Monthly Newsletter

FEBRUARY | 2023 | VOL. 2

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE:

As citizens of the United States, we are afforded the fundamental opportunity to walk the halls of Congress and speak with those who represent us. We collectively acted on this opportunity during the AIA Leadership Summit (formerly Grassroots) held last week in Washington DC. For those who have not attended, the event revolves around Capitol Hill visits with our representatives in both the House and Senate. During these visits we proactively endorse and support agenda items relevant to our profession. This year, roughly 600 architects from across the nation attended and participated in this momentous event. The focus for our 2023 Summit was two bipartisan pieces of legislation that AIA advocated for on behalf of its members and our communities:

Democracy in Design Act would:

Prevent the federal government from mandating design styles.
Require future changes to the GSA’s Design Excellence Program undergo a public comment period, facilitating more inclusive input and providing more transparency.

Resilient America Act would:

Increase the amount of pre-disaster mitigation funding available through FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program.
Encourage states to adopt updated building codes. (The national institute of Building Sciences reports that adopting the latest consensus-based building codes and standards saves $11 for every $1 invested in post-disaster recovery.

AIA DETROIT UPDATE

The leadership of AIA Detroit have been working very hard over the last 18 months, creating a new Strategic Plan for our organization, guiding our organization’s efforts over the next three years and beyond. To elevate the practice of architecture and empower the communities of Metro Detroit, our Strategic Plan focuses on Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Resiliency, the value of Membership, excellence in Practice, and issues of Advocacy that can better shape our environment.

The initiatives AIA Detroit intends to pursue under this plan include drastically increasing the diversity of our leadership and membership to reflect our greater community...Read more.

YOUNG ARCHITECT'S MESSAGE:

Did you know that every month, the Young Architect’s Forum (YAF) puts together a publication Now Ya Know? Well, if you didn’t, now ya know! Here is the link for February’s Edition.

The Now Ya Know Issue usually recaps the month, so February’s issue talks about all kinds of things, including the Future Forward Grant! Are you an early career professional interested in testing new ideas that disrupt the traditional idea of practice? If so – check it out and apply! February’s Edition also has an open call to participate in the newest Connection Article, as well as a link to the previous version. The Young Architect’s Forum will also be hosting an open mic night where you can learn more about the national committee and their 2023 priorities. Read more.