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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?

#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.

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.

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 - 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.

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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