SEAONC SE3's Commitment to Racial Justice
To Our SEAONC SE3 Community:
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We are reaching out to you in light of the recent murders of Black people by the police and the subsequent global outcry for justice. We recognize George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Steven Taylor, Dion Johnson, and the countless other Black lives that have been taken at the hands of racism in this country—by police violence or otherwise. Their lives mattered. These events are not new, and are emblematic of the systemic and institutionalized racism, specifically anti-Black racism, within the United States.
We in the structural engineering industry are not exempt from the national calls to action. As an industry, we have a glaring lack of diversity. In most of Northern California, the demographics of our industry do not reflect the demographics of our communities. |
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The SEAONC SE3 committee was established with the mission of improving engagement and equity in the structural engineering industry, to attract and retain the best talent into our profession, and to ensure that all structural engineers have a clear pathway to success in their careers.
SEAONC SE3 is not immune to the issues we seek to address. A reflection of the broader structural engineering profession, white and Asian American groups are overrepresented in our committee compared to the demographics of our communities. When SEAONC SE3 began, our conversations centered around gender equity—an area where, while there is still a lot of work to do, we have seen tangible, visible growth over the last decade. In the last few years, our work has expanded to address all aspects of diversity, equity, and inclusion within our profession. But how do we best work toward racial equity, when current Black, Indigenous, and Person-of-Color (BIPOC)—and especially Black—representation in our industry is so low, and the systemic barriers to change are so deeply entrenched in our society? We have been asking ourselves this question as a committee, as we imagine many of you have been asking in the context of your own workplace and professional communities.
In the fall of 2019, SEAONC SE3 launched our Diversity & Inclusion Initiative with the mission of expanding the conversation around equity & engagement in structural engineering to include all facets of diversity, such as race, cultural background, citizenship status, gender identity, sexual orientation, and religion. So far, we have held two successful events under this initiative: an introductory workshop hosted by Awaken, and an A/E/C Roundtable discussion on “Inclusive Practices in Recruiting and Management.” Moving forward, our Diversity & Inclusion task group will remain a permanent subcommittee of SEAONC SE3. We commit to reinvigorating our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts through hosting regular, recurring events, with an emphasis on programming focused on dismantling the barriers facing BIPOC within our industry.
SEAONC SE3 is not immune to the issues we seek to address. A reflection of the broader structural engineering profession, white and Asian American groups are overrepresented in our committee compared to the demographics of our communities. When SEAONC SE3 began, our conversations centered around gender equity—an area where, while there is still a lot of work to do, we have seen tangible, visible growth over the last decade. In the last few years, our work has expanded to address all aspects of diversity, equity, and inclusion within our profession. But how do we best work toward racial equity, when current Black, Indigenous, and Person-of-Color (BIPOC)—and especially Black—representation in our industry is so low, and the systemic barriers to change are so deeply entrenched in our society? We have been asking ourselves this question as a committee, as we imagine many of you have been asking in the context of your own workplace and professional communities.
In the fall of 2019, SEAONC SE3 launched our Diversity & Inclusion Initiative with the mission of expanding the conversation around equity & engagement in structural engineering to include all facets of diversity, such as race, cultural background, citizenship status, gender identity, sexual orientation, and religion. So far, we have held two successful events under this initiative: an introductory workshop hosted by Awaken, and an A/E/C Roundtable discussion on “Inclusive Practices in Recruiting and Management.” Moving forward, our Diversity & Inclusion task group will remain a permanent subcommittee of SEAONC SE3. We commit to reinvigorating our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts through hosting regular, recurring events, with an emphasis on programming focused on dismantling the barriers facing BIPOC within our industry.
Our Pledge:
The SEAONC SE3 committee is standing, and fighting, in solidarity with the Black community and the Black Lives Matter movement. We are recommitting to fighting for equity in structural engineering and the removal of systemic barriers for Black engineers. We acknowledge and believe in the power of community in this fight for transformative justice.
We encourage firm leaders to join us in this self-reflection and commitment to action. First, check in on your staff and colleagues. Recent news has been traumatizing for the Black community and distressing for many, and this stress does not go away during the work day. While we are working remotely, this is an opportunity to connect with staff and remind them of your shared values. These issues were always important, but especially in this time of global action, lack of acknowledgement of current events risks being perceived as indifference towards the fight for Black justice. Affirm your organizations’ commitment to equity in the workplace. In the long term, commit to specific, meaningful actions to advance the cause of anti-racism (for ideas, see attached). While we understand the tendency to stay silent for fear of saying the wrong thing, addressing these topics—even imperfectly—shows support for your employees and contributes to a work environment built on trust and inclusivity.
We encourage firm leaders to join us in this self-reflection and commitment to action. First, check in on your staff and colleagues. Recent news has been traumatizing for the Black community and distressing for many, and this stress does not go away during the work day. While we are working remotely, this is an opportunity to connect with staff and remind them of your shared values. These issues were always important, but especially in this time of global action, lack of acknowledgement of current events risks being perceived as indifference towards the fight for Black justice. Affirm your organizations’ commitment to equity in the workplace. In the long term, commit to specific, meaningful actions to advance the cause of anti-racism (for ideas, see attached). While we understand the tendency to stay silent for fear of saying the wrong thing, addressing these topics—even imperfectly—shows support for your employees and contributes to a work environment built on trust and inclusivity.
SEAONC SE3 pledges to take the following actions during the 2020-2021 SEAONC year, and beyond:
- Engage in ongoing research to educate ourselves about the lack of Black representation in the structural engineering industry and tools for change. Publish and share compiled resources to the SEAONC community addressing the following:
- What are the specific barriers to entry for Black engineers entering the industry? Where does the pipeline break down?
- How does the SE industry compare to other STEM and design-related disciplines when it comes to Black representation? How does the Bay Area compare to the rest of the country?
- How can we improve retention of Black talent in the A/E/C industry?
- Organize programming for local universities in collaboration with engineering student groups serving underrepresented groups.
- Organize a CEO roundtable to facilitate dialogue among firm leaders around racial DEI in our industry. Invite a Black professional consultant specializing in racial justice in the workplace to moderate the discussion and share their expertise.
- Commit to giving Black members of our industry a platform at SE3 events—and not just at events related to DEI. We recognize that representation is important, regardless of the subject matter being discussed.
A Call to Action:
For us to enact real change, our committee’s pledges cannot stand in isolation; we are counting on you, as firms and individuals, to contribute to creating a more equitable structural engineering industry. Here is our specific call to action for the SEAONC SE3 Community: each one of us has power—some more than others (firm leaders, committee leaders, community leaders). Each one of us has a voice—some louder or more listened to than others. In this time, reflect on spaces where you have power or privilege. Educate yourselves, speak up, donate, self-reflect, recommit, and repeat. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and SEAONC SE3 will be here for you to help along the way.
For our recommendations for specific action items for firms and individuals, please see the PDFs below.
We recognize that this message is just a start, and that we as committee leaders will continue to learn as we engage in this ongoing work. We encourage you to reach out to us with your thoughts, ideas, and feedback.
For our recommendations for specific action items for firms and individuals, please see the PDFs below.
We recognize that this message is just a start, and that we as committee leaders will continue to learn as we engage in this ongoing work. We encourage you to reach out to us with your thoughts, ideas, and feedback.
Regards,
Brenna Marcoux, 2019-2020 SEAONC SE3 Co-chair
Rachel Cohen, 2019-2020 SEAONC SE3 Co-chair
Hayley Proctor, 2019-2020 SEAONC SE3 D&I Subcommittee Lead
Tiffany Hwang, 2019-2020 SEAONC SE3 D&I Subcommittee Member
Natalie Tse, SE3 Co-founder
Brenna Marcoux, 2019-2020 SEAONC SE3 Co-chair
Rachel Cohen, 2019-2020 SEAONC SE3 Co-chair
Hayley Proctor, 2019-2020 SEAONC SE3 D&I Subcommittee Lead
Tiffany Hwang, 2019-2020 SEAONC SE3 D&I Subcommittee Member
Natalie Tse, SE3 Co-founder
References:
AIA Guides for Equitable Practice
Harvard Business Review: US Businesses Must Take Meaningful Action Against Racism
Colloquate: A Design Justice Practice
TedTalk by Bryan Lee AIA: Race, Architecture, and Tales for the Hood
Designing Justice: Oakland-Based Architecture Firm
Restore Oakland: Oakland-Based Community Organization
TedTalk by Deanna Van Buren: What a World Without Prisons Could Look Like
Unbuilding Racism - Designing Justice + Designing Spaces
ASCE: I Can't Breathe and This Is Why
Leadership in This Moment: Listen Deeply, Unite Widely, Act Boldly
Allyship in Action: How Managers Can Support Black Employees Right Now
SE3 Leadership in Action Blog: In pursuit of Greater Inclusion
Harvard Business Review: US Businesses Must Take Meaningful Action Against Racism
Colloquate: A Design Justice Practice
TedTalk by Bryan Lee AIA: Race, Architecture, and Tales for the Hood
Designing Justice: Oakland-Based Architecture Firm
Restore Oakland: Oakland-Based Community Organization
TedTalk by Deanna Van Buren: What a World Without Prisons Could Look Like
Unbuilding Racism - Designing Justice + Designing Spaces
ASCE: I Can't Breathe and This Is Why
Leadership in This Moment: Listen Deeply, Unite Widely, Act Boldly
Allyship in Action: How Managers Can Support Black Employees Right Now
SE3 Leadership in Action Blog: In pursuit of Greater Inclusion
Firm Action Items
The SEAONC SE3 committee has put together a list of potential action items for firms to respond to the recent events surrounding George Floyd. You can view and download this file:
| firm_action_items.pdf |
Individual Action Items
The committee has also generated a list of recommended action items for individuals as a guide to those who are committed to the fight to end racial injustice.
| individual_action_items.pdf |
Updated 1/3/2021: In recognition of the power of language, the word "minorities" was updated to "underrepresented groups" to respectfully specify groups of people. All references to "SE3" were updated to "SEAONC SE3" to better clarify our organization that released this commitment to racial justice.