President’s Message on Diversity & Inclusion

By Donald F. Barry JD, AIA, LEED AP President, AIA Huron Valley

Civil Rights protest in Ann Arbor in 1965 © Wystan / Flickr

In June of 1968 Whitney M. Young, then Executive Director of the National Urban League, addressed the American Institute of Architects at the annual convention in Portland, Oregon. In those remarks he said, “…you are not a profession that has distinguished itself by your social and civic contributions to the cause of civil rights, and I am sure this has not come to you as any shock. You are most distinguished by your thunderous silence and your complete irrelevance… (T)he time has come when no longer the kooks and crackpots speak for America. The decent people have to learn to speak up.”

Recent events surrounding the killing of George Floyd (and Jamar Clark, Philando Castile, Dreasjon Reed, Breonna Tayler, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others that haven’t made national news) have given me pause to consider how far we really have come as a profession in those 52 years. I would posit that our complacency has had a limiting effect on this progress.

Last night the Board of Directors of AIA Huron Valley held its monthly meeting. At that meeting our Secretary, Kelsey Jensen, presented demographic data for the chapter. Of the 189 active members in our five-county area, 11 reported as Asian, 7 as Black/African American, and 1 as Hispanic. One. Perhaps it is time that each of us ask ourselves why this is the case.

As I read the recent statement of AIA President, Jane Frederick, entitled “Everyone deserves universal respect and human dignity” I thought “Yes…but.” Yes, but the common thread that runs through these incidents is that the victims were disproportionately black. Yes, but what are we doing to address the institutions that have allowed this to happen? I am proud to be an architect and to be a member of this profession, but I am mortified that our professional community is not a true reflection of the society in which we live. I am, yes, but what am I going to do about it?

I recently reached out to a colleague, Michael Ford, who is best known for his work in Hip-Hop inspired architecture. He was happy to have me share his recent article in Azure magazine on this subject but warned that there was “graphic language and content” in the video. If you are offended by rough language then I apologize and would caution you not to follow this link but… really? After the horrors we have witnessed are we that concerned about a little explicit free speech? As Mike says, “There is a stain on your masterpiece.”

The point of all of this is to encourage each of you to take action in your own way. Too often, we are cautious because we are afraid of offending a potential customer. We may have a sensitive colleague or might not want to deal with the potential fallout. But I would still encourage you to consider speaking at a public meeting, writing a letter, joining a peaceful demonstration, running for office, or just talking to a friend about this or any issue that you are passionate about. Actively listen and come together. And maybe the next time you hire a staff member, consider that more diversity in our professional community could be a great asset.