New Haven, CT – The Connecticut Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Connecticut) announced the Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (J.E.D.I.) Award at the annual Awards Gala on Nov. 16.
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The Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Award acknowledges architectural firms who have made a commitment to:
- JUSTICE in acknowledging and denouncing racism and sexism, removing barriers to opportunities, and promoting the success of all individuals in the profession.
- EQUITY in providing balanced resources and opportunities to ensure every practitioner can reach an equal outcome.
- DIVERSITY in encompassing an array of practitioners who represent varied experiences and perspectives.
- INCLUSION in fostering a sense of belonging for all voices and perspectives to feel welcomed, respected, supported and valued to fully participate.
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Launched in November 2020, it was envisioned to offer AIA Connecticut firms a roadmap to actively produce results, both short term and long term. Eleven firms made the J.E.D.I. commitment to embrace these principles to make a difference and were acknowledged for their impact.
- Amenta Emma Architects
- CPG Architects
- Hoffmann Architects
- Huestis Tucker Architects
- JCJ Architecture
- QA+ M Architecture
- Patriquin Architects
- Perkins Eastman Architects
- Pickard Chilton Architects
- Svigals + Partners
- TLB Architecture
One firm, Hoffmann Architects, was awarded the inaugural J.E.D.I award for its outstanding strategies and efforts in creating an environment for the future of the architecture practice. This included creating a dynamic, interactive internal blog focused on diversity and inclusion; establishing a Diversity Advancement Scholarship with the Connecticut Architecture Foundation for minority students pursuing architecture and engineering careers; establishing a student loan repayment program for employees to assist in paying down student debt, which disproportionately impacts people of color; starting a D&I book club for staff to share conversation about challenging topics through literature and non-fiction selections; connecting with the ACE Mentor Program to provide volunteer mentorship opportunities for their staff; and participating regularly in online Diversity Challenges from the United Way and other organizations.
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Additional information about the J.E.D.I. Pledge is available at https://aiact.org/committees/diversity-equity-inclusion-community/.
