The Missing 32 Percent

One week later and we’re still thinking about Rosa Sheng’s invigorating discussion, “Equity in Architecture,” hosted at the Boston Society of Architects. Rosa is the founder of AIA San Francisco’s Missing 32% Project, a committee whose formation began with the question of why so many women are leaving architecture. Interwoven with personal anecdotes, Rosa presented the initial findings of the Equity in Architecture Survey, administered in March 2014. It reveals a host of issues to be addressed including the multiple pinch points in a career, from the paying of dues in the early career to the glass ceiling encountered later in the career, pay inequity and lack of opportunities for professional growth. The second half of the presentation was a candid question and answer session that delved further into these issues, how they can be addressed, and the benefits of doing so. With comments from both women and men in the audience, the wide spread impact of these issues on the profession is apparent, along with the incredible opportunity, both from a cultural and a business perspective, to make architecture a more robust and influential profession for all by creating a more equitable practice.

In addition to the lively discussion session, many attendees documented questions, comments and key points over Twitter, instantly making new connections. We’ve captured the conversation and we want to continue the dialogue using the hashtag #EQxD.