June 5, 2020

Dear Member Firm Leaders:

It is with solemn, heavy hearts that the founders of JAMB Collective write to you during this time of civil unrest.  Founded on the principle that we, as a collective, can do more good when we work together than when we stay apart, we believe this now more than ever.

Our founders hail from all across the country.  In Philadelphia, we watched as police used tear gas on a peaceful crowd for merely exercising their civic rights and as the National Guard was deployed in and around center city.  In Washington, D.C., we watched as military style tactics drove demonstrators from the streets.  The stories are similar in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Seattle (other cities where our member firms and co-founders reside), and many other cities around the country.

The unrest and anger are warranted.  Our country is facing a reckoning for the sins of racism that have persisted for centuries.  Founded by an African American, two women, and a member of the LGBTQ community, JAMB is committed to driving out racism, sexism, and gender discrimination in the design community and our communities as a whole.

We witnessed the senseless murder of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis while three other officers stood idly by.  Ahmaud Arbery was stalked, set up, and murdered in Brunswick, GA.  Breonna Taylor was shot eight times and killed during a no-knock raid in Louisville, KY.  Countless others have lost their lives or have had their humanity denigrated at the hands of those sworn to protect.  Next month, it will be six years since Eric Garner died at the hands of NYPD and with his last breath, declared, “I can’t breathe.”

But the issues run deeper than police brutality.  The pandemic sweeping across the states is having a disproportionate effect on Black communities.  Redlining continues to be weaponized to keep minorities out of predominantly white neighborhoods.  Communities of color continue to be desecrated by the devastating effects of gentrification and factors that lead to displacement - both of populace and of culture.  We as architects and designers must recognize our role in shaping public space and communities and we must do better.

Silence is no longer acceptable.  We all have a responsibility to stand up, speak out, and act.   Institutional and systemic racism thrives in this country, and we must do everything we can to identify it and dismantle it.  As six full-time architects, the founders are acutely aware of the underrepresentation of minorities within our profession, and JAMB is committed to advocating for small firms that seek to address this disparity.

JAMB is proud of the member firms that have already made a public statement.  We encourage those that have not, to do so.  Feel free to use ours as a roadmap.  A statement denouncing racism is the least we can do.  As architects, we are tasked with the health, safety, and welfare of the public.  Lead community conversations, get involved with a design collaborative, organize meetings within your neighborhoods, and let us know what you’re doing!

Lastly, JAMB is pledging to match, dollar for dollar, each contribution by a member firm to a non-profit organization with the specific, stated goal of serving minority communities and businesses.

Your co-founders,

Abigail Brown, AIA

Christian Jordan, AIA

Desmond Johnson, AIA

Jared McKnight, Assoc AIA

Katie Johnson, AIA, MBA

Michael Anglin, AIA, LEED AP


As a member company at 1776 (in Philadelphia), we’d also like to share a thoughtful list of links for your reference:

Educate

Educate yourself on systemic racism in our country, and learn how to talk to others about it. A dear friend shared and encouraged me to read more about white privilege here, which I encourage you to do as well.  If you have children or younger extended family members and need help guiding your conversations, there are resources available here, here and here.

Activate

Write to your elected officials about the subjects that matter to you and your community. There are many ways of communicating, and many sites/apps have templates to help you get started.

Donate

Putting your money where your values are can make a HUGE impact. If you are able, below are funds needing immediate and long-term contributions:

Participate

Be an active ally by using your time, skills and your vote to make changes and make a difference. Learn what programs, organizations and events are happening in your community and find out how you can help or get involved. Below are just a few we recommend right now:

  • Black Girl Ventures is a culturally converging ecosystem igniting economic security, civic engagement, and hyperlocal infrastructure at the intersection of STEM education and entrepreneurship for Black and Brown woman-identifying founders, funders, and veterans.

  • Black Girls Code is devoted to showing the world that black girls can code, and do so much more. By reaching out to the community through workshops and after school programs, Black Girls CODE introduces computer coding lessons to young girls from underrepresented communities in programming languages.

  • Coded by Kids provides underserved communities with pathways into tech with software development, digital design, computer science, and tech startup-focused entrepreneurship education programs. Setup a monthly donation, volunteer, or sponsor an online class for a child of color.

  • DiverseForce provides high tech and high touch human capital solutions in response to an increasingly digital, diverse, and transient talent culture.

  • HUE Tech Summit is a premier conference for students, career women, and companies seeking tech talent. Designed to educate, elevate and empower women of color technologists and techpreneurs across the nation, HUE Tech Summit exists to create a space for women to learn and connect.