We stand in solidarity with the Black community in the fight against systemic racism, heartbroken by the senseless killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and the many other Black victims who came before them.
This message alone is not enough. We ourselves have work to do. We can design a more just and equitable world if we continuously challenge the status quo, embrace human differences, and advance egalitarian ideas. This is a moment for the design industry as a whole to commit to a better future. To ensure we are supporting grassroots organizations, diversifying our leadership, mentoring and encouraging young Black architects and designers, and listening closely to the communities we work with.
Starting immediately, we are doubling down on our commitment to make a positive difference. We pledge to increase our:
- Mentorship and teaching roles at historically Black colleges and universities
- Support for scholarships and internships at historically Black design schools, and for Black design students at other schools
- Recruitment of Black design staff and our total number of Black professionals at the firm
- Promotions of Black staff to leadership positions of Associate Principal and Principal
- Financial contributions to the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA)
- Pro bono design services and hands-on contributions to underserved Black communities
And this is just a start. We look forward to sharing our progress as we go.