Racial Justice Town Hall
Now, more than ever, architects must examine our roles—as individuals, and as a collective—to determine how we change our profession and its structures to achieve racial justice. The time for urgent action is long overdue, and we can’t afford to fall by the wayside.
Please join AIA Seattle, Diversity Roundtable, NOMA NW, Planning in Color, and University of Washington College of the Built Environment as we convene a series of action- and outcomes-oriented discussions about the role of architects and their peers pursuing racial justice. For this discussion, we pose the question to our community: What are the topics we need to focus our time and energy on to no longer perpetuate systemic racism within the profession and as design professionals?
From this first meeting, we aim to gather at least six topics for discussion and action in our profession. Over the next year, we will convene a focused discussion on each of these topics, and work together to articulate specific actions needed to achieve our goals for racial equity.
Real change for racial equity has been previously halting or nonexistent within the architectural profession. We are asking participants to commit to attend multiple of these programs over the next year, and enact the ideas surfaced in your own offices, on your projects, and in the community.
Program Schedule
4:30-5:00pm – Introduction, speaker lightining talks
5:00-6:00pm – Facilitated breakout groups
6:00-6:30pm – Breakout group reporting
To catalyze the discussion, we will have five members of our community who have long been engaged in these conversations share what they see as the most urgent actions needed.
Speakers
Meredith Everist AIA, Principal, Baylis Architects; President, Board of Directors, AIA Seattle
Leon Holloway, Project Architect, DLR Group; President, NOMA Northwest
Stephanie Velasco, Strategic Advisor, City of Seattle Office of Housing; Planning in Color Steering Committee
Whitney Lewis Assoc. AIA, Designer II, GGLO; Co-Chair, Diversity Roundtable; AIA Seattle Membership Steering Committee
Marijana Misic AIA, Architect, Mahlum; Co-Chair, Diversity Roundtable
Renée Cheng FAIA, Dean, University of Washington College of the Built Environment
Facilitator
Rico Quirindongo AIA, Principal, DLR Group; former President, AIA Seattle Board of Directors
**Additional space has been made available for this program. Click below to register!
Click here for the complete program agenda. Notes will be added after the program’s conclusion.
Recording of lightning talks for viewing.
Notes from attendee chatbox discussion.
Notes from breakout groups.
Attendees will receive a link and call-in number to join the program upon registration. Contact Member Engagement Manager Connor Descheemaker with questions or concerns.
