Our society is at a critical inflection point. The 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 choosing either periled paralysis or a new found persistence to overcome the challenges 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 deep and intricate history 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, we must come together towards a broader agenda with an understanding that Justice and Equity must be prioritized to drive Diverse representation and Inclusive outcomes.
This presentation will be an overview of the #EQxD2020 SERIES - Practice, Process and Paradigms for the J.E.D.I. Agenda, including the value proposition to explore new concepts focused on the intersection of the topics centered around Justice and its relationship to Health, Societal/Economic Mobility, Environment, and Practice.
Learning Objectives (1 AIA LU/HSW)
Participants will reflect on the events of 2020 to make connections across intersectional lenses (Societal/Economic Mobility, Health, Environment, and Practice) related to injustice and inequity in the built environment.
Participants will explore and identify behaviors, policies and practices that perpetuate injustice and inequity in the disciplines of urban/campus planning, architecture/interiors, landscape and engineering.
Participants will become acquainted with the framework for exploration of each teach-in workshop in the series, specifically self-study guides for required readings that provide context, provocations and selected research to inform the discussions to be moderated during the Series.
Participants will engage in interactive exercises to reflect upon and provide a benchmark for personal attitudes and ideas on each of the intersectional lenses identified.
Rosa Sheng, FAIA
Rosa T. Sheng, FAIA is Principal and Director of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion at SmithGroup. She is also the founder of Equity by Design [EQxD] and 2018 Past President of AIA San Francisco. Throughout the years, Rosa has led a variety of award-winning and internationally acclaimed projects, while launching a national movement for equitable practice, just and inclusive design outcomes in the built environment with a focus on higher education learning and space resources for student success. Rosa has delivered continuing educational programs and thought leadership outreach featured in Architect Magazine, Metropolis, Wall Street Journal, TEDxPhiladelphia, SxSW, KQED/NPR, and Cannes Lions. In 2019 she was recognized as a Metropolis Game Changer.
Please consider supporting Diversity Scholarships in partnership with Society’s Cage - a prolific pavilion designed to rethink racism and injustice by Dayton Schroeter AIA Julian Arrington Monteil Crawley, AIA,LEED AP Ivan O'Garro, AIA, NCARB Julieta Guillermet, LEED AP BD C and supported by SmithGroup to raise awareness. #blacklivesmatter #antiracism
https://www.smithgroup.com/societys-cage
For more information contact Committee Chair - Kourtney Strong.