The AIA Seattle Diversity Roundtable thanks all who took part in the 9th Annual Summer Solstice Sequence 6/22-23, gathering as a diverse community and contributing to the advancement of the AIA Seattle Student Support Fund for Diversity at UW CAUP.

Special moments included:
.a circle of remembrance honoring Diversity Roundtable CoFounder Mel Streeter AIA (d. 6/12) and his legacy in our community, as attested in a Seattle City Council Proclamation (below, at right) read and presented to Mel's family by Councilmember Peter Steinbrueck FAIA. Other collegial tributes included remarks by Mel's son, architect Doug Streeter, long-time "colleague, friend, partner, and competitor" Donald King FAIA, and Roundtable Chair M. Mario Campos AIA. Carole Crowder-King brought song to the occasion;

.passing the basket brought in contributions in Mel's memory to the AIA Seattle Fund for Diversity at UW CAUP, amounting to more than $5,000 with additional pledges;

.applause for two new endowed scholarships for diversity at UW CAUP, thanks to the generosity of MulvannyG2 Architecture and Roundtable CoFounder David H. Fukui AIA;

.conversation faciliated by Clarence C. Kwan AIA with the authors of two new books reflecting on the profession's diverse culture: The Architecture and Landscape Architecture of Jones & Jones: Living Places (Landmarks, 2006), by Clair Enlow; and Structural Inequality: Black Architects in the United States (Rowman & Littlefield, 2006), by Dr. Victoria Kaplan. Thanks to Jones & Jones and to Rowman & Littlefield, who donated copies, proceeds from the sale of author-signed books augment the AIA Seattle Fund for Diversity.

.celebration of the power of design with Environmental Works (recipient of the AIA Seattle 2002 Allied Organization Award) and Executive Director Jan Gleason FAIA;

•Community of Honor tribute at the Honors Gala 6/24 to the achievements in design and humanity of Diversity Roundtable hero Johnpaul Jones FAIA, 2006 recipient of the AIA Seattle Medal.

The Solstice Sequence includes recognition of recent and former recipients of support from the AIA Seattle Student Support Fund for Diversity and the Denice Hunt K-12 Internship – programs funded by the AIA Seattle Diversity Roundtable:

AIA Seattle Diverse Scholars:
2006: Ray Villanueva (see photo below)
2005: Yong Sun Lee
2004: Yamani Hernandez
2003: Maria Tran
2002: Alix Henry
2001: Maurice Diaz
2000: Natalia Echeverri
1999: Celeste Meneses

Denice Hunt K-12 Interns:
2005-06: Melanie Lyons
2004-05: Greg Squires
2003-04: Yamani Hernandez
2002-03: Kristin Kildall
2001-02: Craig Skipton

Again this year, AIA Seattle directs Solstice proceeds to benefit the Roundtable's program to support students from diverse backgrounds at the University of Washington College of Architecture and Urban Planning – targeting advanced-level endowment of a second student scholarship, the AIA Seattle Fund for Diversity. (In 1998, the Roundtable endowed the Denice Hunt K-12 Internship, honoring Diversity Roundtable founding member Denice Johnson Hunt AIA, the first woman of color to serve as President of an AIA component).

Randy Everett, Marga Rose Hancock, and Mario Campos celebrate with AIA Seattle Diverse Scholar 06 Ray Villanueva (blue shirt) at UW CAUP event 5/06