President’s Letter - Women’s History Month

By: Catherine (Katie) Broh, AIA , 2026 AIA Philadelphia President

During a period when it seems what we as architects value is being questioned (preservation), what we have moved beyond is being returned to (dirty energy), what we have progressed towards we are regressing from (design freedom), we find ourselves in women’s history month and I can’t help but focus on the threat anti-DEI initiatives are to our architectural community. 

As a profession, we have worked for decades to become more equitable and diverse. AIA membership nationally and locally is 26% women and NAAB -accredited architecture programs are about 55% women (illustrating the ongoing mid-career gender gap is still a problem). Underrepresented racial and ethnic groups make up 18% of national membership and 12% of our Philadelphia members (unacceptably low) where data was available.  But overall, it’s progress from where our profession started, and we didn’t get here by chance. Our academic institutions focused on diversifying student bodies, our clients required procurement processes that include minority and women businesses, and we expanded the pipeline of our industry to welcome more black, brown, female and LGBTQ. As architects we believe that a more diverse profession broadens our minds, increases opportunities, enriches our designs and improves our society.   

In the last year we have seen executive orders that terminate equity-related grants and contracts and ban DEI training and initiatives. Decades old requirements for federal contractors to maintain affirmative action programs have been revoked and architects who hold federal contracts are required to pledge they do not operate illegal DEI programs. Now new orders limit recognition of genders to two aiming to eliminate gender focused DEI initiatives in the federal workplace. Following suit, many colleges and universities have reduced or eliminated their DEI offices and modified their admissions parameters to avoid losing federal grants. Although federal courts have recently invalidated the current administration's attempt to strip federal funding to colleges and universities, the chilling effect of anti-DEI rhetoric is significant. At this point over 30% of states have passed legislation to ensure their public colleges restrict or ban DEI initiatives. And a sign to us architects of this troubling shift is the trend over the last year for RFP’s from higher-ed institutions to rarely require MBE/WBE participation.   

I have no doubt the ripple effect of these anti-equity policies will impact the diversity of future graduates entering the architecture profession and the subsequent impact on the composition of our firms and our firm’s leadership…unless we stand up for what we value and take action to counteract the effect. 

Support the work of our Women In Architecture Committee, our EDI committee, and our PEA committees as they welcome young architects from all backgrounds into our profession helping them chart paths forward in what can still be uncomfortable space. Hire a diverse team in your own studios to craft the community of professionals that will challenge you to make your best work, and then mentor them so they feel a sense of belonging in the profession. And purposefully hire a diverse consulting team, whether the client asks for it or not.   

Anti-equity policies are a throw back to times when women were not intellectually welcome in academe and in the workforce, couldn’t vote, and were not valued. We are past this. In Women’s History Month, and all months, let’s proactively create an architectural community that can shape our future with impact.