Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

The AIA Colorado J.E.D.I. Committee’s Equity in Practice series is a three-part virtual learning experience grounded in the American Institute of Architects Guides for Equitable Practice. Across three one-hour sessions, participants will explore the foundational principles and practical strategies that support more equitable architectural workplaces and outcomes, from intercultural competence, workplace culture, and compensation, to recruitment, mentorship, career advancement, and community engagement. Through guided discussion and real-world application, the series connects equitable practice to improved collaboration, stronger teams, and better design solutions that advance the health, safety, and welfare of the communities architects serve.

• Apr 28 • Equity in Practice Series: Intercultural Competence, Workplace Culture, Compensation 
• May 28 • Equity in Practice Series: Recruitment, Negotiation, and Mentorship 
• June 23 • Equity in Practice Series: Career Advancement, Community Engagement, and Measuring Progress

Spark Regional Coordinator Career & College Success is excited to host informational interviews on Thursday, April 23rd, at Bruce Randolph for the final time this year! We are looking for participants to help provide the opportunity for students to learn about various career journeys while practicing their professional communication skills. 

As a participant, you will be “speed interviewed” by multiple students, fielding questions about your job, day-to-day responsibilities, industry, and the education required to get there. All you need to do is show up and share your personal experience! 

Below is the link to the sign-up form. If you are able to participate, please sign up for a time that works best for you. Once I’ve received your information on the form, a calendar invite will shortly follow.

Again, we appreciate your ongoing support of our programs here at Spark! Please reach out if you have any questions. 

Sign up here: Informational Interview Sign-Up Form

Design Like Girl

Design Like a Girl 2025/36

AIA Colorado’s J.E.D.I. committee is seeking mentors for the 2025-2026 session of Design Like a Girl. Design Like a Girl is a design mentoring program that introduces a diverse cohort of middle school girls to architecture and allied design professions. Three full-day workshops on Fridays throughout the 2025-2026 school year allow students to learn first-hand about these dynamic careers from local professional women and design students. The workshop dates are October 31st, February 27th, and May 1st and take place at CU Denver College of Architecture & Planning (1250 14th St, Denver, CO), with potential short walking field trips to nearby sites.

Who Should Mentor? 

DLAG CO is seeking female-identifying design professionals and students to guide, instruct, and inspire participants throughout each workshop. While we would love mentors to participate in all three workshops to get to know the participants, we understand it may not be possible. Multiple volunteer options are available. Sign up to volunteer as a mentor by September 30th, here.

Youth Mentoring & Engagement Opportunities Through DPS

The AIA CO J.E.D.I. Education Pipeline Committee is focused on introducing school-age students to architecture in an effort to expand career pathway exploration and diversify the profession. We regularly post opportunities in the AIA Colorado newsletter for architects, architectural interns, and allied professionals to share their journey with middle and high school students in the Denver Public School (DPS) system. Time commitments are outlined along with each opportunity. Please contact Sarah Goldblatt, AIA if you or your firm is interested in volunteering.

Additional Opportunities

• NOMA Project Pipeline
• CU CAP Mentorship Program
• Colorado Architecture Pathways
• ACE Mentor Tools

• AIA NATIONAL Resources
  • AIA Guides to Equitable Practice
  • J.E.D.I. Advocacy Guide
  • An Investigation into Bias
• NOMA Colorado
• EBECC: Equity in the Built Environment: A Colorado Coalition Building 
• Beyond Land Acknowledgements
• Intercultural Development Programs
• Pathways to Equity

Books

• SO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT RACE By Ijeoma Oluo
• BE ANTIRACIST By Ibram X. Kendi
• THE COLOR OF LAW By Richard Rothstein

• 
  AIA Colorado & NOMA Colorado Host “State of DEI” RoundtableSeptember 30, 2025
  On Wednesday, September 24, AIA Colorado’s JEDI Committee partnered with NOMA Colorado to host The State of DEI in Colorado: What’s Next for the Architecture Profession? The event brought together architects, students, firm leaders, and community members to discuss the future of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the profession at a moment when such efforts face… Read more: AIA Colorado & NOMA Colorado Host “State of DEI” Roundtable
• 
  Designing Neuro-Inclusive and Accessible SpacesDecember 3, 2024
  Presented by Dr. Elena Sabinson, PhD, and Dr. Kait Peditto, PhD, at GENERATE 2024 Practice + Design Conference.  Article by Anna Friedrich, AIA, AIA Colorado Associate Director If Design Can Be the Source of Exclusion, Can It Also Be the Remedy? Designing Neuro-Inclusive and Accessible Spaces At this year’s Practice + Design Conference, the AIA Colorado J.E.D.I.… Read more: Designing Neuro-Inclusive and Accessible Spaces
• 
  Denver Public Schools 8th Grade Career FairDecember 2, 2024
  “Humans will always be an integral part of architecture,” explained Claire Messer, Master of Architecture student, College of Architecture and Planning at CU Denver, addressing an 8th grader who asked whether Artificial Intelligence was taking over the profession. “Imagine your community wants to build a new recreation center,” Messer continued. “Your ideas about the programs… Read more: Denver Public Schools 8th Grade Career Fair
• 
  Inaugural “Design Like a Girl” Workshop Series ConcludesMay 13, 2024
  AIA Colorado’s J.E.D.I. Committee is proud to announce the successful conclusion of the inaugural Colorado “Design Like a Girl” (DLAG) workshop series. The program, originally founded in Washington, D.C., by the Washington Architectural Foundation and was brought to Colorado through the inspiration and hard work of Sarah Goldblatt, AIA, and Britany Soler, Assoc. AIA, with… Read more: Inaugural “Design Like a Girl” Workshop Series Concludes
• 
  Design Like A Girl WorkshopMarch 19, 2024
  AIA Colorado J.E.D.I. committee and NOMA Colorado are proud to announce the success of the second “Design Like a Girl” (DLAG) workshop held on February 16th, 2024. Originally founded in Washington, DC by the Washington Architectural Foundation, DLAG began as a mentoring program for young women interested in the design and construction fields. Joanna Schmickel,… Read more: Design Like A Girl Workshop
• 
  ARE Study GroupFebruary 13, 2024
  What do you need to reach your ARE goals? Access to study materials? A group of peers studying for the same exam as you? A study schedule with people to help you stay accountable? Someone to help you work through those persistent difficult study questions? We all have the same goal, so why do it… Read more: ARE Study Group
• 
  Engaging Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (J.E.D.I.) WorkshopDecember 5, 2023
  Presented on November 16, 2023, by Adriana Medina-López-Portillo, Ph.D., CPC, ELI-MP, Trainer and Consultant, Pangea Training, Jason Pugh, AIA, NOMAC, AICP, LEED AP, Global Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Gensler, Mei-Ling Krabbe, IIDA, NCIDQ, WELL AP, Workplace Strategist, Stantec, Raphael Chavez, AIA, NCARB, LEED GA, Project Architect, HDR, and Patricia Joseph Gill, AIA, NCARB,… Read more: Engaging Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (J.E.D.I.) Workshop
• 
  J.E.D.I. DPS 8th Grade Career FairNovember 17, 2023
  On November 14th and 15th, the AIA Colorado J.E.D.I Education Pipeline Committee, NOMA Colorado, CU Denver CAP, and other AIA Colorado members participated in the DPS 8th Grade Career Fair. Over the two-days, 2000+ middle school students participated in the event which introduced them to a wide range of career paths and post-secondary options. The event continues… Read more: J.E.D.I. DPS 8th Grade Career Fair
• 
  HCM Design Discovery DayNovember 7, 2023
  The Hord Coplan Macht Design Discovery Day event is an important part of the firm’s strongcommitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) through engaging students from underservedcommunities in the design profession. The Denver office recently held their first Design Discovery Dayevent and welcomed 15 local high school students who were eager to explore the world… Read more: HCM Design Discovery Day
• 
  Design Like A Girl WorkshopOctober 18, 2023
  On Friday, October 13th, AIA Colorado and NOMA CO hosted the inaugural workshop for “Design Like a Girl,” a volunteer-led mentoring program focused on introducing middle school girls to the architecture, construction, and engineering fields. The program, consisting of a series of three or four full-day workshops, was originally created in 2016 by Joanna Schmickel,… Read more: Design Like A Girl Workshop