Session led by: Ke Vaughn Harding + Pamela Rodriguez-Leon
Notes by: Rachel Gendich + Doris Grose
Engaging Your Community explored ways in which members of the architecture profession can engage their communities in order to effectively address various categories of human need.
Breakout Session: Strong Communities
The session started with a breakout activity to identify the elements that are essential to strong communities. Scholars attended small group discussions to explore personal experiences within strong and weak communities. Experiences varied based on people, density, infrastructure and life stages.
Presentation #1: Mona Lisa Development by Aysha Boston
Following the breakout session was the first presentation lead by Aysha Boston presenting the Mona Lisa Development, a real estate development firm in Detroit that revitalizes old homes and uses them to offer affordable housing options for people who are looking for a temporary place to live while they get back on their feet. The Women-Owned business is committed to extending opportunities to other Detroiters and disadvantaged businesses. Mona Lisa Development works with diverse teams and think critically about their impact on the community and environment.
Breakout Session: Cultural Heritage Binds Communities
The second small group activity was titled Cultural Heritage Binds Communities. Scholars went back into their breakout sessions and discussed the value of heritage in unifying communities. Nonprofit cultural heritage organizations are helping people to remember and celebrate their shared experiences, traditions, identities, struggles and aspirations.
Presentation #2: The Wattle and Red Earth (WARE) Collective by Sarah Ann Hodges, Georgia Love and Peter J Francis
The Wattle and Red Earth (WARE) Collective by Sarah Ann Hodges, Georgia Love and Peter J Francis focused on engaging communities through the celebration of traditional building methods in Jamaica. Ann talked about their efforts to preserve the homes built around the 1830s and create a living museum to preserve the historical sustainable building practices and keep their history intact to share it with the younger generations. The historic building process in Jamaica was very much a community affair and relied only on local resources.
Breakout Session: Solve a Community Problem
In the final activity of the day, Solve a Community Problem, each group came together to provide a possible solution to a homeless center housing project. The small groups used an AIA Resources template with a real-world example. Each member acted as a voice to the different parties that would be involved in such a scenario.
The group concluded this session with a virtual Happy Hour and Virtual Games.
Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program │ New Mexico 