Sara Grant Moderates Panel on Advocacy and Architectural Education

"Toward an Architectural Education with an Awareness of Advocacy" was held at the Center for Architecture

The event, the third and final panel of the three-part Advocacy and Agency in Architecture series organized by the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter (AIANY) Social Science and Architecture Committee, explored a range of learning opportunities for students and educators in the realm of advocacy. Panelists highlighted how educators, practitioners, and community-based organizations can best engage and teach students advocacy skill sets as part of their formal education, both in and out of the classroom.

The panel discussed models of advocacy in educational settings and through community immersion or partnerships. Questions about whether current methods are working and how they can be improved upon were addressed. The panel also covered new ways to accomplish this goal with input from attendees. The outcome was a thorough understanding of educational methods being used, lessons learned, and new approaches to inspire future professionals to advocate for themselves and others as they grow in their careers.

The speakers included:
Kristen Chin, Director of Community and Economic Development, Hester Street
Kelsey Jackson, M. Arch Candidate at Columbia GSAPP; Junior Designer, FXCollaborative
Sanjive Vaidya, Chair of the Department of Architectural Technology, CUNY New York City College of Technology; Board of Directors, The Architectural League of New York
Jieun Yang, Founding Principal, Habitat Workshop; Assistant Professor, CUNY New York City College of Technology; Leadership Group, Design Advocates

Moderator: Sara Grant, Partner, MBB Architects