, intentional actions around diversity and inclusion.

High Point x Design (HPxD) was founded in 2020, born out of like-minded showroom owners and local industry entrepreneurs meeting amid the cancellation of that springs High Point Market to chart a path toward opening the towns showrooms in a more consistent manner. Initially a consortium of fewer than two dozen businesses, the organizations membership swelled to more than 50 companies in February, when it merged with the High Point Showroom Association, which had been hosting its own events to drive showroom traffic off-Market.

The relationship between HPxD and Cloud began at a panel event earlier this summer. The designer, who started her business in 2017 after a four-year stint at Sherwin-Williams, has always made community engagement a priority in her work. I want to branch off with my business so that my hands and my talents are actually contributing to the community in a way that is tangible, she told Business of Home in an interview for the 50 States Project series in 2020. During COVID, Ive been dreaming and journaling about what that looks likeand how I can turn that into actually bringing awareness of these issues in the Black community, not just through talking about it on social media, although Ive been very active in that regard, but also: What do we do with these hands of ours?

High Point x Designs board of directors has been taking shape in recent months, with the appointment of fellow North Carolina designer Don Ricardo Massenburg, who joins as design chair to focus on establishing deeper partnerships with the interior design community. But the announcement of Clouds appointment also comes just weeks after the High Point Market Authority and Esteem Media faced a public outcry upon revealing a campaign highlighting 10 design influencers, all of whom were white. Though High Point x Design and the HPMA are separate organizations, their audience of designers and showrooms is largely intertwined. It was really unfortunate, but it also proves what were talking about in our organizationwe need more communication, more intention and more action to affect change, says Van Dessel.

BOH spoke with Cloud to discuss her vision for the role, why she accepted it and how the design industry can create meaningful, lasting change when it comes to race and inclusivity.

How did this role come to be?I attended a panel discussion in June hosted by High Point x Design at the Universal Furniture showroom. At the end, they asked for questions, and I raised my hand and said, Im very excited about all that youre doing. But I have to ask: What intentionality is being placed in this organization in reference to diversity and inclusion? What efforts are you guys putting in place to ensure that is addressed and valued as you continue to grow?

There were various responses and a little dialogue. Afterwards, Kathy Devereux, the communications chair of HPxD, approached me and expressed her appreciation for me asking about that. We stayed in contact and had a phone call where we got to know each other. I wanted to convey the urgency of bringing diversity and inclusion to the table. Its a priority now for a lot of organizations because its trendy and cool, and companies are feeling the pressure. I want to ensure that these organizations are genuinely valuing the importance of diversity and inclusion and understand that diversity means creating a more interesting tapestry for your organization. It is not a trend.

Creating meaningful change, not just checking a box.Absolutely. And honestly, when Kathy and I had the conversation, we werent even talking about a role. She just seemed intrigued by how passionate I was, and she introduced me to HPxD chairman Tom Van Dessel. We spoke several times, and he conveyed to me that hes a part of a board full of changemakers. Outside of the fact that they want to open these showrooms and create opportunities for designers, [he knows] change has to be deeper than that, which aligned with what I was trying to convey from the start. Im all about community and [asking] how we can reflect the community in what were doing. If you go outside of the downtown area in High Point, youre going to see Black people, so its very hypocritical for us to come to High Point two times a year and ask people of color to hold the doors for us as we mosey in and not welcome their opinions and experiences. I said all of that up top, and Tom was very receptive to my thoughts.

As a result of those conversations, we agreed that there needed to be a board position dedicated to this. But I made it clear that if I was to be a part of this, it is not a project. This isnt a little committee where were going to get together and check a box. This needs to be an intentional focus, and we have to start from the leadership downI said, I need your board to be reflective of the diversity that you want to bring. I need your meetings and the people that youre bringing to the table to be reflective. It has to look like the future. It has to look like where youre going.

I dont know exactly what its going to look like in the future, but if you know anything about me, you know that there are going to be a lot of hard and difficult conversations, both inside and outside of High Point x Design. My hope is that we will partner with other organizations and hold them to the same fire that were holding ourselves to. Were going to get very uncomfortable and spend time with people who dont look like us and who dont have the same experiences. I think it is going to be very hard for me to stay within the parameters and boundaries that are probably expected of me, but theres a lot of work to do.

One thing thats interesting about High Point x Design is that the organization is as much about the High Point and North Carolina communities as it is about the design community. How are you thinking about those audiences? One of the things that really intrigued me when I went to the panel discussion during Market in June was all of the newness that is coming to High Point as a city. Theres a lot of new constructionhotels, restaurants, the baseball stadium, and theyre going to do a food hall. And the first thing that came to my mind was, What does this mean for the locals? I can see where this goes: Theres going to be a lot of gentrification, and I foresee a lot of people being overlooked.

My hope is that High Point x Design is going to stretch their arms far and wide beyond the design community, and that theres going to be a presence of change for High Point, North Carolina, and the people that live there. What does that mean? My hope is that were going to spend some time with school administrators, that were going to partner with organizations that maybe arent directly tied to the design community. Its very nuanced, but at the same time, its very simple once you put community and valuing people at the heart of it. It makes decision-making very easy.

Marie Cloud

Have the recent conversations about High Point Market and Esteem Medias all-white influencer tour changed how you view this new role?Its interesting that it happened, because it gave a prime example of what happens when you dont have diverse voices in the room making decisions. That is what happensand to be honest, I dont think they realize the impact of it. Theyre going to see the impact of that decision for a while. Theres a whole community of influencers and bloggers who are calling forfor lack of a better terma boycott of High Point Market, because it does not lend toward Black and Brown faces. And its unfortunate, but thats why these spaces have to be created.

Ive been connecting with various friends that play some diversity and inclusion roles in corporate America, but I feel that Im probably going to be a rebel compared to how these roles typically play out. Because Im going to give it to you straight with no chaser: Were talking about peoples lives and the impact of decision-making. Its crucial, and its so much bigger than design. Thats what I want to keep telling people. And if you dont think so, then you should not be in the room where decisions are made.

Were those discussions disheartening in terms of the change that diversity and inclusion officers are empowered to make?Completely. Based on conversations that Ive had, it just comes up as a check box, like, Lets throw this in the policylets tweak this to meet a quota or to appear more liberal. But you know when its right and you know when its wrong. Or at least, marginalized people do. I know when I feel welcome in a space. I know when my perspective is heard. My hope is that I can create a different feeling and actually cause change. Worst-case scenario, Im going to rock the boat.

What are the basic changes that High Point as a town and design destination needs to make so that it does feel safe and welcoming to all?Theres this word that I use pretty consistently, and thats intentionality. You have to put effort into inclusion and not assume that things are just going to happen organically. In this world, diversity and inclusion do not happen like that. If High Point Market does not root itself in being intentional, creating representation and diversity, and ensuring that the decision-makers are a diverse group, change wont happen.

For example, if you host an event and youre only marketing to the typical white designer, as a Black woman, I dont want to go, because all of your marketing and content is geared toward that particular profile. Thats why its not going to happen organicallyits because we dont feel welcome. So you have to intentionally market toward those people. You have to have conversations with them. And Im not just referring to race, color or creedexperiences matter, as well. We have designers from the full spectrum. You have designers showing up to Market for the very first time, and you have some coming to every single Market. How do you speak to every person and every experience? Some would probably say, Its so hard, or We cant. Yes, you can. Thats what you signed up for. Put the effort in, get the team together and make sure it happens. Theres no excuse.

What is your experience having those kinds of conversations in the design world?Ill give you a specific example. After I asked that question back at Market, there were two individuals that approached me. One was Kathy, and the other one was an individual from the furniture manufacturing world. Between calls and emails when we connected after the panel, I felt as though there was a lot of fluff in their responsesa lot of, Yeah, yeah. I hear you. That was great. We really need to do this. And after those conversations, I was given many promises about following up, but I have not heard from that individual in the four to six months since. That is typical, and it is a practical example of what I mean when I say taking advantage of peoplepeople of colorto utilize what they can produce for your advantage.

Marie Cloud

Theres something so complicated about the position that puts you innot to speak for you, but Id imagine you want them to take action after your conversation and follow through, but getting there also seems to require a lot of one-sided giving.Its very transactionaleven if I can step outside of the discriminatory pieces of it, thats the world we live in. Its very transactional. You do something for me, I do something for you. Its, Let me get as much as I can out of this situation to move my chip forward. Look, at the end of the day, Im not responsible for what you do with what I share with you. I can only own my portion of it. In the end, I know its never going to be fruitful when its not rooted in truth and honesty.

Im so excited to follow what you do in this role.Thank you. I dont really know exactly what this role is going to morph into. What I can say is that I promise to ask very hard, challenging questions and consistently advocate for marginalized people within the design community and advocate for the people of High Point as best as I can. I think I have to ensure that I am creating a pathway for individuals that have not gotten a chance or a seat at the tableto ensure that there is space and a comfy seat for them at that table, that they have space to advance within the industry, and that they are compensated equitably for their expertise and skills. I want to put it all in writing, and then partner with other organizations and encourage them to do the same.

I genuinely believe were better together. I dont want to be in a space that looks just like me. My music, my friend circletheyre diverse, because I feel like Im lacking if I dont stretch myself far and wide across new experiences. Besides the fact that Im a minority, thats where the passion comes from: There really is an appreciation for unity paired with my advocacy for the betterment of my people. Its a topic that is hard for some, and I get why its hard, but the worst thing you could do is not have the conversation. Lets figure this thing out, and lets figure it out together. And it may be hard, but doesnt it feel good when you go through something hard and you get through it? Its the best feeling ever. I dont think well ever get [all the way] there, but were going to work our butts off to make sure that we care about people along the way.

Homepage photo: Marie Cloud | Courtesy of High Point x Design

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Marie Cloud is High Point x Design's first diversity and inclusion officer. Here's what she wants to do - Business of Home