Conference and Events
Diversity Summit
ASLA Diversity Summit at the ASLA Center for Landscape Architecture in Washington, D.C.
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 design strategies to address
issues of diversity, equity and inclusion in the field.
Past
participants of the Diversity Summit community continue to collaborate
around projects and initiatives that inform ASLA's DE&I efforts, including those highlighted below.
Learn more at About the Diversity Summit and access reports, special presentations, ASLA news coverage, and more.
ASLA's first Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion track debuted at 2020 ASLA Conference on Landscape Architecture. Learn more.
Diversity Summit Webinar Series
ASLA's Diversity Summit
webinar series builds on a series of deep dialogues held over the
seven-year history of ASLA’s annual Diversity Summit. Webinar topics
reflect ASLA’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, while
reinforcing the over-arching goal of the Diversity Summit: to develop a
deeper understanding of why landscape architecture is failing to attract
a more diverse profile.
Visit ASLA's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) Hub
The DE&I hub offers quick and easy access to essential information about ASLA’s DE&I efforts and features a range of categories from ASLA members, programs and resources, firm leadership highlights, educator leadership, and more.
#iPledgeASLADiversity Social media Campaign
An outcome of ASLA’s 2018 Diversity Summit, participants documented individual commitments to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in the profession using the #iPledgeASLADiversity social media campaign. The purpose of the series is to:
- Share commitments to action made by Summit attendees.
- Support ASLA’s strategic objective to Shape the Future of Landscape Architecture and Promote Diversity and Inclusion in the Profession.
- Show ASLA members, firm leaders and others how to support the diversity and inclusion efforts of its members or implement diversity and inclusion efforts within their organizations.
- Highlight ASLA resources to encourage the next generation of landscape architects.
ASLA invites the full support of its member community. Take the pledge, and don’t forget to share with ASLA using #iPledgeASLADiversity.
Special Feature: Diversity Summit Goal In Action: Building Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) into the pipeline as integral to landscape architecture.
Watch how Richard Jones, ASLA, past president of Mahan Rykiel Associates, led a unique partnership with Francis Scott Key Middle School to support the school's STEM-based environmental education curriculum with Project Birdland.
Leveraging Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion During COVID-19 The COVID-19 crisis has made many jobs vulnerable, but the ability to maintain diverse talent may be most at risk. A review of the March/April 2020 Business Study by the Institute for Public Relations (IPR) and PR firm Peppercomm showed that “Diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives have been somewhat swept aside for the time being” (Ragan’s PR Daily).
The following reading list sheds light on why DE&I may lose momentum during the COVID-19 crisis and what’s at risk when you dissolve DE&I programming. It also presents strategies to leverage DE&I efforts and strengthen the future of organizations.
Please direct inquiries about ASLA's Diversity Summit to Lisa J. Jennings, Career Discovery and Diversity Manager at diversity@asla.org.