Robert L. Easter, FAIA, honored with 2023 Whitney M. Young Jr. Award

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[["strong"],["i"],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.aia.org\/showcases\/6572288-robert-l-easter-faia-"]],["b"]],"sections":[[1,"p",[[0,[0],1,"WASHINGTON \u2013 Dec. 8,\n2022 \u2013"],[0,[],0," The Board of Directors and the Strategic Council\nof the American Institute of Architects (AIA) today honored Robert L. Easter,\nFAIA, with the 2023 Whitney M. Young Jr. Award. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Established in 1972,\nthe Whitney M. Young Jr. Award annually honors an architect or organization\nthat champions a range of social issues. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Easter\u2019s work to\nbroaden diversity, equity, and inclusion began early in his career while he was\na student at Virginia Tech. As a graduate student, he was instrumental in\nadvancing a minority lecture series that introduced an overwhelmingly white\ndesign academy to the work of architects and planners of color. Later, while\nserving in the US Army Corps of Engineers as a senior instructor, he helped\nyoung officers with little design, math, or engineering backgrounds transition\ninto the corps. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Following his service,\nEaster founded Kelso \u0026 Easter Architects in Richmond in 1983. Members of\nthe National Association of Minority Architects (NOMA) recognized Easters\nenergy and commitment, and he was swiftly elevated to serve in several of the\norganization\u2019s national leadership positions, beginning with a three-year term\nas national secretary. In that role, he developed NOMA\u2019s national newsletter, "],[0,[1],1,"NOMANews"],[0,[],0,",\nwhich still circulates today. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"In 1992, Easter was\nelected to serve a two-year term as NOMA\u2019s 15th president. During his tenure,\nhe created the NOMA Council to recognize the extraordinary contributions its\nmembers have made to the profession. After forging an alliance with South\nAfrica\u2019s design community, Easter helped create a sister organization to NOMA\nthere and traveled to Johannesburg to meet with its leadership, facilitate\nsessions with the South African Institute of Architects, and discuss terms for\ncooperative leadership. Additionally, Easter worked to advance critical\nresearch and documentation of African American architects in the U.S. and\npartnered with AIA and other organizations to establish AIA\u2019s first diversity\nconference. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"After nearly 30 years\nof practice, Easter returned to Hampton University, where he completed his\nundergraduate studies, to become chair of its architecture department. In his\nnearly 15 years as chair, Easter has promoted licensure as the highest priority\nand responsibility for graduates, interweaving IDP and now AXP requirements\ninto the professional practice curriculum. He has also secured funding for a\nlecture series that introduces students to renowned Black architects, and he\nleverages his relationships with peers to provide mentorship opportunities that\nhelp graduates become familiar with new professional environments. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"In 2017, Easter was\ninvited to attend the AIA Large Firm Roundtable\/Dean\u2019s Forum at Tulane\nUniversity, where he made an impassioned plea to the firms leading the\nprofession to embrace their social responsibility regarding diversity, equity,\nand inclusion. Easter hosted the roundtable at Hampton University in 2019 and\nwas asked to join its Diversity Task Force, where he penned a position paper\nthat offered a foundational understanding of the challenges to diversifying the\nprofession. He also connected the roundtable\u2019s leadership to NOMA, igniting a\ndialogue on strategies firms could use to bolster their diversity profiles. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"More recently, Easter\nshaped a proposal for the roundtable to better assist minority-serving\ninstitutions, particularly historically Black colleges and universities\n(HBCUs). The impact of his work has been significant: Many of the roundtable\u2019s\nfirms have committed to partnering with HBCU programs and have changed their\nrecruiting process. Additionally, the roundtable has entered into a memorandum\nof understanding with NOMA to support scholarships and sponsor K-12 outreach\nefforts."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Visit "],[0,[2],1,"AIA\u2019s website"],[0,[],0," to learn more about Easter\u2019s selection as the 2023\nWhitney M. Young Jr. Award recipient."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[3],1,"About AIA"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Founded\nin 1857, AIA consistently works to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and\nsustainable buildings, neighborhoods, and communities. Through more than 200\ninternational, state and local chapters, AIA advocates for public policies that\npromote economic vitality and public wellbeing."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"AIA provides members with tools and resources to assist them\nin their careers and business as well as engaging civic and government leaders\nand the public to find solutions to pressing issues facing our communities,\ninstitutions, nation, and world. Members adhere to a code of ethics and conduct\nto ensure the highest professional standards."]]]]}