Broadening Opportunities and Participation; Learning from the Public Sector

Our November 6 panelists discussed how their institutions of higher education (both public and private) are working to increase minority and women participation in their capital projects. The conversation highlighted barriers and possible solutions. Questions included the extent that we as designers have a responsibility to lead our clients toward better practices and a more diverse team. This second panel turns toward the public sector, which has generally been ahead of the curve in terms of setting participation targets. Municipalities and public agencies continue to lead the way toward more inclusive designer/contractor selection. But the certification process is cumbersome, and it can be challenging to build truly diverse teams.

Join us on December 11 for the second in a series of conversations about issues of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in design. Leaders from Boston, Cambridge, and the State will talk about various initiatives and give their perspective on current/ aspirational policies. This series is organized by the BSA's EDI Task Force/Advocacy Group.

Panelists:

Celina Barrios-Millner
Director of Equity and Inclusion, Mayor's Office of Economic Development City of Boston

Liz Unger
Purchasing Agent, City of Cambridge

Liz Minnis
Deputy Commissioner for Planning, DCAMM

Luciana Burdi
Deputy Director for Capital Programs and Environmental Affairs, MassPort

Moderator:

Katie Faulkner
Principal/Founder, WestFaulkner