Youth. Creative. agency.

+ Bio

Quardean Lewis-Allen is the Founder and Executive Director of Youth Design Center (YDC), an award-winning nonprofit creative agency and workforce development organization rooted in Brownsville, Brooklyn. Through YDC and The Corner by YDC, he has spent more than a decade building pathways for young people to access careers in design, technology, media, architecture, fabrication, and the creative economy.

Originally founded as Made in Brownsville, YDC was created to address the lack of equitable access to creative and technical career opportunities for young people in historically underinvested communities. Under Quardean’s leadership, the organization has evolved into a multidisciplinary hub that combines paid apprenticeships, industry-connected training, public space design, digital media production, fabrication, and community-centered innovation.

Quardean’s work sits at the intersection of design, youth development, technology, and economic mobility. He has led partnerships and projects with organizations including Comcast NBCUniversal, JPMorgan Chase, Target, IDEO.org, and Meta, alongside numerous public agencies, cultural institutions, educational institutions, and design firms. His leadership has helped YDC engage more than 1,000 young people through hands-on creative learning, workforce preparation, and paid project-based experiences.

A trained architectural designer, Quardean earned a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University at Buffalo and a Master of Architecture from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. He has also served as an adjunct lecturer and mentor, including roles at The City College of New York and NYU Tisch School of the Arts’ Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP), where he served as a Human-in-Residence Fellow.

Quardean is an Echoing Green Fellow, and his work and leadership have been recognized nationally through honors including Forbes 30 Under 30, Crain’s New York Business 40 Under 40, and the Brooklyn Org Spark Prize. Under his leadership, YDC has also received recognition including an Anthem Award for its impact-driven work at the intersection of creativity, community, and youth opportunity. Projects developed through YDC have been featured by The New York Times, Fast Company, Forbes, BuzzFeed, and exhibited through institutions including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and Carnegie Hall.

Today, Quardean continues to lead YDC’s vision of building community-rooted creative infrastructure that prepares the next generation of designers, technologists, storytellers, and civic leaders while expanding access to meaningful career pathways in Brooklyn and beyond.

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Ariel Portillo is a dedicated Media Producer with a strong foundation in graphic design, audio, and video production. Known for a collaborative spirit and a passion for helping others, they thrive in team environments where creativity and learning go hand in hand. With a deep interest in storytelling and visual communication, Ariel is committed to producing meaningful, high-quality media that engages and inspires.

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Six joins Youth Design Center as a multi-medium design instructor. He brings a passion for all things visual, curiosity, and compassion to the classroom. A Parsons graduate, he brings extensive knowledge of various mediums from animation to sound design, with 10 years of industry experience. He strives to nurture a collaborative, encouraging, and playful environment where students can not only learn design skills but also grow into their best selves as young individuals.