We are life-long learners. As architects, we are always seeking a greater understanding of design precedents, building science, context and history to inform our work. We bring an open mind to each client, project and opportunity. As entrepreneurs and small business owners, we understand the highs and lows of the journey, the grind and hustle involved. We also understand that the opportunities we have been given, as a white woman and a white man, are not universally given. And while we look at the world with empathy and optimism, we now understand that all of this is not enough.
It is not enough when our industry does not reflect the diversity of our country’s population. It is not enough when only 2% of licensed architects in the AIA (American Institute of Architects) are African American. It is not enough when only 0.3% of licensed architects are women of color.
From Alice Liao’s “Diversity in Architecture” piece for Architect Magazine (May 2019) “According to the Census Bureau, the U.S. population is 61 percent white, 13 percent African American, 18 percent Hispanic or Latinx, 6 percent Asian, and 1 percent Native American. Meanwhile, the makeup of AIA members is 67 percent white, 2 percent African American, 5 percent Hispanic or Latinx, 6 percent Asian, and less than 1 percent Native American, with 18 percent not reporting.” This first article in her three part series pinpoints barriers to entry including cognizance of the architecture profession, money and biases (both latent and expressed).
It is a fact that the more diverse the room is, the better the outcome. It is important for any workforce to reflect the population they are serving. Specific to the architectural industry, having designers who represent the building users and people who work, love and play in that community is the only way to truly create an inspired and relevant built environment for every person.
We started thinking about how to increase the diversity and equity in the architectural profession and looked toward scholarship opportunities for persons of color. That led us to DesignClass’ Paul R. Williams Student Scholarship. In their words, “Paul Williams kicked off a prolific career by becoming the first licensed African-American member of the AIA in 1923. Throughout his life he designed over 2,000 buildings in California and helped shape Los Angeles into the metropolitan city it is today. In 1957, Williams became the first African-American elected as a Fellow of the AIA. DesignClass honors the legacy of Paul R. Williams with a scholarship for African-American architecture students seeking to foster curious and creative confidence in their communities.” The scholarship provides financial assistance to African American students studying at a NAAB accredited architecture program. [More to come on Mr. Williams’ work in a future blog.]
