Diversity Roundtable
The AIA Seattle Diversity Roundtable attracts, retains and empowers individuals of underrepresented backgrounds in the profession of architecture through scholarship, community service and activism. We embrace and celebrate diversity in all its facets and strive to provide opportunities for an ever-greater diversity of individuals to become registered architects, take advantage of leadership opportunities and influence our practices and our professional lives.
Congratulations to the AIA Seattle Diversity Roundtable for being recognized by the national American Institute of Architects (AIA) as one of four honorees across the country as part of it the 2010 Diversity Recognition Program. This program recognizes architects and AIA Chapters that are actively committed to increasing diversity and inclusion within the architecture profession. You can view the awarded submission by AIA Seattle Diversity Roundtable here.
The Diversity Roundtable is currently accepting nominations and letters of interest for the positions of Chair and Co-Chair. Read more
CHAIR
Matthew Aalfs AIA (206) (206) 443-8606
Raul Hirsch AIA (206) 206-443-9939
STAFF
Gear Whisenant 206-448-4938 x 100
MEETINGS
This committee will meet the first Tuesday of every month from 4-5:30PM, at AIA Seattle.
LINKS
AIA Seattle Diversity Scholarships at UW CAUP
NW NOMA: Northwest Chapter of the National Organization for Minority Architects
Noted black architect and educator Max Bond Jr. FAIA died at 73 on Feb. 18
A brief history
Beginning in 1986, a group comprising David Fukui AIA, Johnpaul Jones FAIA, Tom Kubota AIA, Marga Rose Hancock Hon. AIA, and Mel Streeter AIA began meeting informally, usually over breakfast at Lowell's in the Market. By 1990, the group formalized as the AIA Seattle Minority Membership Committee, and grew to include Steve Arai AIA, Nancy Callery AIA, Keli Hagen Assoc AIA, Denice Hunt AIA, Donald King FAIA, Rena Klein FAIA, Teresa Rodriguez AIA, Sharon E. Sutton FAIA, and Jim Suehiro AIA – among others. The group organized itself around a commitment to bring diversity into the architecture profession. The effort of Roundtable members has made a sustained contribution to AIA Seattle leadership, with several Roundtable alumni/ae among AIA Seattle Presidents and Board members, to AIA Seattle programming through the annual Summer Solstice event, and to bringing youth from minority and disadvantaged backgrounds into the profession through K-12 activism and scholarship and other support for students at University of Washington College of Architecture and Planning. The Roundtable also has an ongoing influence in the AIA national Diversity agenda – including hosting the AIA national Diversity Conference in Seattle August 1997.
