Black Lives Matter

The shock, pain, and anger brought on by the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery regrettably serve to remind us, practitioners, that our profession has repeatedly been complicit in supporting and implementing white supremacist systems, explicitly designed to subjugate black bodies in the public arena. Policing and mass incarceration, both enacted in public space, are a normalized form of state violence and we condemn their existence because they should have no place in a just society.

As we support and learn from our fellow citizens/protestors, utilizing open public space to communicate and demonstrate our collective rights, we are reminded that certain civic responsibilities are deeply entrenched within our profession. We are called on to examine our roles in society and join along with black and brown communities in demanding structural change and in disruption of white supremacist systems that exist within practice and public space.

panyc is committed to playing an active role in seeking change. Our commitment to diversity needs to expand to one of inclusion, of people and voices long marginalized within the field of Architecture. We seek to change our hiring practices and to challenge the pipeline of candidates, as selected and curated by leading universities through years of institutionalized whiteness. Lastly, we seek to take an active role in rebuilding our communities in weeks to come, including probono support to local businesses damaged and in need of help with permits or other architectural support.

As we seek to build a more equitable world, we call upon our colleagues to join us in this commitment and expand their work to break down barriers within our profession and our practice.