Diversity and Inclusion

We cordially invite you to join the AIANY Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Our next meeting will be held through Zoom on Tuesday, July 2, 2024 at 6:30 pm. See calendar.aiany.org for access information.

All welcome!

Questions? Please email the Co-Chairs!

Civil rights activist Whitney M. Young, Jr’s critical keynote address at the 1968 AIA Convention in Portland, Oregon challenged architects to address issues of diversity and social responsibility in the profession. Young called out architects for their “thunderous silence” in the face of entrenched inequalities across American cities. 50 years following the speech, the profession still has a long way to go. The exhibition A Call to Act(ivism): Echoing Whitney Young, 50 Years Later, on view July 10, 2018–September 15, 2018 and organized by the AIANY Diversity and Inclusion Committee, assessed the current state of our profession against the historic backdrop of Young’s speech, exploring current data and presenting calls to activism by industry leaders.

We are thrilled to announce that three of AIANY Diversity and Inclusion Committee’s past and present co-chairs were featured in an exhibit at the United Nations Headquarters in New York! Architect/Activists Danei Cesario, Venesa Alicea, and Mark Gardner are among the distinguished NycobaNOMA members who highlighted their projects, experiences and guidance for emerging professionals that also aimed to build a more collaborative society. The exhibit, “Triumphs and Struggles for Freedom and Equality”, is an extension of Say It Loud and was open to the public from March 5th through March 28th. Opening remarks were given by current committee co-chair Danei Cesario at the Exhibit Ceremony to an audience including the NGO community, diplomats and United Nations officials.

In honor of Women’s History Month, the AIANY Diversity and Inclusion Committee convened a panel of esteemed women in the design industry to discuss their contributions to the built environment and the profession. Speakers also explored the varied experiences of being a woman in the architecture profession, touching on workplace dynamics, career trajectories, and personal lives. Firm leaders provided insight on tools women can use to equip themselves at every stage of career progression.

Event: Unsung Protagonists: The Power of Women in 21st Century Architecture

This panel discussion spotlighted historical spaces created around Black communities as part of their experience in New York City and other regions in America. Professor Scott Ruff presented his research “African-American Spatial Mythos in New York City”, which work reflects on African-American urban enclaves and the role of cultural collective spaces as sites of sanctuary, celebration, and activism. Architect Roberta Washington presented research that retraces structures and spaces that fostered African-American captivity, activism, and eventual emancipation. Both presentations were followed by an illuminating conversation moderated by Professor and Architect Mark Gardner.

Event: A Legacy of Contribution: African-American Spatial Mythos in New York City