Justice and Equity for Diversity & Inclusion - AIA Seattle

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The goal of this group is to provide guidance, advice and accountability. To survey everything we do at AIA Seattle through the lens of our JEDI goals.

AIA Seattle is committed to identifying, naming, and dismantling systemic discrimination within the architecture community in order to nurture universal inclusion and fairness in the built environment, for the communities we impact, both locally and nationally.

What We Do

The JE:DI Council is a resource to the board, staff and committee leaders of AIA Seattle in the planning and execution of programs and services for AIA members and the public, as related to the topics of justice, diversity, inclusion and equity.

Goals and Areas of Action

Access to the Profession
Relationship Building
Continuing Education Training
Advocacy
AIA Seattle – The Organization

How to Get Involved

Architects choose this profession out of a passion to make our communities better. Never has that urge been more important. We can and must act to make a difference — through our commitment to anti-racism, our design work, our intercultural understanding, our community leadership, and our workplace practices. We must begin by listening to the diverse communities we serve.

We accept the hard work ahead and take it on with humility. Please help us. Add to our learning and our dialogue with your thoughts and ideas. Speak up where you believe we should be better.

JE:DI Council members are appointed by the Council Chairs; the group is comprised of 7-8 AIA members in good standing that represent the diversity of membership. Please contact the Council Chairs to be considered.

Updates from the JE:DI Council

2024 in Review:
in 2024, the group advanced its Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Real Life (JEDI IRL) series in partnership with AIA Northern Virginia Women in Design, expanding the program to bring fresh perspectives from across the United States. AIA Seattle led the first in a four-part series, followed by sessions hosted by AIA Connecticut, NOMA Arizona + AIA Phoenix Metro, and AIA St. Louis. Additionally, the Council prioritized strengthening support for the Member Advancement Committee by working with the National Ethics Council to vet candidates for leadership positions. Early in the year, the group advocated for greater accessibility at the AIA National Architecture and Design Conference. They also joined forces with Diversity Roundtable, Women in Design, and NOMA NW to investigate the impact of gender and race on current layoffs within the architectural community, aiming to spotlight these disproportionate effects and foster awareness.

2023 in Review:
Read a full report of JE:DI Council’s 2023 priorities and accomplishments HERE.

Other Committees and Groups that may be of Interest

Join Women in Design Committee
Join Diversity Roundtable
Join Young Architects Forum
Join Asian American Designers Union
Apply to participate in Laddership
Learn more about NOMA NW

Additional Resources

Readings

The Elephant in the (Well-Designed)Room An Investigation into Bias in the Architecture Profession (AIA National)
Guides for Equitable Practice (AIA National)
Equitable Development Frameworks (AIA National)
Increasing Diversity in Architecture: Barriers to Entry (Architect)
Increasing Diversity in Architecture: Designer-Led Solutions (Architect)
Where Are My People? Hispanic and Latinx in Architecture (ACSA research report)
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Readings (BSA resource list of books and articles)
WID + DRT Conversations Toward an Equitable Practice (recaps of roundtable sessions)
Disability Pride Month: Disability is Broader Than You Think (Psychology Today)
Neurodiversity: Some Basic Terms and Definitions (Neurocosmopolitanism)
Accessibility: A Beginner’s Guide to Fragrance and Chemical Sensitivities (Hedonish)
Food Allergies in the Workplace Are Not Always What They Seem (Forbes)
Virtual Events During Lockdown Are Proof That Greater Accessibility is Possible (Rooted in Rights)
Why All Designers Need to Understand Color Blindness (99 Designs)
Disability Visibility Project (Alice Wong)
Yes We’re Calling It Hispanic Heritage Month And We Know It Makes Some Of You Cringe (NPR)
Without Meaningful Allyship, Hearing People are Doomed to a Never-Ending Cycle of Poor Deaf Awareness (Rooted In Rights)
Design For All: Karen Braitmayer (Architectural Digest)
Campus Design & Planning: DeafSpace (Gallaudet University)
In Palo Alto, a House for Deaf Clients Provides Clarity (Metropolis)
Equity at Work (Mithun)
IT Inclusive Language Guide (University of Washington)

Videos/Webinars

How to Build Equity, Diversity, and Inclusive within Your Architecture Firm with Yiselle Santos Rivera (webinar, produced by Monograph)
Breaking the Silence of Design (vodcast, produced by Karen Compton and Gabrielle Bullock)
Gender, Sexuality, and Disability (Disability Philanthropy webinar)
Down to the Struts: A podcast about disability and design (Qudsiya Naqui)
Prioritizing Equitable Design: Developing Strategies for Accommodating Practices (AIA Chicago)

CEUs

Spotlight on Equity: Architecture in Turbulent Times (AIAU course series)
Inclusive Design Continuing Education (University of Buffalo Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access)
Online Accessibility / Universal Design Courses (AIA California)
Inclusive Design Degree Programs (University of Buffalo)

Policy Resources/How-tos

AIA Seattle Racial Justice Commitments
Creating a Culture of Justice, Equity, and Inclusion for Your Architectural Practice (Perkins & Will whitepaper)
Six Signature Traits of Inclusive Leadership (Deloitte)
Accessible Spaces: A Fragrance-Free Toolkit (UCLA Center for the Study of Women)
Best Practices for Handling Food Allergies in the Workplace (Workplace Diversity)
How Managers Can Support Employees with Chronic Illnesses (Harvard Business Review)
Respectful Interactions: Disability Language and Etiquette (NW ADA Center)
7 Ways to be More Inclusive of People with Invisible Disabilities (Hive Learning)
How We Are Creating a More Just, Equitable, Diverse and Inclusive World: 2021 Update (HKS)
Anti-Racist Design Justice Index (Design As Protest)

Committee

Rio Namiki AIA (chair)
Jingyi Feng AIA, NOMA (chair)
Shweta Sinha AIA (chair)
Leon Holloway AIA, NOMA
Rei Schultz AIA, NOMA
Megan Zeien-Perez AIA

Contact

jedi@aiaseattle.org

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