The University of Miami School of Architecture invites U-SoA Students, Faculty and Staff to submit proposals for the U-SoA Social Justice Prize. By recommendation of the DEI Committee the Prize funds programming that supports the advancement of diversity, equity and inclusion in U-SoA and/or the built environment.
Social and environmental justice in the context of a school of architecture entails a wide range of topics: the trends and effects of climate gentrification on economically disadvantaged communities; the unevenly distributed impacts of pollution and toxic waste; ADA and universal design; legislation that impacts safe spaces for discussion of identity; disparity of resources resulting from urban planning policies such as redlining; development of affordable housing, and so on. Architects, planners, developers, and other practitioners working with the built environment are well-positioned to play an active role in shaping dialogue and approaches towards these issues, and U-SoA should facilitate those conversations.
The mission of the U-SoA Social Justice Prize is to actively engage the U-SoA community in dialogue and scholarship that foster a culture of belonging within the School and beyond. Funding will be awarded to projects that demonstrate an innovative approach to advancing the values of diversity, equity and inclusion. All proposals, even those that touch on climate issues, should have precisely developed social equity goals and should identify the specific targeted groups whose voice will be amplified by the proposal and how. Projects may be but are not limited to events, installations, exhibitions, or course creation/development, and may be proposed by any member of the U-SoA community.
In the spring of 2024, the University of Miami School of Architecture accepted proposals for the second cycle of the Social Justice Prize, a program crafted by the DEI Committee as one of multiple initiatives launched in 2023 to advance the culture of belonging within architectural education and professional practice. This prize funds innovative projects that address social and environmental justice through the lens of architecture. By addressing these critical issues, the Prize integrates the culture of belonging and environmental priorities into the core of architectural education, empowering the School of Architecture community to contribute to a more inclusive and equitable built environment.
This year, the Social Justice Prize honored two exceptional projects that embodied these values and showcased innovative approaches to architectural scholarship and community engagement.
The 2024 Social Justice Prize will fund Professor Lily Wong’s proposal, "Moonrise: Embodying the Mid-Autumn Harvest." In this workshop, Wong will explore non-western embodied knowledge systems in architectural and ecological practices.
The Prize will also support U-SoA Teaching Fellow Demar Matthews and Assistant Director of Communications Madison Brinnon’s proposal, “Unearthing A Black Aesthetic: Green Haven.” This proposal aims to combat local food injustice through a partnership with the non-profit Green Haven Project to establish a new plant nursery and educational space for the Overtown community.
Learn more about the proposal winners, here.
