SOLD OUT: BLM + Architecture: A conversation about race and equity in architecture
This Town Hall is SOLD OUT! The event will be available on video within 24 hours.
A conversation about race and equity in architecture.
“You are not a profession that has distinguished itself by your social and civic contributions to the cause of civil rights . . . You are most distinguished by your thunderous silence.”
Since Whitney Young called out the professional architecture community with this statement at the AIA National Convention in 1968 for our lack of a stance in shaping equitable communities, what progress have we made? AIA East Bay along with local representatives from SFNOMA will host a town hall on how the profession has evolved since then, and what we are doing to move the needle on Black engagement in the profession. AIA East Bay’s vast region, spanning from Fairfield to Fremont, is arguably one of the most diverse populations in the county, yet that is not reflected in the profession nor in the membership of the AIA chapter.
We’ll talk with local leaders on what we can do to support and engage our communities, and start the conversation.
Panelists:
- Leopold Ray-Lynch, AIA, NOMA Vice President West Region
Principal, WLC Architects, Inc; @wlcarchitects - Lauren Jordan, AIA, NOMA, LEED AP ID+C
Project Architect, HOK; @lojordanLauren Jordan is a licensed architect in the state of California with a focus on commercial architecture, commercial interiors, and rehabilitation of existing buildings. Lauren was born and raised on the island of Manhattan in New York City which prompted and cultivated her love of the built environment and her thirst to alleviate the impact of existing buildings on the natural environment. She graduated Cornell University’s school of Architecture with a Bachelor of Architecture, and has been working in the Bay Area since 2012. Lauren Jordan is a project architect at HOK and leads the technical team for corporate and commercial interiors projects.
- June A. Grant, RA NOMA, SFNOMA president
Principal @blinklabarchitecture
President @sf_nomaJune A. Grant, RA, NOMA, is Founder and Design Principal at blink!LAB architecture; a boutique research-based architecture and urban design practice. Blink!LAB is 20 years experience in architecture, design and urban regeneration of cities and communities. Ms. Grant’s approach rests on an avid belief in cultural empathy, data research and new technologies as integral to design futures and design solutions.
blink!LAB has three mandates – A commitment to Design Exploration, Advocacy for Holistic Solutions and the Integration of Technology as a central component for a regenerative society.
Ms. Grant is also the current President of the San Francisco Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects (SFNOMA); a twelve year-old organization where members include Architects, Interior Designers, Urban Planners, Landscape Architects, Policy Advocates and Activists implementing the SFNOMA mission: Design to Empower, Educate and foster Economic growth in under-served communities.
- Prescott Reavis, NOMA, LEED AP, SEED, NCARB
Principal Anomili Design + Planning
SFNOMA Project Pipeline Director + Instructor; @skibisonPrescott Reavis is an Oakland based Spatial Activist, architect, planner, and an award-winning educator who has merged over 20 years of experience in architecture, planning, and education to develop and construct inclusive communities internationally with a focus on equitable design and planning justice. Prescott leads, Anomili Design + Planning, providing community engagement, planning, design and youth design education for non-profits, small business, and community-based organizations, projects include Planning, Design and Community Engagement for The Oakland Black Cultural Zone, Community Planning/Education with The Center for Cities + Schools at UC Berkeley, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation.
- Jeremiah Tolbert, AIA, LEED AP
Principal Jeremiah Tolbert Architects
Former President AIA East BayJeremiah Tolbert,II, AIA, LEED AP is the founding principal of Tolbert Architects Inc. which has developed a reputation for designing a range of major public and private buildings, high-tech/startup tenant improvements, university and institutional projects, and high-end custom homes.
He is a graduate of the University of California Berkeley and is the past President of the American Institute of Architects East Bay chapter where he resided over the third largest chapter in the state of California as the youngest president the board ever had. He is a former teacher of the ARE's (Architecture Registration Exams) and promotes education on vital design topics in the community as well as supports outreach for current and aspiring architects. During his presidency, he started an annual week long Architecture Youth Camp where he introduces architecture to underrepresented youth of color in the Bay Area. He has been the personal architect to Silicon Valley Developer John Arrillaga Sr. for over 10 years and has done over 110 million dollars worth of work for his personal and philanthropic foundation. Prior to starting his own firm in 2010, he worked at a design firm in San Francisco, CA. He currently sits on three non-profit advisory boards; Fam1st Family Foundation, Self-eSTEM, and Coalition of Black Excellence. All three non-profits promotes opportunities through education and exposure to empower communities of color.
Moderator:
- Devi Dutta-Choudhury, AIA, AIA-EB board chair
Principal, Devi Dutta Architecture; @devi.dutta.architecture
President, @aiaebDevi has been studying, designing, and thinking about architecture for the last twenty-five years. She attended Tulane University and UCLA’s architecture programs, where she received her two masters degrees in architecture. She’s lived in varied environments, from rural Himalayan villages to the suburban American south, and credits this experience with shaping her understanding of design and how people live. She started her own full-service architecture practice Devi Dutta Architecture in 2009 and enjoys working on a range of project types from larger multi-family and commercial projects down to neighborhood coffee shops. Roost Books is publishing her forthcoming book on home improvement.
Schedule:
- 5 Minute – Welcome and Introductions
- 25 Minute – Panel discussion for framework of the conversation
- 55 Minute – Open Q&A
- 5 Minute – Wrap Up
Responses