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With the recent killings of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25th, Breonna Taylor in Louisville on March 13th, and Ahmaud Arbery on February 23rd, communities of all ages, races, religions and sexual orientations have taken to the streets across the country -- and world -- to protest these injustices and call for social change.
We are witnessing raw emotion fueled by centuries of oppression and injustice for people of color. For our diverse community of family, friends, students, colleagues and allies—we are here for you. We want to provide support, advocacy resources, and a platform for constructive dialogue. (Please see below for links to some important resources)
Architects are civic stewards who aim to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public through the built environment. As members of NOMA NW and of the AEC community, we believe it is our duty to design and build equitable spaces for all, without prejudice or bias, and to minimize the effects of racism within our profession. We must leverage our positions of privilege to help our most vulnerable citizens, neighbors, and colleagues - who too strive for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
As architects, we also contribute profoundly to the built environment. While our contributions are made possible largely in part by the clients we serve, we have a moral and ethical duty to serve the surrounding community. The built environment is one that can include, uplift, and inspire—or divide, oppress, and devastate. Too many times throughout this country's history, our government and city planners have chosen the latter. Because of this, it is incumbent upon us now to speak up in our privileged positions as the new generation of designers, architects, and urban planners. It is within these very platforms —combined with our sustained advocacy for fair housing and public policies—that we can help dismantle forms of discriminatory and inequitable housing practices against black and disenfranchised communities of color.
We must offer design solutions not solely based on our finite perceptions, but welcome into the discussion the wealth of history and insight from the very communities in which we are designing.
Right now, what we are witnessing is a deep American problem that we must face together in order to dismantle. We must always find the courage to speak out and take action against human indignities wherever we see them taking place in this country.
An injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere. - Martin Luther King Jr
Below are some resources that can help you practice self-care, take action, donate to the cause, become more fluent on issues of systemic racism, and advocate for fundamental changes to public policy. We hope that some of these resources can be of service to you during this urgent and pivotal fight for equality.
In Solidarity,
NOMA Northwest Chapter, Seattle WA
Leon Holloway, President
Veronica Barrow, Vice President
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