How to Create a JEDI Initiative at Your Firm

How to Create a JEDI Initiative at Your Firm

AIALA Committees: J.E.D.I. and Practice

This is a virtual event. Zoom log-in information will be emailed to registrants 24 hours in advance from events@aialosangeles.org. If you do not receive a confirmation 24 hours prior to the event, please email events@aialosangeles.org.

CES Learning Units: 1.5 LU

This joint venture event (AIALA J.E.D.I & Practice Committees) brings together several architectural firms to discuss how each practice started J.E.D.I. (Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusivity) initiatives in their firms. Each speaker will present how their firm established programs, as well as action items that their firms have been undertaking to facilitate justice, equity, diversity and inclusivity into their offices. After the presentations, attendees can ask questions and converse with the panelists.

Presenters:

Aram Guzman, Designer III, Perkins&Will
Aram is currently a Designer with Perkins&Will and, throughout his six-year tenure, has worked on projects with transit agencies, healthcare providers, and higher education institutions, including LA Metro, Kaiser Permanente, and the California State University system. Working alongside firmwide leadership, Aram has guided, developed, and put into practice the firm’s justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) core values. Aram has a history of working with clients to develop community engagement and outreach efforts, particularly within diverse and Spanish-speaking communities. Since the pandemic, Aram has worked to strengthen community and culture across Perkins&Will. While understanding the importance of embracing a rapidly evolving working landscape, Aram sees opportunity in breaking beyond the physical boundaries of home-base offices, particularly for larger firms. Aram has leveraged the current new-found connectivity to lead discussions on race, social equity, and culture across the firm to lead actionable items for change. He currently sits on Perkins&Will’s firmwide Diversity Council and has led mentoring groups through ACE Mentoring, the Lyle Center for Regenerative Studies, and the Green Dot Public School system. Aram is also an avid potter and ceramics teacher and believes in the power of building community through making.

Craig Atkinson, Director | California Architecture Practice Lead | Senior Principal Architect, IBI Group
Craig is a Director | Senior Principal Architect with more than 3 decades of experience in the design and construction of public projects. He is currently the lead in charge of the architecture practice with offices in Los Angeles, Irvine, San Diego, San Jose, San Luis Obispo, and Bakersfield. He is also the Executive Sponsor of IBI’s JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) ERG that is developing recommendations to improve the culture of the firm and ensure IBI follows through with its statements made in response to the tragic and unjustifiable killing of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Regis Korchinski-Paquet. You can view our statement here: https://www.ibigroup.com/2020/06/05/working-together-to-respond-to-systemic-and-institutional-anti-black-racism/ He is currently the President-Elect for the SoCal NOMA chapter and will assume the presidency in January 2022. He has been a part of several boards, commissions, and community groups, most recently leading the effort to provide a virtual exhibit space using the IBI Group Digital Foyer to display the work of the participants of the SoCal NOMA Summer Camp – NOMA XXPO 2020: https://www.ibiviz.com/california/NOMA/

Antoinette Bunkley, Associate AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Senior Associate, CO Architects
Antoinette Bunkley has over 27 years of experience and is a senior project manager with CO Architects in Los Angeles. Her knowledge is informed by a diverse range of projects for public and private institutions, private biosciences and biotechnology companies, with a particular emphasis on higher-education campus environments. At CO Architects, she is responsible for budget, scope, and schedule, as well as internal project teams, consultants, and client communication. She provides project management for highly complex building types that include laboratories, vivaria, nanotechnology, bio-safety Level 3, and diagnostic facilities, and is knowledgeable in the coordination of architecture with complex engineering systems. Antoinette received her Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Southern California. Acknowledging CO’s commitment to creating and maintaining a diverse and continually improving workplace, she led CO Architect’s Diversity and Inclusion Initiative until the events of mid-2020. She now leads CO Architects’ Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) Initiatives and was quoted in the Wall Street Journal as an expert on diversity training. Additionally, Antoinette has served as an AIA panelist, presenting insights on equity diversity and career opportunities in healthcare design.

Magen Raine Gladden, Employee Experience Manager, Cuningham
Building on her design and communications background, Magen integrates internal communication, brand development, and the pursuit of equity and justice with her passion for creating authentic culture moments that enhance employee experience. Some of her projects include collaborations on employee onboarding and engagement, student internship programs, and Cuningham’s employer recruitment brand. Her willingness to engage in challenging conversations firm-wide and her leadership of Cuningham’s Equity + Justice Task Force have helped cultivate a welcoming and supportive environment with the goal of helping all team members thrive.

Matthew Trotter, AIA, NOMA, Architect, Cuningham
Matthew’s passion for uplifting communities and culture through thoughtful design has earned him firm-wide respect and admiration. As a leader in Cuningham’s Equity + Justice work, Matthew is inquisitive and channels his passion in a way that makes space for honest and meaningful dialog and outcomes. Matthew is a talented designer who has worked on a variety of project types including hotels, corporate office spaces, places of worship, community centers and themed entertainment. After 7+ years of participating in the planning and execution of the Southern California Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architect’s Summer Camp, Matthew was elected the first Director of the Developing Professional Group at SoCalNOMA. Matthew was given the position based on his efforts in creating infrastructure to empower young minority design professionals to reach licensure through mentoring, educational seminars, study materials, and financial aid for exam costs.

Learning Objectives:
+ Learn how different sized firms established JEDI initiatives and hear about current action items.
+ Learn how to become a participating firm of SoCal NOMA DEI Challenge.
+ Learn how to bring issues of justice, equity, diversity, inclusion to firm leadership. Or, alternatively, hear how to successfully support JEDI initiatives as a firm leader.
+ Learn how to draft a mission statement, ask/secure funding, and bring awareness into action.