June 3, 2020
This is a painful and uncertain time. The brutal murder of George Floyd at the hands of police has laid bare a gaping wound that was previously invisible to some, and impossible to ignore for others. We share your anxiety, fear, and heartbreak.
Over 50 years ago, legendary civil rights leader Whitney M. Young, Jr. reprimanded architects at the AIA National Convention for not doing enough to support racial equality, saying, "You are not a profession that has distinguished itself by your social and civic contributions to the cause of civil rights... you are most distinguished by your thunderous silence."
The Community Design Collaborative grew out of the social impact design movement that has attempted to fill that silence. We can speak up more loudly to call out the inequities that create physical, social, and spiritual divides in our city.
To our Black, Brown, Indigenous and People of Color Communities, we are committed to being in this fight with you. We are continually working on our own personal and professional blind-spots, while seeking to be aware of how our hidden biases impact our work. We will stand for justice with you and make every effort in the continuing months and years to listen, understand, and to mobilize the resources and collective impact of our volunteer network to better serve you.
We will continue to support the nonprofit organizations, neighborhood groups, and small businesses that are the backbone of our city, and we are providing quick response solutions to nonprofits and businesses that are rebuilding and reopening to serve their communities. If you know of an organization that could benefit from our design services, or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Heidi Segall Levy
We stand together in solidarity and service.
