CED Diversity Initiatives and Resources
CED Initiatives
The Diversity Platforms Initiative
The Diversity Platforms Initiative at the College of Environmental Design (CED) is a unique opportunity for staff, faculty, students and alumni to explore and celebrate the value of our diverse community while simultaneously calling attention to systemic injustices that are detrimental to us all. Beginning in the 2015 academic school year, CED initiated its first ever grant program designed to support, highlight, and celebrate the diverse student body at CED and to communicate a strong commitment to inclusivity and equity in Bauer Wurster Hall.
Thanks to the philanthropic funder, the Arcus Foundation, CED awarded its first group of Diversity Platform awards to faculty, students, and staff. Through this program, multiple critical projects have now been funded since (see examples below).
Arcus Social Justice Corps (Professional Graduate Fellowship)
The ASJC is a fellowship program open to all CED graduate students that offers significant tuition relief for select students who intend to do social justice work after graduation.
In June 2021, Berkeley alumnus Jon Stryker gave CED a transformative gift to allow students to pursue social justice careers. The fellowships provide debt relief from mounting student loan debt that many students face upon graduation. This financial stability allows the Arcus Fellows to focus on their passion – like reforming housing policy, food accessibility or design for equity.
If selected to be an Arcus Fellow, students will make a pledge to enter social impact careers for at least three years after leaving the College of Environmental Design (CED). The ASJC seeks to attract students who will have the most potential to make transformational social change in the world. This program especially aims to empower students who come from vulnerable communities and want to effectuate direct change in their communities after graduation.
In the context of environmental design, social justice work is wide ranging. Social justice can mean addressing the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events which have been proven to affect underserved communities the most; developing affordable, public, and social housing; addressing environmental pollution, toxicity, and degradation especially in community of color; increasing access to healthy and sustainable food systems in low income communities and in food deserts; reforming urban planning policies that have had detrimental impacts on race in America such as redlining; designing public spaces that reflect the values and voices of the communities in which they are built, and beyond. Architects, landscape architects and environmental planners, city and regional planners, real estate developers, and urban designers are well equipped to tackle all of these problems. By working in nonprofits, NGOs, higher education, government agencies, or by creating their very own forms of new radical practice, graduates in environmental design fields can move the needle on essential social change.
CED ANNUAL COMMUNITY SERVICE DAY
CED will hold its 2022 Community Service Day on September 24th (to be confirmed). All CED students, staff, faculty and alumni are welcome to join. This year’s event will be a creek clean up partnering with the Berkeley Office of Environment, Health & Safety. More information and sign ups to come.
DEPARTMENTAL INITIATIVES
Architecture
Designing an Inclusive Architecture Department (4-year initiative)
The Department of Architecture is in the midst of making changes toward becoming an anti-racist and inclusive institution, discipline and profession. On this site you can find more information on the background and progress reports.
American Institute of Architects (AIA): Advocates for the value of architecture and give architects the resources they need to do their best work. Their work drives positive change through the power of design. In addition to its values, the Institute has developed a series of “Where We Stand” statements that clarify its position on key issues facing the profession.
- AIA Resources for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI): The AIA is actively engaged in furthering and supporting multiple initiatives and goals such as the Equity and the Future of Architecture Committee (EQFA), K-12 strategies, Women Leadership and Multicultural Summits that value EDI for people of all backgrounds.
- Member Organizations: Groups that deliver tailored online tools, access to forums and other significant resources to elevate practice and advocate for architecture): Center for Civic Leadership, International Practice Committee, Resilience Network, Young Architects Forum.
- AIA East Bay: Hosts events specific for women in architecture.
Association of Licensed Architects (ALA): Supports architects and professions related to architecture, throughout their careers.
National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA): Its mission is to build a strong national organization, strong chapters and strong members for the purpose of minimizing the effect of racism in the architecture profession.
Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning
American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA): The Society’s mission is to advance landscape architecture through advocacy, communication, education, and fellowship. Sustainability has been part of ASLA’s mission since its founding and is an overarching value that informs all of the Society’s programs and operations. ASLA has been a leader in demonstrating the benefits of green infrastructure and resilient development practices through the creation of its own green roof, co-development of the SITES® Rating System, and the creation of publicly-accessible sustainable design resources.
- ASLA Commitment to Diversity: For the profession of landscape architecture to remain relevant and responsive, it must better represent the communities and people it serves. Greater diversity brings new perspectives and thought leadership, strengthens professional/community connections, and supports social equity. The undersigned organizations hereby make a commitment to increase resources and actions that: recruit and retain underrepresented students to landscape architecture programs; help mentor graduates into professional life and leadership; and foster an inclusive and welcoming practice environment. Together, we pledge to work toward a diverse profession fully reflective of our nation. By 2025, we will endeavor to achieve a professional profile that correlates with the 2012 population-share estimates*, while working toward the longer-term goal of parity with 2060 projections for the nation as a whole.
- Diversity Summit: In 2013, ASLA convened its first Diversity Summit with the goal of developing a deeper understanding of why landscape architecture is failing to attract a more diverse profile. Each summit has brought together a group of experienced and emerging landscape architects who identify as African American or Latinx to develop strategies that address diversity issues in the field.
- Professional Practice Networks: Groups that help support practice and provide a forum to make connections: Environmental Justice, Sustainable Design and Development, Women in Landscape Architecture.
National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP): An interdisciplinary organization dedicated to developing the highest standards of ethics and proficiency in the environmental professions. Members are public and private sector professionals who promote excellence in decision-making in light of environmental, social, and economic impacts of those decisions. NAEP provides the access and network for individuals to grow as professionals.
City and Regional Planning
American Planning Association (APA): Provides leadership in the development of vital communities by advocating excellence in planning, promoting education and citizen empowerment, and providing members with the tools and support necessary to meet the challenges of growth and change.
- APA Diversity and Inclusion Strategy: This strategy sets forth an association-wide plan for how the APA better promotes the understanding and practices of diversity and inclusion, both within and outside the planning community and profession.
- Divisions: Communities of professionals with shared interests to discuss ideas, contribute to national policy work, develop conference sessions, build partnerships, and stay up to date on the planning issues): International, Latinos and Planning, LGBTQ, Planning and the Black Community, Women and Planning.
Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning: A consortium of university departments and programs offering planning degrees as well as programs that offer degrees affiliated with planning. ACSP connects educators, researchers, and students, to advance knowledge about planning education and research.
- Committee on Diversity: The purpose of the committee is to carry on the work of the Diversity Task Force by working with and encouraging planning schools to develop specific programs and incentives for increasing faculty and student diversity as well as expanding diversity in the curriculum.
- Planners of Color Interest Group (POCIG): The POCIG recommends projects and initiatives to the ACSP annually.
Planners Network: An association of professionals, activists, academics, and students involved in physical, social, economic, and environmental planning in urban and rural areas, who promote fundamental change in the current political and economic systems.
Student Organizations
CED student organizations and groups offer important services and activities that support our graduate and undergraduates students. We value the co-curricular activities and experiential learning provided by our organizations. A portion of our student groups are listed below. To view the full list, please visit our Student Organizations and Groups Directory.