Evon Calabrese, Assoc. AIA
CoEDI co-chair
Angel Lopez Sanchez, Assoc. AIA
CoEDI co-chair
Given recent executive orders from the current administration, it feels especially timely to resurrect the Committee on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (CoEDI). Prior to 2024, it was an extremely active community and we owe much gratitude to past chairs Mohamed Fakhry, Octavio Gutierrez, and Kelly Chanopas as well as many others for creating a robust framework to build from. We are eager to pick up where they left off with Future Vision and DEI training as well as develop new programming with NOMA PDX. If you are not already a NOMA member we encourage you to join.
If justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion are important to you, we urge you to:
Provide feedback on shaping the CoEDI Committee via this SURVEY
Attend our first committee meeting on Tuesday Feb. 25th at noon, LINK to join
Review the AIA Oregon Social Justice Action Plan which was developed in June 2021, and is currently serving as the AIA Oregon Strategic Plan.
Check out the Equitable Practices section of the AIAO Resources page
Look around your office, do you have an internal DEI committee or initiatives? Who is running it? Often this emotionally heavy labor is done by our female and BIPOC teammates.
Meet Evon:
I grew up in rural Vermont, raised by an architect and landscape architect with a small residential practice, so I swore I would never be an architect. That changed quickly when I got to MassArt and stole all my parents' drafting supplies and books. As an undergrad, I was one of those students that would pride themselves on living in the studios leading up to reviews and embracing the ""architetorture"" culture. I considered myself more dedicated than my classmates who didn't do the same without recognizing they commuted into Boston, worked off campus, or had family obligations, all things I didn't have to worry about. I was quickly humbled while trying to find a job with a pre-professional degree and no experience at the height of a recession.
In the 10+ years since then, my interests have shifted from "starchitects" to social sustainability and becoming a citizen architect. I am now a healthcare designer at NBBJ specializing in trauma-informed and evidence-based design and conducting research on designing for neurodiversity. I'm passionate about trauma-informed design because it fuses design psychology with intensive community engagement.
Meet Angel:
I was born here (in Portland) and grew up in a small town name Woodburn. Growing up I dreamed of becoming a professional soccer player, playing in both soccer and track throughout school. As a first generation mexican-american I knew I had to pursue a post secondary education, and with my father working in construction that is where my love for design and construction grew. I attended the University of Oregon, where I was part of creating and establishing the Latinx Male Alliance, participated in some AIAS events and studied abroad in Rome. I graduated from the University of Oregon with a Bachelors of Architecture and Minor in Landscape Architecture in 2021.
I am currently a design professional at Integrus Architecture. Where I am able to practice my passion to create innovative experiences built on social, natural environments and economic conditions for humans. All by curating a vision throughout the life of a project.
Thank you for being a part of our community, we are so excited to resume this vital committee and engage with you all in this important work.
Your CoEDI co-chairs,
Evon Calabrese and Angel Lopez Sanchez