In this program hosted by nycoba|NOMA, panelists will discuss thoughts on what types of policy changes, for public design, should now be implemented considering the socio-political shifts inspired by the murder of George Floyd, and others, in the middle of this international health crisis. Here in the United States, Americans of African descent have suffered the brunt of inordinate exposure to the deleterious effects of the pandemic due to inherent economic and health pre-dispositions. This outgrowth of socio-economic pre-dispositions caused by stark economic disparity, the lasting effects of past African American enslavement and the residual effects of present-day systemic racism have put Black and Brown people in a precarious health and economic position in America. As a result, design and construction professionals of color, in keeping with a commitment to creating a more equitable world, require more than ever the proper tools and properly funded opportunities to ensure that they are well equipped to execute successful solutions. We propose to capture, for the first time, the testimony and anecdotes of accomplished African American professionals who will impart, with our community, firsthand examples of how they have consciously fought to correct unfair contractual arrangements and insidious barriers in the past.
