Felicia Williams’ Black Hound: How Travel, Art & Tech Inspire Ethical Storytelling

Discover how Felicia Williams, a UX design expert and Google director, launched Black Hound to connect travelers, artisans, and ethical storytelling through handcrafted goods

From Tech Leader to Storyteller: Felicia Williams’ Journey

In today's world, where traveling has been reduced to sharing Instagram  snapshots and social media feeds, Felicia Williams carved a space where every handcrafted object holds a deep story and a journey into different cultures.

Felicia developed a platform, Black Hound, to promote travel and lifestyle. Black Hound celebrates and embraces the beauty of global craftsmanship through story-sharing by travelers and artisans worldwide.

However, her journey didn't start with showcasing artisan markets or handcrafted goods. She began her journey through her wide knowledge of technology and design.

Her deep passion for technology and design was evident from a tender age. She was often captivated by the functionality of art, and therefore, she went further to study design and technology. Felicia's academic career equips her with the right skills and knowledge. With this, she set her vision rolling by jumping right into the creation of the Black Hound.

Felicia is a highly experienced UX designer with a top career in the tech industry.

Presently, she's the UX Director for Google. She handles the design strategies that define how the millions of people who use Google interact with the technology daily.

Before Google, she served as Design Director at Twitter (now X) .  She was in charge of creating a seamless user experience for Twitter.

Additionally, she has worked with social media platforms like Facebook  , where she was the Creative Strategist. Here, she developed an innovative design blending data-driven insights to enhance the digital experience.

Felicia's ability to combine storytelling, design, and strategic creativity has earned her a respectable place as one of the leading black women in tech. She thrives through making apps feel human, intuitive, and emotionally connected.

But even with her success in Silicon Valley, Felicia felt a pull toward something more personal. She has found a way to connect with the world beyond screens.

One time, while talking about the inspiration behind Black Hound, Felicia mentioned, " I wanted to create a space where the stories of travelers and artisans converge, offering unique pieces that carry the essence of their origins."

The Birth of Black Hound: Where Travel Meets Storytelling

One of the striking experiences that influenced Felicia's desire to build a platform such as Black Hound was a 72-hour bus journey. This journey tested her resilience and patience and opened her mind to appreciate the diverse travel narratives that traveling individuals carried. She envisioned a platform where every personal travel story was documented and preserved.

Felicia Williams launched her platform, Black Hound, in 2020. A lifestyle and travel brand with the mission to create beautiful objects from all over the world while sharing the unique experiences and stories of the artisans and travelers behind it.

Felicia believes that Black Hound isn't just an online marketplace for selling handcrafted goods but a tool for celebrating cultural diversities and exchange. A platform that can showcase the creativity of artisans from all over the world while also giving travelers to share their journey and inspiring stories about the objects they collect.

What makes Black Hound special? Handmade Craftsmanship and Cultural Storytelling

1. Curated Collections with a Story:

Every item showcased on the Black Hound platform has a story and narrative. It doesn't matter if it's a handwoven basket from a Ghanian artisan or a piece of art or pottery from a remote village in Japan; all Felicia's pieces highlight the person, tradition, and history behind it.

2. Connecting Artisans and Travelers:

Interestingly, Black Hound is not just a buy-and-sell platform; it serves as a link to connect buyers and makers. Felicia has made this possible through blog posts, video interviews, and interactive events; artisans get their voices up while customers connect to the artisans, especially the art, on a deeper level.

3. Sustainability and Ethical Sourcing:

Through Black Hound, Felicia encourages support for local economies and the preservation of traditional craftsmanship. She does this through ethical sourcing, collaborating with artisans and cooperatives to engage in environmentally friendly practices.

4. Immersive Travel Experiences:

Black Hound occasionally sets up immersive travel experiences. It is when they invite a small group of travelers, sellers, and artisans to allow them to explore creativity in other parts of the world. For instance, fabric dyeing is best done in Morocco while Peru artisans are the best clay sculptures. Traveling to any of these countries will give travelers a lifetime experience. 

Blending Art and Tech: Felicia’s Unique Approach to Design and Storytelling

One of the major reasons Black Hound is highly innovative, is how it seamlessly combines tech and design into art and travel.

Her knowledge as a UX designer gives her an edge. She understands the power of human-centered design. She believes that every physical or digital design must be built with empathy while showcasing storytelling at the center.

With Black Hound, Felicia has applied these same principles:

She designs a seamless online experience for customers, ensuring that browsing the site feels like stepping into a beautifully curated art gallery.

The brand's content strategy reflects her design background by combining high-quality visuals, intuitive navigation, and compelling storytelling.

She uses her tech experience to amplify artisan voices, leveraging digital tools to create interactive product pages and behind-the-scenes videos highlighting the creative process. 

In her words:

"Design isn't just about aesthetics — it's about storytelling. Whether I'm designing an app or curating a collection for Black Hound, the goal is always the same: to create an emotional connection."

Setting up a brand such as Black Hound came with several challenges.

At first, Felicia strived to bridge the gap between artisans living in remote areas and connecting to a global audience beyond just setting up a beautiful website.

She has worked tirelessly to build a direct connection between artisans worldwide, ensuring her space is fair and supporting authentic representation and mutual respect.

Aside from that, she had to combine designs, economics, and commerce into one space. She leveraged her experience as a UX designer while working for brands like Google, Facebook, and Twitter and created a perfect, good-looking, inclusive, and efficient platform.

Felicia has created secure payment gateways and a user-friendly interface, mirroring the major tech platforms while preserving Black Hound's handmade essence.

Reflecting on her biggest takeaway from Black Hound, Felicia said;

"Technology and tradition don't have to clash — they can complement each other. With Black Hound, I'm using digital tools to elevate ancient art forms."

For a deeper insight into her philosophy and experiences, you can find her TEDx talk on Finding Your Recipe For Embracing What's Different 

Recognition and Influence

Felicia's contribution to the tech world has not gone unnoticed. She has been featured on global and publications platforms, including Refinery29 and Porter Magazine, where her dual impact in tech and lifestyle sectors was highlighted.

What’s Next for Black Hound? Felicia’s Vision for the Future

For Felicia, her vision for Black Hound is both inspiring and daring.

She plans to:

• Expand Artisan Partnerships: Black Hound will grow its global network and partner with more artisans from different continents like Africa, Asia, South America, and beyond.
• Launch Virtual Artisan Workshops:

Through her tech background, she wants to build a platform where all workshops are live streamed such that customers can connect and learn from artisans through pottery classes and embroidery tutorials.

• Introduce Augmented Reality (AR): Through AR, customers will now have the opportunity to preview handcrafted goods and picture how they would blend into their home's interior design after purchase. Through AR technology, this will become a reality.
• Create a Digital Story Archive: As time passes, Black Hound hopes to build an online storytelling platform where travelers and artisans can write about their journeys and highlight their creative processes. This way, cultural narratives are preserved for future generations.

She has carved a beautiful path in the tech industry and built a platform that amplifies the voices worldwide through Black Hound.

Felicia's ultimate goal is to build a powerful global storytelling platform that conveys empathy, creativity, and cross-cultural understanding, proving that every object has a story and the power to connect us.

You can join the Black Hound Movement to create and tell your travel story today.

Felicia Williams’ story is a timely reminder that art, travel, and technology can be combined to something truly meaningful and entirely out of the ordinary.

Black Hound isn't just about buying beautiful handcrafted art. It's more about building connections, supporting artisans, and preserving the rich global cross-cultural narratives.

If you're a traveler, a lover of art, or someone who values ethical sourcing and cultural storytelling, Black Hound is a platform for you.

Know that every object has a journey, which deserves to be documented, told, and passed on from generation to generation.

I'm sure the next time you pick up a handcrafted object from Black Hound, you'll remember the hands that made it, the stories it holds, and the journey it took.