This week’s elections weigh heavily on all of us. Regardless of our political preferences, we believe there is tremendous work to focus on toward making a resilient, equitable, just, and architecturally vibrant city and region.

At the third annual Housing Innovation Workshop, “Distributed Density: Middle-Scale Housing for Sustainable Communities'', participants were asked to apply an anti-racist lens to their proposed solutions and strategies to address the ways in which racially exclusionary policies have materialized as barriers to the creation of multifamily housing today.

The BSA EDI Network is proud to release a collection of firm sample policies, practices, and procedures for reference while shaping your own policies to encourage equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace. All are invited to reference these firm policies in updating your procedures to establish a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace.

Congratulations to the 2020 recipients of the Women in Design Award of Excellence Kathryn Crockett AIA, LEED AP; Lynne Deninger AIA, LEED AP BD+C; and Cheri Ruane, FASLA.

Conversations about racial equity have stimulated new ways of thinking about diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. As architects, we have substantial work to do within our own profession to include, mentor, sponsor, and provide leadership opportunities for BIPOC architects. Our contributions to our clients, our communities, and our world suffer because of the narrow breadth of viewpoints and life experiences within our profession. We need to act now. Please be one the voices to help us create meaningful change.

The BSA’s Race and Architecture series kicked off in July with an engaging town hall featuring a panel of Black architects. Following the town hall, the BSA introduced a new visual identity for the series, created by a diverse group of talented teenage graphic designers in partnership with Artists for Humanity. The series continued with M. David Lee FAIA furthering the discussion on barriers to equity and inclusion within the industry.

The BSA is proud to share the Equity in Practice Resource Guide. This document is a resource of shared information for architects and architecture firms to help create a more equitable profession.

During the first installment of the BSA’s Race and Architecture series, Black architects discussed their experience in the profession in a town hall hosted by Natasha Espada AIA and moderated by Greg Minott AIA.