Planting the Seed The idea for the Assembly of Architects was created at a casual lunch in the early 1990's between two newly acquainted individuals - Marilyn Porter, then Manager for Capital Improvements and Infrastructure for the Metropolitan Transit Commission, and Francine Kola-Bankole, former Architect & Project Manager for INSPEC, an engineering/architect firm in Minneapolis.
Being professional women-of-color in a dominated male industry made them unique and novel, and so it was a curiosity to know if others, including professional men-of-color, were working within the Twin Cities. They knew if there were others out there, that "it would be important to bring people together to share their working experiences as well as lend support and encouragement to each other." They also felt that if they could formulate a professional group, " they could make a difference to affect changes within the communities they lived and served ." It was evident to both women that the decision makers who shaped their urban communities and neighborhoods were mainstream male professionals who were not sensitive or aware of the lifestyles of the people who lived there. A new found purpose became defined over that lunch hour - Ms. Porter and Ms. Kola-Bankole needed to find ways of discovering if there were other professionals of color (specifically at that time, African Americans) who existed in the Twin Cities architectural community. Soon after that discussion, at the World Trade Center in St. Paul, 50 out of 100 professionals came together to meet and greet their colleagues for the first time.
The evolution of the Assembly of Architects ("AOA") moved from an informal networking group to the early infancy of a professional membership of 25 to 30 individuals representing various professionals of color, and different industry firms. It expanded from architects to include urban planners, designers, engineers, and other related fields, which categorically became known later in the industry as the "environmental design" profession.
Once these various design professionals came together, they could realize their dreams to partner and do outreach work with various community organizations including community development corporations, foundations, museums and non-profit groups. They started working pro bono on issues and projects that affected their community.
Later realizing the numbers of professionals of color were so limited in their field, the birth of a student outreach and education program component became another strategy for the Assembly of Architects. This gave the professional designers the opportunity to mentor high school and college students, and help them gain exposure or internships into their various organizations, which was unlike their own personal experiences when they graduated from college.
AOA also realized that raising awareness of career options and opportunities needed to be actively pursued for the K-12 students who would otherwise choose fields more common to them like education, health, law, journalism, professional sports, music or dance. Students were more apt to know about construction jobs vs. architects or urban planners. These professions are not on their radar because their school subjects and curriculum do not expose them to these areas. They usually discover these professions in college or trade schools, mostly by default, through classes like art history, science or math.
Since 1999, the Assembly of Architects' Outreach and Education programs have become the focal points for this organization's purpose and contribution to its industry, as well as the communities these young professionals-in-training will eventually serve. AOA has long recognized the current educational and professional deficiencies of supporting college students and young emerging professionals to succeed in their industries. As a means to correct these deficiencies (that were not available to its original members), the Assembly of Architects through its Professional Leadership Development Program, will provide mentoring and internship opportunities through its professional membership and their firms.
