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Member Spotlight :: Hannah Chatham - Hannah Chatham

PAST EVENT: #me too and you event - Bridget Basham

Annual Retreat 2018 : Celebration of 45 Years and Why OWA+DP Matters - Rachel Sloniki

PAST EVENT: Annual Business Meeting - Maryam Moayery NIa

Donation to Hamilton Family! - Maryam Moayery NIa

1. What book has changed how you look at the world and why? Biomimicry by Janie Benyus. Her insightful explaining of natural systems and how those might be applied to design fields was and is incredibly inspiring to me, and seemed to make sense as a design approach. If you have not heard of Biomimicry it is is a design approach that seeks natural solutions (products, processes, policies) to human challenges by using nature's patterns and strategies.

On Saturday, July 14, 2018, OWA presented #me too and you, hosted at Gould Evans' new community-based event space in San Francisco. The day was supported by both AIASF and AIAEB with generous sponsorship from Dunn Edwards Paint Company and 3Form, who provided lunch for the day-long event.

OWA's Spring Friedlander and Bridget Basham, with the help of the other Steering Committee members, programmed the day which aimed at establishing a safe environment to share experiences and to empower women and minorities with respect to their working lives.

Natalie Riccomini celebrated Cahill's Site Superintendent Bart Fockler. Together with Jack Gardner, from Non-profit Housing Association of Northern California (NPH), these two Champions of Change were recognized for supporting and consciously promoting women and minorities into leadership positions.

Fifteen years ago, the NPH Board was made up with only one person of color. Today, their Board is 60% people of color and almost 50% women. An admirable result compared to 3 years ago when the Board was only 25% people of color and less than 40% women.

Melissa Jones, Poet, Singer and Songwriter read several of her poems which marked a serious shift in focus; these acknowledged the violence and oppression, which particularly women of color endure. The theme continued as a long-time OWA member, (whose identity will remain undisclosed), shared her story that chronicled real obstacles, systematic of institutional bias, to her assuming a leadership role for which she was qualified.

To kick things off, Bridget introduced the concept of "Male Champions of Change” a Gender Equity issue of international social and economic importance involving leaders who are wiling to step up, collaborate, listen, learn and lead with action."

The day underscored the importance of creating opportunities that celebrate one another, and empower us to confidently move toward our rightful positions within our professional realms and within society. Being aware of the context we work in is helpful. The hope is that these important conversations are continued at OWA's Monthly Mixers and focused events in 2019.

Then OWA's Helen Vasquez screened Abby Wamboch's powerful address to women: Women are feared as a threat to our system - and we will also be our society's salvation... We are the ones we have been waiting for.

Throughout the day, attendees encouraged one another to be more confident in discussing these issues within professional environments and to continually advocate for themselves, as-well-as for other women and minorities.

The OWA+DP retreat began with a welcome reception by the pool. Judy Rowe provided appetizers and beautiful name tags. Members reconnected and met new attendees including students from USF, an architect from Mendocino, Debra Lennox and other colleagues who we invited to join our organization. In our Friday evening circle, members highlighted other members who were significant to them, and new members introduced themselves and their design inspirations.

Saturday morning, Hana Mori Böttger organized presentations from a roster of speakers. The brilliant presentations by our members included Conyee Chan, Sandya Sood, and Christie Coffin sharing images from their work overseas on international projects. Bridget Basham, Debra Lennox, Judy Corbett, Leslie Moldow, Janet Crane, Leslie Golden, Frances Kwong, Andrea Lucas, Judy Rowe, Helen Vasquez, Judith Wasserman, Cameron White, and Betty Woo shared stories of their local and national projects, of members who contributed to their careers, and what OWA has meant to them personally and professionally. Jean Nilsson described her book project to document the organization's history, and shared slides juxtaposing events in her own career with history of OWA and other activism in architecture. Gilda Puente Peters highlighted thoughtful, accessibility elements from and OWA+DP Lighthouse for the Blind Tour. Hana Mori Böttger delighted us with a violin piece.

Sandya Sood invited Monsoon Dance Company to teach us Bollywood dancing in preparation for the band, Piyush Nagar, Aanal Anjaria, and Hina Patel who played later in the evening. The dance classes were well taught and fun to learn, aerobics and new dance skills combined together. In the afternoon art project, members created succulent planters. Gilda Puente Peters, Ann Wright, and Betty Woo brought 900 succulent plants they had grown over the previous year in preparation for the art project. As Betty Woo described the design concept for the planter, "you have to have a thriller, a filler, and a spiller."

Allison Kinst presented an OWA+DP timeline, which was displayed throughout the retreat, chronicling the history of OWA within a greater context of the history of women in the field. Various members added their significant events and memories associated with our organization and its members.

Late afternoon, Jean Nilsson moderated a panel to discuss the organization's history, its present and future. Thank you to panelists Marda Stothers, Kriss Rupauch, Koje Shoraka, Naomi Horowitz, Helen Vasquez, and architecture student Jennifer Otsuki, who represented the decades of the organization, for sharing their stories and OWA activities from the 1970s to today. Other members joined in, enriching the conversation, and Jean invited all those interested to contact her to contribute to her book to be published for the 50th anniversary.

At the Saturday dinner, we sang Happy Birthday for OWA+DP's 45th anniversary, then danced and visited throughout the evening, closing by walking the labyrinth. Sunday morning, we convened for a discussion with the steering committee on this year's and future years' events and solicited planners for next year's retreat. We wound down the retreat with Lisa Murray, Yoga Community, who shared Yin yoga with us.

Traveling Exhibition Highlighting the History of Activism in Architecture to Open in San Francisco

November 29–December 14, 2018

California College of the Arts
Hubbell Street Galleries
161 Hubbell St, San Francisco, CA, 94107

Free and open to the public
Opening reception: Thursday, November 29, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Gallery hours: Mon.-Fri., 12:00-5:00 p.m.;
Thurs., 12:00-7:30 p.m.;
Closed Saturday & Sunday

Now What?! is the first exhibition to examine the little-known history of architects and designers working to further the causes of the civil rights, women’s, and LGBTQ movements of the past fifty years. The exhibition content, conversations, and stories will inspire a new generation of design professionals to see themselves as agents of change by looking at the past to see new ways forward.

An exhibition by ArchiteXX, curated by Lori Brown, Andrea J. Merrett, Sarah Rafson, and Roberta Washington.

For more information contact Sarah , 412-418-7133