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June 17, 2021New Architecture for Justice Committee Co-Chairs
As part of AIA New York’s commitment to re-envision the Architecture for Justice Committee to help mitigate the intrinsic racism of the American criminal justice system, we are pleased to announce the committee’s new leadership: Motoko Shoboji and Emmanuel Oni.
Motoko Shoboji is Senior Project Manager, Public Buildings for the NYC Department of Design and Construction and a recent alumni of the AIANY Civic Leadership Program. Her work includes overseeing major capital projects and improving the agency’s operating procedures.
Emmanuel Oni is a Community Design Fellow for the NYC Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, where he helps develop and document multi-agency placemaking strategies that support neighborhood safety and well-being.
The developing goals for the committee are to address long-standing issues in design processes while unpacking the architect’s role in communicating spatial justice issues to all stakeholders; encouraging inward reflection within the architectural profession to examine how we teach, practice and organize; and fostering dialogue between individuals across diverse professions and backgrounds regardless of the positions they take.
Moving forward, the committee will begin organizing meetings and events that welcomes a diverse community of design and justice professionals, as well as all individuals who are interested in transforming or impacted by the criminal justice system. Please stay tuned for new meeting dates coming soon.
Architecture for Justice
Among the action items outlined in AIA New York's September 2020 position statement on the Criminal Justice System was the re-envisioning of the AIANY Architecture for Justice Committee. The newly launched committee will develop programming and advocacy to help mitigate the intrinsic racism within the American criminal justice system, with a particular focus on exploring architecture’s role in oppression. We anticipate that the committee’s efforts will explore how architecture and architects can affect broader social justice goals.