#EQXD2022 JEDI IN ACTION SERIES: ARE Challenge Scholarship Recipients Announced

We are pleased to announce the recipients of the #EQxD2022 ARE Challenge Scholarship Program! Please join us in congratulating each of the 9 recipients on their licensure journey and future advocacy for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.

The Jury consisted of Representatives from our generous scholarship sponsors and AIA SF Committee partners, AIASF Mentorship, and the ARE PACT. The selection was based on a process that excluded the names of applicants and focused solely on the applicants' responses to 3 question prompts.

• How do your cultural background and lived experience influence and contribute to addressing the current challenges of inequities and injustice in the built environment?

• What is the value of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the design of the built environment?

• Fast forward 10-15 years. Describe how you would leverage this opportunity and "pay it forward" to future generations of architects.

The ARE Challenge Scholarship Program recognizes the effort and expense of the architectural licensing process as a barrier to achieving this professional milestone and that it disproportionately affects candidates of historically underrepresented identities in the profession. In light of the extremely challenging and economically unstable conditions that we are collectively facing, Equity by Design has established financial assistance scholarships for licensure candidates with a focus on individuals from historically underrepresented backgrounds in architecture who are eligible to take the ARE exams.

Recipients of the #EQxD2020 ARE Challenge Scholarship will be reimbursed for three (3) ARE Exams (Value $705 per recipient), regardless of pass or fail status.

MEET THE ARE CHALLENGE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS!

Anthony Bituin
Anthony Bituin was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. He received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from the California College of the Arts. His professional experience includes a wide range of project types. Currently, he works on multi-family housing projects for HKIT Architects.

Melanie D’Souza
Melanie D’souza supports Laboratory Planning at HDR-San Francisco. Originally from the coast of Oman, Melanie came to the United States for an architectural education in healthcare design at the University of Kansas. She actively works towards streamlining the path to licensure through her advising roles with NCARB, AIA-SF and HDR-Inc.

Melissa Daniel
Envisioning and realizing programming for diverse populations, Melissa R. Daniel, Assoc. AIA, is a tireless advocate for encouraging and empowering women in architecture. Melissa is an architectural designer in Maryland, and the creator/host of the Architecture is Political Podcast. She is also a recipient of the 2022 AIA Whitney M. Young Jr. Award.

Christine Kim
Christine is a design coordinator and has experience in various project types such as healthcare, workplace, high-end hospitality and residential. She has 9 years of design experience that encompasses 5 years in Architectural/ Interior design, 2 years in LEED consulting, and over 2 years in UI/UX design.

Mariana Mijangos
Mariana Mijangos is queer Mexican American architectural designer working and living in San Francisco. She is interested in vernacular architecture, community housing typologies, world history, and elegant accessible design.

Hirbod Nor
Hirbod graduated with the M.Sc in Public-Health and the Built Environment and M.Arch in 2017 and a certificate in Historic Preservation in 2020 from University of New Mexico. As a teacher, researcher, and designer, He is involved with community-based design, focusing on the relation between design and communities’ systemic wellbeing.

Raisa Soriano
Raisa’s family immigrated to California when she was ten years old. Her family overcame countless adversities, but Raisa is forever grateful for that decision because they have been fortunate enough to have been afforded the privilege for paving the way towards forging their own unique story of the American dream.

Priscilla Woo
Priscilla is an architectural designer who is passionate about the environment. She studied architecture for undergraduate school at Cal and earned her Master in Environmental Building Design at University of Pennsylvania to combine her passion with work. She is currently a designer at HKIT Architects overseeing sustainability integration in projects.

Tiffany Xu
Tiffany Xu is an architectural designer. She earned her M.Arch from Rice University where she received the Darden Thesis Award. She has worked at the offices of Spiegel Aihara Workshop and Jim Jennings Architecture. Her writing has appeared in PLAT, Cite, and the New York Review of Architecture.

THANKS TO OUR #EQXD2022 ARE CHALLENGE SPONSORS

Silver Sponsors - 5000

• HOK

Steel Sponsors - 3500

• Mithun

Bronze Sponsors - 2500

• Gensler

• PYATOK

• SmithGroup

Copper Sponsors - 1500

• Tipping Structural Engineers

• Walker Warner

• Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings

• Leddy Maytum Stacy

ARE Challenge 360 - Lessons Learned on the Path to Licensure

by Jenn Hamrick with Introduction by Rosa Sheng, FAIA and contributions from SIobhan Glass

In preparing for our upcoming second virtual session of the series - The JE:DI Agenda in Action #2  ARE Challenge ‘360’ : Overcoming barriers to licensure next Friday, February 4, 2022 (12-2pm PST) - we convened with the recipients of last year’s ARE Challenge Scholarship to reflect on the past year and learn where each person is on their licensure journey. While many had diverse experiences both in their careers and licensure progress, we found some consistent lessons learned that would benefit current and future ARE licensure candidates. As those in the profession can likely agree, the licensure process is often a lonely and obstacle filled path to navigate in the changing landscape of successfully acquiring hours that qualify towards NCARB’s AXP (Architectural Experience Program). Additionally, candidates have faced unprecedented hurdles in the past two years that have made it difficult to gain program experience due to a variety of challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Navigating the Path to Licensure - NCARB By the Numbers 2021

The NCARB by the Numbers 2021 is a great resource in highlighting the ongoing challenges and barriers towards licensure - in particular for candidates of color.

When we asked what the AIASF, Equity by Design, and partnering Committees could do to support ARE candidates in the future, the group offered the following suggestions that we will be exploring to improve our commitment to the future of the Architecture profession.

• Expanding the Scholarship to be more like a flexible spending stipend towards ARE Exam, study material and test exams.

• Provide a companion mentoring paired with the scholarship that involves meeting with AIASF Equity by Design or partnering Committee members to discuss challenges and get advice.

• Be introduced and get contact information for the other ARE Challenge recipients to form study groups, resource sharing and general support network.

• Extend the time period that the ARE Challenge funds can be used towards the exam, especially for personal hardships during the pandemic.

ARE CHALLENGE SCHOLARSHIP 2022 RECIPIENTS

Much thanks to all our ARE Challenge 2021 recipients for the feedback above. Special gratitude to Jenn Hamrick for the following blog post on lessons learned and a comprehensive and candid resource guide that she compiled to share the current and future candidates. We hope that this will help support you in your journey to licensure and we look forward to a deep dive conversation next week. 

---

My Lessons Learned on the Path to Licensure

I’m sharing with you a collection of sources I’ve used to pass the ARE’s, hopefully this will be helpful to you on your journey. The study guides listed were found through perusing NCARB’s ARE5.0 Community Boards (which I highly recommend, everyone has some pretty wonderful advice on navigating the mountain of content). When you get to PPD and PDD, I created an intensive study matrix of all the material recommended (if only I had thought to do the same for the other exams it would have been so much easier!). Spend some time before studying to figure out which study format works best for you. In my case it was breaking each one down into specific topics.

There were several paid sources I also utilized:

Hyperfine- Guided study courses on each division ($40 each) I mostly used this for PA, PPD, and PDD.

Kevin Griendling’s Courses on Pluralsight - Nicely done video presentations ($30/month)

Amber Book - This video course is probably my favorite. Very well animated in a way that really helps you be interested and retain the content. They also have an Amber Book Group: 40 Seconds of Competence Facebook group where you can ask each other questions, and every Thursday they have a free 40 Minutes of Competence zoom presentation going over a topic with Q&A. Amber book is a bit pricey, but you can get it for a reduced rate if you sign up with 5 other people. He often gives out a promo code at the end of his presentations, and you can easily find others to sign up asking on the FB or the NCARB Community Board. (The goal here is to cram hard and not have to need the service for more than a couple months). They just released practice exams, which I found pretty helpful.

Black Spectacles - This video format didn’t really appeal to me, but the practice exams were the best I’ve seen and look exactly like the actual exam. Helpful if you can afford it or can get your firm to cover it. (I didn’t use it for every exam because of the high cost)

ArchiPrep - The AIA just released their own official ARE study resource. ($35/mo) Lots of repetition, works well on mobile format while out of the house. I only used this for the last 3 tests, but the price was right and it had some content I didn’t see pop up from my other sources.

Ballast’s ARE5 Review Manual, but found it more efficient to go over my other sources first and then skim this one. Ballast goes way more in depth in some areas than seemed strictly necessary (I hardly used it at all for PPD and PDD) I personally didn’t like their practice problems at all and didn’t use them. 

ARE in a Flash flashcards were super helpful. (PPI is having a sale going on until Jan 31st 

Elif Bayram’s Practice Exams (some are paid, but lots are free)

Michael Hanahan - Schiff Hardin Lectures - Vital for understanding the AIA documents

WeARE - Quizzes broken down by objective per exam, plus additional full length exams.

Here are some other’s that have FREE content:

NCARB’s ARE 5.0 Handbook - This is a good starting point and includes their Reference Matrix listing all of the resources they’ve pulled from in creating the test content. 

NCARB Monographs - A resource to all NCARB record holders which can be accessed through your NCARB account under Continuum Education.

DesignerHacks - I didn’t actually use this one, but heard a lot of good things, some of the content is free.

Quizlet- Lots of free flashcards

ARE Visual Learner’s PPD/PDD Summary Sheets - These are fantastic and free (but they will take a donation if you are able)

Jenny’s Notes - Highly recommended on the community boards, lots of useful info.

Byoung ARE Resource Guide - Helpful study matrix

Archicorner – YouTube videos with fun animation

Book Resources:

Before I started in studying for any of the tests I’d pour over the NCARB’s ARE5.0 Community Boards and make lists of what everyone was recommending to avoid having to acquire each of NCARB’s recommended sources. Keep an eye out for cheaper ebook deals online and borrow from your office wherever possible, some of these can be pretty pricey.

The Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice, 15th edition (PcM, PjM, CE, PA, PPD, PDD)

Navigating the Architect Registration Examination® (5.0) with The Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice, 15th Edition

The Architect’s Studio Companion: Rules of Thumb for Preliminary Design (I used the 3rd edition that I had from college) (PA, PPD)

Architectural Graphic Standards (I used a much older edition than NCARB recommended borrowed from work, I’ve also heard that the student versions are enough) This was really helpful to quickly look over details (PPD, PDD)

Building Codes Illustrated: A Guide to Understanding the 2018 International Building Code (a must have, get this in physical book format, you’ll need it in the office as well as the tests (PA, PPD, PDD)

Building Construction Illustrated 2014 (also extremely helpful for in the office later on) (PPD, PDD)

Fundamentals of Building Construction (also one I had from my college days) (PA, PPD, PDD)

Heating, Cooling, Lighting: Sustainable Design Methods for Architects (this one came highly recommended for PPD and explains mechanical and electrical in an easier format than MEEB) (PPD, PA)

Mechanical & Electrical Equipment for Buildings (I had the 9th edition from college, I used this one, but only skimmed it after utilizing other sources because it was so dense) (PPD, PDD, PA)

• Wiley, the book’s publisher, has an online resource accompaniment to Mechanical & Electrical Equipment for Buildings that has summaries and additional practice questions for each chapter, plus animations of building components that is helpful for reinforcing building system themes. Link: Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings

Problem Seeking: An Architectural Programming Primer (also a holdover from college, excellent programming diagrams) (PA)

The Project Resource Manual: CSI Manual of Practice (CE, PjM and skimmed for PDD)

Plumbing, Electrical, and Acoustics (also came highly recommended, great diagrams for plumbing, site drainage, electrical components and understanding acoustics in a distilled way) (PA, PPD, PDD)

Site Planning & Design Handbook (PA, PPD)

Sun, Wind, and Light: Architectural Design Strategies Excellent diagrams (PA, PPD)

Additional AIA Contracts I studied that weren’t part of NCARB’s Reference Matrix:

• A132-2019, Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Contractor, Construction Manager as Adviser Edition

• A310–2010, Bid Bond

• A312–2010, Performance Bond and Payment Bond

• D200–1995, Project Checklist

• G612-2017, Owner’s Instructions to the Architect Part B

• G707–1994, Consent of Surety to Final Payment

• G710–2017, Architect’s Supplemental Instructions

• G711–2018, Architect’s Field Report

• G712–1972, Shop Drawing and Sample Record

• G714–2017, Construction Change Directive

• G716–2004, Request for Information (RFI)

• G804–2001, Register of Bid Documents

I’d also like to mention a bit about testing:

I did a lot of digging to find the right order to take them in, and what I ended up doing was studying for PcM, PjM, and CE at the same time and then testing a week apart because of the large overlap in material covered. Then ending with PA, PPD, and PDD all studying together and testing in the same method.

NCARB got rid of scratch paper during the pandemic and moved to a computer whiteboard system. This was very difficult for me at first because I often need to sketch things out to unlock ideas in my brain, and especially for calculations. To help acclimate for this I recommend practicing with NCARB’s practice tests often. I’d even have it open while taking other sources’ practice tests to help train my brain. Keep in mind that the whiteboard can be glitchy and sometimes will wipe out everything you’ve put into it, so it isn’t really useful to brain dump when you start your exam.

They also started locking you out of questions you’ve seen after you come back from your break (which wasn’t the case before online proctoring was an option). What worked best for me was to start off looking at the first question of each case study and answering it, this way you have the case study resources available which can sometimes be helpful for other questions. Then I’d answer the first half of the questions - marking any I wasn’t 100% sure about or ones that took me more than a couple mins. I’d go back over these before taking my break.

I’ve just started studying for the CSE, here are the sources I’m planning on using (in addition to ADA and CA codes):

CAB’s Forms - location to download the Employment Verification Form and Application for Eligibility Verification Form. You’ll need to mail these in with a check in order to be allowed to sit for the test. I’m told the process will take about a month. Once you’re approved you can then schedule your test directly with PSI.

CAB Reference Material - Start here for links to specific study resources.

CSE Test Plan - Outlines the knowledge statements covered by the test

Ultimate Whole Enchilada - This source seems to be the holy grail of study material for this exam, I’ve only just begun to use this so I don’t have a full opinion formed yet. Personally, I opted for the study guide rather than the group coaching.

Quizlet -  CSE flashcards

Designer Hacks - CSE Exam Bundle practice tests

---

Special Thanks to Our ARE Challenge Scholarship Sponsors for 2022

#StopAsianHate with the J.E.D.I Agenda

Dear EQxD Community, 

I wanted to reach out in the painful aftermath of witnessing another week of racist violence. The tragic shootings involving Asian women in Atlanta along with further assault and murders of Asian elders in California cannot be ignored in relationship to the surge of xenophobic, Asian American Pacific Islander harassment and violence coinciding with the COVID19 pandemic.

Unfortunately the recent hateful attacks are part of a long legacy of xenophobic and racist policies and practices in American history against AAPI individuals, racial and ethnic groups - Yellow Peril during the California Gold Rush, Chinese Exclusion Act, 1918 Flu Epidemic, and brutality related to the Japanese Internment Camps - to name a few of countless examples.

Additionally, these issues amplify the greater urgency of our collective work to holistically dismantle systems of oppression, disenfranchisement and harm for Black, Indigenous and Communities of Color. And with our recent exploration during the #EQxD2020 J.E.D.I. Agenda - we can't ignore that intersectional issues of race, gender, age, etc. in the reports of violence and harassment were greater by 2.3% for AAPI women and LGBTQIA identities. 

We ask you to stand in solidarity with Asian American Pacific Islander and Asian immigrant communities to condemn the racist violence and hateful rhetoric.  It is not only the extreme acts of violence, but also the daily discrimination and "casual racism" of hateful rhetoric that have contributed to long term trauma, anxiety, health and safety of AAPI individuals and communities. We must acknowledge and actively address the recent surge of anti-Asian harassment and violent attacks by standing up and speaking out in our communities.

I have started to compile resources to build a greater understanding of the gravity of these issues in hopes to begin a larger discourse towards action and positive results.

Please share and suggest other recommendations that you may have.

Grateful,

Rosa T. Sheng, FAIA

Resources

Asian American Leaders Table for COVID 19

STOP AAPI HATE - ACT NOW

Anti-Asian Violence Resources (anti-asianviolenceresources.carrd.co)

Anti-racism resources to support Asian American, Pacific Islander community (nbcnews.com)

Take Action

Take Action | Hollaback! Together We Have the Power to End Harassment (ihollaback.org)

Strategies to Respond to Harassment

 How to Support AAPI Communities

GoFundMe for Atlanta Victims - Verified accounts for victims families.

Articles

Anti-Asian violence is part of an epidemic of racism (insider.com)

Spike in violence against Asian Americans shows danger of 'model minority' myth (businessinsider.com)

Model Minority Myth used as a racial wedge between Asians and Blacks (CodeSwitch/NPR)

"Seven Reasons to Care About Racism and COVID-19 and Seven Things to Do to Stop It" | Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health (ucla.edu)

Reviving the history of radical Black-Asian internationalism | ROAR Magazine

Berkeley expert: In times of crisis, anti-Asian violence is an American tradition | Berkeley News

Reports about Atlanta Murders and Other AAPI Hate Crime  

Letters from an American, March 18, 2021 Heather Cox Richardson

Impacts of Page Act of 1875  on attitudes and perceptions on Asian Women in America

This Is What No One Tells You About Being Asian In America In 2021 | HuffPost

As a Han Chinese woman in Pittsburgh, I see the Atlanta massacre exposing how media, government and academia fail Asian women.

Research

2020-2021 Stop AAPI Hate National Report – Data of Incidents reported nationally with harassment anecdotes

Stop_AAPI_Hate_Report on Xenophobic Rhetoric and Anti-Asian Violence and Harassment

Racism as a Social Determinant of Health Inequities by Dr. Gilbert Gee

#EQxD2020 Series #JEDIagenda - Challenge Scholarship Winners

We are pleased to announce the recipients of the #EQxD2020 ARE Challenge Scholarship Program! Please join us in congratulating each of the 8 recipients on their licensure journey and future advocacy for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.

The Jury consisted of Representatives from our generous scholarship sponsors and AIA SF Committee partners, AIASF Mentorship and the ARE PACT. The selection was based on a process which excluded the names of applicants and focused solely to the applicants responses to 3 question prompts.

• How does your cultural background and lived experience influence and contribute to addressing the current challenges of inequities and injustice in the built environment?

• What is the value of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the design of the built environment?

• Fast forward 10-15 years. Describe how you would leverage this opportunity and "pay it forward" to future generations of architects.

Here are some of the inspirational responses from the scholarship recipients.

"My experience living in the housing projects shaped my understanding of the inequities within design and the built environment. For this reason, I chose to pursue architecture as a career."

“Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion within the built environment is valuable and necessary. Architecture acts as a catalyst for the built environment, therefore, the field of architecture should be representatives of the designers that understand the spaces, places, and people we design for. JEDI is more than just a buzzword to use for DEI within practice, it's a necessary way of life that I feel the field of architecture is sorely lacking.”

Jamilla Afandi 

“Spaces must be designed and built for everyone, regardless of their gender, belief, race and other differences. the fundamental concept of "unity of mankind" has to be internalized by aec industry. It is challenging, as often stakeholders and investors come from a small, often not very diverse group. But we can certainly have more equitable spaces as long as designers and builders are aware of the high value of inclusion in creating built environment.”

"I have lived injustice and inequality in using [the] built environment, and it always did hurt me, every single time, that I was systematically deprived of such (a) basic human right."

Niknaz Aftahi 

Historic inequity and injustice have driven many divides: between rich and poor, white and colored, sheltered and homeless, abled and disabled, and more. The longer these disparities exist, the larger these gaps become. Diversity seemingly starts to fade as each group lives disjointedly. The issue with such monotonous environments is that humans tend to avoid them. Similarly, it becomes easier to bypass the less fortunate rather than address the adversity head on. It is our job as architects to bridge these divides. We should strive to create spaces that integrate diversity and celebrate our differences. An environment that promotes community interaction, is more engaging and ultimately serves to improve our well-being. Designing for equal representation and inclusion ensures that all people may reap the benefits. We are all entitled to the same starting line and an equal playing field in life – the value of this is truly immeasurable.

Marie Biaggi 

"...I grew up in the aftermath of a cultural crossroads in which communities of immigrants learned to reconcile and appreciate differences in an effort to heal together. With time and collective effort in rebuilding burnt neighborhoods, individuals realized that it wasn't them - or the other - that was broken; it was the system."

Katie Chang

The value of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion comes from the framework it establishes in designing a socially conscious built environment. It is an ideology in practice that supports growth and engagement of social, environmental and economic value for our profession and the spaces we create. Through justice we gain accountability in dismantling racist and majority- only-biased constructs. Through equity we encourage a leveling of resources and opportunity that supports a diversity of thought, backgrounds and communities. Equity supports diversity, which acknowledges various ethnic backgrounds and lived experiences. Lastly, inclusion establishes the protocols in which to aid a diverse group into truly feeling accepted, heard and supported in a collective setting. Separately justice, equity, diversity and inclusion are like single-legs of a four legged-table, unable to support themselves alone. Together they promote a platform for high-performing teams, communities, environments and structures that is robust and sound.

Siobhan Glass 

"My goal is to help encourage a future generation of Architects [to recognize] that there are many different paths to being an architect. You don’t need an ivy league education with a price tag to match in order to practice. I want to help get rid of the stigma that community colleges are a lower class of education and help to open the door for students of diverse backgrounds to be able to attend and thrive."

Jenn Hamrick 

"My path to becoming an architect has been circuitous and difficult. I know that all my achievements have been hard won, but I also know that no one can do this alone. I had the fortune of receiving help from so many.... And I hope to always be a voice for those who are still finding theirs."

Mona Nahm 

We see it all around us, therein lies the problem. The physical built environment is a culmination of "value engineered" ideals of a selected privileged few. Much like the curation of art in our museums, we should question who is choosing the art and who is the art for. You see, erasure historically favors those at the top. Until architecture recognizes and serves the most vulnerable in our communities we are simply gaslighting our "institutions". We need to deeply examine our ethos as architects, if we seek true Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the design of the build environment. At it's core, it is vital and indispensable.

Carlos Rodriguez 

The ARE Challenge Scholarship Program recognizes that the effort and expense of the architectural licensing process as a barrier to achieving this professional milestone and that it disproportionately affects candidates of historically underrepresented identities in the profession. In light of the extremely challenging and economically unstable conditions that we are collectively facing, AIASF Equity by Design has established financial assistance scholarships for licensure candidates with a focus on individuals from historically underrepresented backgrounds in architecture who are eligible to take the ARE exams.

Recipients of the #EQxD2020 ARE Challenge Scholarship will be reimbursed for three (3) ARE Exams (Value $705 per recipient), regardless of pass or fail status.

Thanks to our #EQxD2020 SERIES Champions!

• Silver Sponsors -

  • HOK

  • SHERWIN WILLIAMS COIL COATINGS

  • OBR Architecture

• Titanium Sponsors

  • SMARTci

  • AWV

  • PARKLEX USA

  • MORIN

• Bronze Sponsors -

  • PYATOK

  • CAMERON MACALLISTER

  • SOM

  • SMITHGROUP

  • WRNS STUDIO
    

#EQxD2020 – Architect Registration Examination (ARE) Challenge Scholarship Program

We are pleased to announce the launch of the #EQxD2020 ARE Challenge Scholarship Program. More scholarships will be available with commitments of co-sponsorship from Architects and Architecture Firms.

The ARE Challenge Scholarship Program recognizes that the effort and expense of the architectural licensing process as a barrier to achieving this professional milestone and that it disproportionately affects candidates of historically underrepresented identities in the profession. In light of the extremely challenging and economically unstable conditions that we are collectively facing, AIASF Equity by Design has established financial assistance scholarships for licensure candidates from historically underrepresented backgrounds who are eligible to take the ARE exams.

Selected Recipients of the #EQxD2020 ARE Challenge Scholarship will be reimbursed for three (3) ARE Exams (Value $705 per recipient), regardless of pass or fail status.

We are also seeking AEC co-sponsorship of this program to fund additional ARE Challenge Scholarship recipients; contact Sponsorship@aiasf.org to learn more.

Eligibility:

• Applicants must be currently eligible to take the ARE Exams for Architectural Licensure.

• Candidates must be currently authorized to work in the United States.

• Applicants are invited and encouraged to participate in the #EQxD2020 series.

Scholarship Co-Sponsors -

Thanks to our #EQxD2020 SERIES Champions!

• Silver Sponsors -

  • HOK

  • SHERWIN WILLIAMS COIL COATINGS

  • OBR Architecture

• Titanium Sponsors

  • SMARTci

  • AWV

  • PARKLEX USA

  • MORIN

• Bronze Sponsors -

  • PYATOK

  • CAMERON MACALLISTER

  • SOM

  • SMITHGROUP

  • WRNS STUDIO

#EQxD2020 SERIES - Practice, Process and Paradigms for the J.E.D.I. Agenda

Our society is at a critical inflection point and choices and actions we make today will determine our collective future. This is contextualized by a historic confluence of catastrophic events - a global pandemic, severe economic disruption, racial violence causing civil unrest, and environmental peril caused by climate change. This perfect storm exposes the intersectional impacts of a legacy of systems of societal injustice that have perpetuated inequities for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and others with at-risk identities. This is deeply rooted in systems of injustice that have existed within our society since the founding of our country. 

The resulting shifts and disruptions mean that we live in a time risking peril or potential to overcome the adversity surrounding us. Real and necessary progress towards Justice in our world will only be achieved when we are willing to do the work to expose and dismantle the intricate web of racist and unjust policies and practices that have resulted in multigenerational and harmful outcomes for many. Given the challenging and complex conditions in which we find ourselves today, Equity by Design has committed to adapting from our originally planned symposium program towards a broader agenda.  

Orange skies in San Francisco during September 2020 West Coast wildfires.

AIA SF Equity by Design will be hosting a series of workshops and teach-ins that will focus on collecting and evaluating an intentional intersection of research, writings and multi-media in support of developing a critical discourse to fuel strategic actions that result in sustained improvements in the civic realm. The outcome of these workshops will be a roadmap of new practices and policy amendments in activism and advocacy that dismantle systems of oppression and advance progress towards an Anti-racist paradigm in the built environment.  

Join us.

Our collective exploration will have a deep focus on how Just and Equitable policies and frameworks drive Diversity and Inclusive opportunities and practices (J.E.D.I.). At the core, we will prioritize Justice, creating a common thread to expand our intersectional mindset.

• Opening Session - J.E.D.I. Agenda - An Intersectional Approach for a Resilient Future

  • Wednesday - Sept. 30, 2020, 1:30-3:00pm PST 

• Session 1 - J.E.D.I. Agenda and Society/Economics/Social Mobility

  • Friday - Oct. 23, 2020, 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm PDT

• Session 2 - J.E.D.I. Agenda and Health

  • Friday - November 20, 2020, 11am-12:30pm PST

• Session 3 - J.E.D.I. Agenda and Environment

  • Friday - December 11, 2020, 11am-12:30pm PST 

• Session 4 - J.E.D.I. Agenda and Practice

  • Friday - January 22, 2021, 11am-12:30pm PST  

• Closing Session - Practice, Process and Paradigms for the J.E.D.I. Agenda

  • Friday - February 26, 2021, 11am-12:30pm PST

Thanks to our #EQxD2020 SERIES Champions!

• Silver Sponsors - HOK, SHERWIN WILLIAMS COIL COATINGS

• Titanium Sponsors

  • SMARTci

  • AWV

  • PARKLEX USA

  • MORIN

• Bronze Sponsors - PYATOK, CAMERON MCALLISTER

#EQxD2020 : "Chart Our Path" Symposium Planning Workshops

Join us for two virtual #EQxD2020 Symposium Planning Workshops to chart our path for 2020!

Monday, April 27th 12-1pm PST or Saturday, May 2nd 2-3pm PST

LAUNCH

The EQxD Core Team began this year excited to explore the evolving connection between just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive architectural practices and processes and an emergent paradigm in our industry that mandates we promote (or prioritize) the well-being of the communities we currently serve, those that have been often overlooked, and the longevity of life on our planet. 

In short, we hoped to expand our exploration of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion at all levels of architectural practice, which allow us to create better architecture and actively shape new systems for a better society and shared future in which we can all thrive . By coming together, we hoped to reconnect and learn from one another to find salient intersections between the ways in which we work and relate to one another and our abilities to make a lasting difference in the world. We looked forward to understanding your challenges while also being inspired by your stories, your work, and your commitment to making positive changes, large and small, in your communities. We still do. 

RECALIBRATE

With our daily routines on pause, and perhaps irrevocably altered, each of us have experienced the imperative to reflect on what’s most important, to let go of the things that aren’t, and to foster (virtual!) communities that will enable us to be more effective leaders in an evolving context. 

We also acknowledge that, while our values are unchanged, the current climate has likely caused shifts in what deserves our attention at this particular moment. With this in mind, we would like to come together somewhat sooner than expected to explore our shared agenda and key themes for the #EQxD2020 Symposium (scheduled for November 6-7, 2020). The goal is to work together to build an event that rejuvenates and inspires each of us to continue to have meaning and influence in our practice.

FOCUS

• What makes us feel authentic? What makes us whole? 

• What drives each of us personally and professionally in this extraordinary moment? What are our responsibilities to our families, our colleagues, and our communities? 

• How will this renewed sense of purpose and urgency shape our collective agenda moving forward? 

• What can we learn from one another and colleagues in allied industries now to ensure that we’re better prepared to champion justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion?

• How might our time together at the symposium be leveraged to promote lasting, positive changes in ourselves, our families, our communities, our workplace, and our industry?

• What topics are most critical and/or essential to this dialogue?

DIALOGUE

Please join us to collectively Chart Our Path for 2020. We will be holding two workshops that will explore what guides us as individuals and as a community, as well as to identify the most important issues to address and focus on when we come together later this year . Please use the form linked below to indicate your interest and availability. 

CHART OUR PATH: EQXD 2020

These are extraordinary times. We welcome your participation in planning the next phase of Equity by Design’s work to promote the J.E.D.I. agenda! 

We look forward to collaborating with you.

EQxD Core Team

Find our more about #EQxD2020: Practice, Process, Paradign for the #JEDIAgenda

Thanks to our Early Bird #EQxD2020 Symposium Sponsors

A Tribute to Sandra I. Vivanco, AIA, SEED

It is with great sadness that we share the loss of Sandra I. Vivanco - our dear friend and accomplished architect, dedicated professor and leading champion for equity, diversity and inclusion in academia as well as the built environment.

Sandra was an integral and frequent collaborator with AIA San Francisco’s Equity by Design Committee.  We will miss Sandra’s tenacity, passion, and endearing warmth. We are motivated to honor the values she lived by, in particular, giving voice to and creating opportunities for the communities of color, students, and collaborators in the broader architecture, engineering and construction space.

In the coming days and weeks, we will be collaborating with a larger community of friends and equity champions that Sandra inspired to synchronize a tribute befitting the energy and passion she invested into everything she touched. 

The EQxD Core Team

If you have memories that you would like to share in tribute, please send to: lia.sfcommittee@gmail.com

Sandra I. Vivanco was the founding principal of A+D, Architecture + Design in San Francisco. Based on the premise that inclusiveness and design excellence can and should co-exist, the work of A+D is globally recognized and operates at multiple scales. As one of a handful of Latina-owned architecture firms in the country, A+D explored cultural identity representation as design inspiration for new and invigorated public spaces. Vivanco practiced architecture in Japan, Portugal, Peru, Italy, Mexico and Brazil. Most notably, she worked for Portuguese Pritzker prize winner Alvaro Siza in 1990.

Widely recognized as a rigorous modern architect with a deep commitment to public work, Vivanco was also well known as a LatinX cultural expert with profound knowledge of modern art and architecture in Latin America. She was the Architect of Record for The Mexican Museum in San Francisco, due to open in 2020. Vivanco was selected Architect of Community as one of 10 Architects to Watch featured in California Home & Design magazine in 2010. In 2017, she received the Education Award in the AIA San Francisco Community Alliance Awards program.

As a California College of the Arts Professor of Architecture and Diversity Studies and Co-Director of the CCA BuildLab; Vivanco skillfully synthesized theory and practice in her work. Sometimes design proposals start in the classroom and are deployed as design-build projects. Other times a professional commission might find a different life in an academic studio. Two successful examples include the permanent built interventions by her students at Plaza Adelante - a community service and art center for LatinX immigrants - and an urban design studio proposing a temporary global event on 38 acres of waterfront remediated land owned by PG&E. Vivanco was a San Francisco Mission neighborhood resident and activist, an avid dancer, loving wife/partner, and proud mother of two public school graduates.

#EQxD2020 - Practice, Process, Paradigm for the J.E.D.I. Agenda

“We grapple with the paradox that tomorrow is not promised, but we make plans anyway.”

— Lin Manuel Miranda

These are extraordinary times. The conditions in which we find ourselves today, while unsettling to many of us, have the potential to severely harm those in our society who are most vulnerable, and often, invisible. In this moment of crisis, we have an opportunity to rise to the occasion and become better leaders, champions and advocates to overcome not only the urgent situation of the current COVID-19 pandemic, but also to learn from this monumental challenge and design a more just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive future for everyone.

#EQxD2020 marks the beginning of a new decade to tackle current and urgent challenges with renewed perspective and a long horizon to advance a better future. We are expanding the agenda of Equity by Design to address the complex conditions and issues we face that will impact our collective well-being: climate uncertainty that affects access to environmental and spatial resources; compounding gaps in social and economic inequality that amplify health and wellness risks which can negatively impact our communities, especially for those among us who are most at risk and under-served. Architecture is a political, social, and economic act. At the intersection of all these drivers is our commitment to champion these issues in the built environment, which are critical to improving the human condition and quality of life for everyone.  

Equity by Design was founded to address and minimize barriers in order to maximize our collective potential for success. We have made great strides to collect and disseminate data, while also creating platforms to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion in professions that shape the built environment. In the spirit of expanding our advocacy to sustain the next generation, we must rapidly and effectively shift our thinking. The world is a vital ecosystem that requires us to adopt an intersectional approach to advance the change that is imperative for our success in the future. 

We hope you will join us at #EQxD2020 Symposium on November 7th, 2020. Whether in-person or virtual, we will collaboratively engage in critical discourse about the most urgent and relevant issues of our time. Together, we will develop the J.E.D.I. Agenda: Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion frameworks that will be integrated and applied to Resiliency/Sustainability, Health/Wellness and Social/Economic Stability. Organized as three synergistic tracks, Practice, Process, and Paradigm, we will gather in partnership to define solutions within the built environment that advance how the broadest range of constituents can live, practice and thrive.

What is Equity by Design?

#EQxDV 2018 Symposium Video

Get Involved! - Sponsorship Opportunities

We are grateful for the Equity by Design Champions since we started in 2013. In this time of challenge, we look to AEC leaders to support the work head for mobilizing the J.E.D.I. Agenda. Please consider sponsorship to ensure our future success.

Thanks to our #EQxD2020 Early Bird Champions!

• Silver Sponsors - HOK

• Bronze Sponsors - PYATOK

• Luncheon Sponsor - SHERWIN WILLIAMS COIL COATINGS

• Lanyards Sponsor - SMARTci

• Water Bottles Sponsor - AWV

• Tote Bags Sponsor - PARKLEX USA

• Reflection Note Pads Sponsor - MORIN

Equity in Architecture Survey 2018 - Narrated Slide Presentation is LIVE!

In tandem with National Architecture Week, we are pleased to release the EQIA 2018 Survey Narrated Slide Presentation which includes the key findings that were presented at the 2018 Equity by Design Symposium #EQxDV:Voices, Values, Vision. The presentation is narrated by EQxD Research Chair, Annelise PItts, AIA and ACSA Research Partner, Kendall Nicholson, PH.D. and provides a critical foundation of the data analysis. We encourage utilizing this long awaited resource in the following ways:

1. View the narrated presentation to better understand the key findings at your own pace.

2. Share the Presentation with your company colleagues and leadership / AEC Organization

3. Host a viewing and discussion of the presentation at your office/organization

4. If you find this resource useful, please share on social media for further outreach.

EQIA 2018 Research and Symposium Planning Team Acknowledgements:

• Chair of Research - Annelise Pitts, AIA

• Founding Chair, Fundraising,Outreach - Rosa Sheng FAIA

• Committee Co-Chair Lilian Asperin, AIA

• Committee Co-Chair and Symposium Chair -Julia Mandell, AIA

• ACSA Research Partners: Kendall Nicholson, Michael Monti

• Infographics: Ming Thompson/Atelier Cho Thompson

2018 Research Sponsor Acknowledgements:

AIASF Sustaining Sponsors, Autodesk, HOK, CannonDesign, HDR, SmithGroup, HGA, Skanska, Mithun, WRNS Studio, McCarthy Building Companies

Thank you to our Sponsors!