In St. Louis, Missouri, April 14-16, 2008, the AIA convened a plenary meeting, bringing together individuals representing architecture, other professions, business, academia, associations, and AIA components to identify the best practices that must be implemented by the AIA and its partners in order to move the profession towards its future. 

The goal was to engage organizations with the ability to impact the recruitment, matriculation, retention and promotion of talented, diverse individuals in the field of architecture. The outcome of the plenary, a document called the Gateway Commitment, will lead to the development of a multi-year action plan that will address these issues.

Meeting Materials
Agenda
Speaker Biographies

Meeting Highlights
Dr. R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr., CEO of Roosevelt Thomas Consulting & Training, Inc., and Senior Research Fellow at The American Institute for Managing Diversity, (AIMD), provided the keynote address on Monday evening.
Tuesday evening's events included a walking tour of the Delmar Loop, selected by the American Planning Association as one of 10 Great Streets in America, as well as a visit to Kiku Obata and Company.
At the conclusion of the meeting on Wednesday morning, each participant stated to the group what he/she will do personally to help move the profession forward to a more diverse and inclusive future. 

Hear speeches from the event.

Suggested Readings
AIA Public Policy and Position Statements
Holland & Knight Summary and Review:  2005 Demographic Diversity Audit Report
20 on 20/20 Vision, edited by Linda Kiisk, AIA
"Diversity Practices That Work: The American Worker Speaks," The National Urban League
Building a House for Diversity, Dr. R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr.
Designing for Diversity, Kathryn Anthony
Structural Inequality: Black Architects in the United States, Victoria Kaplan
The Aesthetics of Equity, Craig L. Wilkins

Websites of Interest
ArchVoices
Diversity, Inc.
Profiles in Diversity Journal