I’m excited to share this year, I made a promise to place GREATNESS: Diverse Designers of Architecture directly into the hands of the students who will shape our future. I committed to donating 500 books to elementary and high school students across the country and thanks to the generosity of an incredible donor who believes deeply in this mission, that commitment has become a reality.

Over the past several months, I’ve had the privilege of gifting GREATNESS to students across multiple cities and communities, each with its own story and impact.

At It Takes a Village Leadership Academy in Chicago, students engaged with the work of women and BIPOC designers with curiosity and insight.

At Camden Creative Arts High School in New Jersey, emerging young creatives explored the possibilities of design and the built environment.

 At East Brooklyn Middle School of Excellence, students saw architects who reflect their identities and experiences — many for the very first time.

In Kansas City, at the 72nd Debutante Ball, brilliant young women received the book as a symbol of confidence, legacy, and representation.

As NOMA Immediate Past President I also pledged to donate a copy of GREATNESS to each of the 128 NOMAS Chapters. It was an honor to be able to hand deliver this copy to the Yale University NOMAS chapter. 

At the HBCU Early College Prep School in Jamaica, New York, students connected their academic journeys to living examples of Black excellence in architecture.

At the University of the West Indies I had the honor to meet with Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal Prof. Clive Landis to donate books to the amazing students in Barbados.

Most recently, I shared GREATNESS with the Chicago Architecture Center Teen Fellows, whose leadership and creativity continue to inspire me deeply.

And in December with The Mary Louis Academy Architecture Club, young designers found inspiration in the stories and built works featured in these pages.

Each moment affirmed the same truth: representation matters. When students see themselves reflected in the built environment, they gain the language, the confidence, and the imagination to believe in their own potential.

This season of gratitude and giving is an opportunity to continue this work together. If you are able, I humbly invite you to support Beyond the Built Environment this Giving Tuesday. Your generosity helps us reach more classrooms, more communities, and more young people who deserve to know that their greatness belongs in every corner of this profession.

Support BBE here:
https://www.beyondthebuilt.com/support

If you’re receiving this email, it’s because you are part of my journey. Your support sustains me. I carry you into every room I enter, and I hope to continue making you proud.

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