Black women in architecture gathered for Sixth Annual Event in Washington DC
Washington, DC – On October 18, 2020, over 100 black women and other architecture professionals gathered for what has become an annual networking event. The event was virtual this year with women attending from across the country.
Organized by a team of volunteers, this annual event is an opportunity for black women to gather and network with each other to foster working relationships, build future partnerships and support each other. In the profession, black women make-up only 0.4% (497) of the over 116,000 licensed architects in the United States. The event serves to connect women who could easily be working in environments where they rarely see another black woman.
Additionally, the event is a fundraiser for the Desiree Cooper ARE Scholarship fund. The fund currently provides scholarships for those who need financial assistance to complete the licensure process. To date, the fund has awarded five scholarships to exam candidates.
This year’s event included intimate round tables with national firm leaders, a cocktail demonstration, and an update on the First 500 project documenting Black women architects. The 2020 event was possible with the sponsorship of The Matic, National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), the American Institute of Architects (AIA), K. Dixon Architecture PLLC, OTJ, VMDO, Cure Architects, Plot Strategies, EQ3, and a host of individual patrons.
For more information, visit https://bit.ly/2020-bwa-brunch.