Following the success of our October 2019 Design for Equity Symposium, which focused on why equity, diversity, and inclusion practices are needed in firms, AIA Kansas City is continuing and expanding the conversation in our next program, which will address what all of us need to better understand so that racial equity can become a reality in our firms.

This year’s Design for Equity Symposium will be an interactive, online format. We’ll open with a fishbowl format* discussion featuring five panelists from AIA Kansas City and NOMA Kansas City.

*The five panelists engage in meaningful dialogue with one another while attendees observe their conversation. This approach is meant to provide insights from an honest and genuine conversation that the observer may not typically have access to.  

Panelists are going to address what they have been seeing and experiencing in recent months, both personally and professionally, and what they want to hear and see happen in our industry. Special focus will be on which voices need to be heard and what our industry can do to create a deeper sense of belonging.

Following the fishbowl discussion, attendees will be pre-assigned to a breakout room, and each breakout room will have a single topic to discuss in depth.  Topics will range from unconscious bias, to leaders modeling positive change, to how smaller firms can be successful in this work with limited HR resources. Everyone will then be brought back together and each group will report on their discussion.   

Attendees will build their knowledge of equity concepts and best practices; and gain action items that can be used in their firms.

Panelists Include

• Diamond Bronson, AIA – Hoefer Wysocki Architects
• Chris DeVolder, AIA – HOK
• Phil Dougherty – Slaggie Architects and NOMA Kansas City co-founder
• Whitley Fields, AIA – SFS Architecture
• Heather Gentili – Gould Evans

Moderators Include

• Stephenie Smith, MSW - Sophic Solutions, LLC
• Dr. Rodney Smith - Sophic Solutions, LLC

This program is worth 2 LU's. 

Registration Fee - $25 (AIA, NOMA and AIA Kansas City Member firm representative)
Non - members - $40

Registration deadline Nov. 6

Thank you to our sponsors:
Custom Engineering
JE Dunn Construction