Next Gen Arch: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Initiative

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. A recent Center for Architecture exhibition, A Call to Act(ivism); Echoing Whitney Young, 50 Years Later, 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. 

Download exhibition opening remarks by Whitney Young’s daughter, Marcia Y. Cantarella, PhD.

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• AIANY’s Whitney M. Young Jr. Exhibit Calls Architects to Action