by: AIANY Women in Architecture Committee
The American Institute of Architects New York (AIANY) Women in Architecture Committee’s stated mission is to develop and promote women architects. In light of the recent allegations in the media, we support the women in our industry who have the courage to come forward to share their experiences of sexual assault and harassment. It is our objective to bring awareness of this issue, not just to denounce unacceptable conduct in our professional community, but to foster change to the culture which has allowed these incidents to occur. Unjust causes ranging from abuse of power to unconscious bias exist within an environment that encourages personal sacrifice to an unhealthy degree. We are here to change that.
The currently emerging dialogue in the media, institutions, and in our workplaces is necessary as we move to positively shape the future of our profession. Every architect should start, or continue, to have these conversations so that all the talented minds are harnessed to ultimately improve the field of architecture. Conscientious collaboration with our peers and colleagues in making meaningful changes to office policies can affect everyone in the workplace by developing an equitable environment.
WIA is planning future events to bring valuable information to women architects, empowering and elevating our positions as mentors, advocates, and leaders. The AIANY Women in Architecture Committee will also be collaborating with AIANY on programming about these issues. We welcome everyone from all sectors of our industry to join us in formulating solutions to end the harassment, bullying, discrimination, and disenfranchisement.
There may be differences of opinion about how individuals can move forward, but we should continue the dialogue and move in a positive direction. We encourage you to share your feedback at WIA@aiany.org.