The American Institute of Architects, San Diego Chapter
November 16, 2016
Dear AIA San Diego Member:
Considering the recent communique from AIA Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, Robert Ivy, to President-Elect Trump, the Board of Directors of AIA San Diego feels that it has a responsibility to you, our membership and our community, to comment.
In simple terms, the AIA|SD board believes Mr. Ivy’s message insufficiently acknowledged or addressed core values and key issues for our profession. We wish to reinforce our position on some that we feel are particularly critical as we face the transition to a new administration:
- We are committed to a country in which every person is respected. AIA must reaffirm that equity, diversity and inclusion are central to our professional mission;
- We are committed to protecting our climate. We do not support policies that ignore science or undermine our ethical duty to make buildings that improve public health and safety while reducing climate change;
- While we support investments in infrastructure, they must be subsidiary to the larger goal of building a just, fair, and transparent society. Our priorities must focus not on short term political objectives, but on strategies that create long-term value for our country. In addition to repairing our roads, bridges, sewers, and water systems, we must strengthen our education system and employ emerging technologies that reduce our reliance on increasingly unsustainable urban forms.
As a voice for our profession and a resource for our members in service to society, AIA|SD remains committed to the highest standards of professionalism and integrity. At this moment in time, we believe it is important to emphasize tolerance and kindness in our core values. It is clear that parts of our country are hurting in ways that many, including ourselves, may not have realized.
We’d like to close with what we feel is the most meaningful part of Mr. Ivy’s message.
“It is now time for all of us to work together to advance policies that help our country move forward.”
We ask for your support in pursuing this goal.
Respectfully,
| Dan Stewart, AIA 2016 President | Philip Bona, AIA 2017 President |
