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There has been much discussion raised about "Why are women leaving Architecture? and more broadly, Why is the profession losing key talent?"  Both women and men practitioners are disillusioned by the myth of work/life balance: Women are grappling with "have it all" expectations of juggling family time with the demands of full-time work.  Men are struggling to support their families solely on an architect's salary and fall back on asking spouses to maintain their jobs. The lack of affordable childcare and high cost of living only magnifies the challenges.  How did we end up in this modern family dilemma? What can we do to improve the situation?

EQxD Get Real: True Stories of Challenge & Resilience

by Rosa Sheng, AIA

Last month, Architect Magazine featured an article referencing the 2014 Equity in Architecture survey as a catalyst for the conversation; “Closing the Gender Gap: Female architects identify ways that women can push through the traditional career choke points and advance through the ranks in a male-dominated field.”  by Elizabeth Dickinson. Three architects were interviewed for their perspectives on the topic; Julia Murphy, AIA an Associate of SOM in New York City, Kelley Howell, AIA a newly named Partner of Pivot Architecture in Eugene, Oregon  and Janet Tam, AIA founding Principal of Noll and Tam in San Francisco.

While the first comment to the article sparked a slurry of conversation, it highlighted that implicit bias is still deeply rooted in Architecture. The writer's comment highlights what still remains in professional practice; a pervasive "take it or leave it" attitude towards the "tradition" to endure long hours and low pay while disregarding the fact that those tropes are driving talent away from Architectural practice.

Discussion comments to Architect Magazine article by Elizabeth Dickinson

Concurrently, there was a twitter chat suggesting that we continue the conversation started by the Architect Magazine article with a broader spectrum of viewpoints within the profession. Let's get to the heart of the challenges in Architecture from the members of the profession that are rarely heard. In a similar spirit of spontaneity to the idea of the Archimom's Everyday Moments of Truth blog series, we are excited to bring you EQxD Get Real: True stories of Challenges and Resilience from diverse perspectives of architects and designers. Each day we will feature the stories of each person's challenges in the profession and what they learned from those experiences to inspire action for equitable practice in architecture.  Follow #EQxDGetReal on Twitter this week to share all the stories.

 

Found: The Missing 32%

by Melissa Daniel 

Former AIA Diversity and Inclusion Council member, Melissa Daniel is passionate about changing the culture of the architecture profession. She spent the past three years as chair of the Women in Architecture Series serving AIA|DC, DCNOMA and AIA|NOVA WIA Committee. She was selected in 2012 for the Emerging Architect Award by AIA|DC, 2013 Young Architect of the year by DCCEAS and 2014 Leading Women under 40 by Maryland’s The Daily Record. 

Search until you find your Yes!

by LaShae A. Ferguson, Assoc. AIA

LaShae is the owner of L.A. Design Collective, LLC, An Architectural Design & Drawing Co., and graduate of the University of the District of Columbia. LaShae has co-managed design-construction projects worth over $8 million total. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking and traveling.

Control less, Celebrate more, shall we? 

by Katie E. Ray

Katie is an emerging professional who currently lives in Arlington, VA and is an APM for a firm just outside of Washington DC. Her projects currently range from restaurants, bars, spas, and country clubs. She is a mother and yogi; on the weekend she loves spending time building lighting and furniture from salvaged materials.

Is the world ready for real talk?

by Karen E. Williams AIA, LEED AP BD+C, NCARB 

Karen E. Williams is consistently working to educate people about the inner benefits of the architecture community. She is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Oregon where she teaches Revit and Professional Practice. As a means to be professional example, Karen is on the AIA-SWO board and supports STAnDD a local student group. She joined PIVOT Architecture in 2014 as a Project Architect after practicing on the east coast for 9 years.

The Long and Winding Road

by Tara Imani, AIA 

Tara Imani Designs, LLC is a premier full-service architecture and interiors solo practice, founded and led by Tara Imani, AIA. Ms. Imani is a licensed Architect in the State of Texas and a graduate of The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Architecture. Ms. Imani is also an active voice on social media and advocate for Equity in Architecture.