AIA LA Endorses a Yes Vote on County of Los Angeles Measure J

AIA LA Endorses a YES Vote on County of Los Angeles Measure J

As the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee representing both AIA LA and SoCal NOMA, we stand as a voice within the architecture profession of Los Angeles speaking out for issues that are related to our core values. The JEDI Committee works with a purpose of advancing issues of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion within the architecture profession where:

JUSTICE is acknowledging and denouncing racism, removing barriers, and promoting equitable opportunities in the profession for all individuals;

EQUITY is allocating resources to ensure every practitioner has access to the same opportunities and outcomes;

DIVERSITY is encompassing an array of practitioners who represent varied experiences and perspectives;

INCLUSION is fostering a sense of belonging for all voices and perspectives to feel welcomed, respected, supported and valued to fully participate.

In alignment with the above, we are endorsing a vote of YES on LA County Measure J – Budget Allocation for Alternatives to Incarceration Charter Amendment. A vote of YES on LA County Measure J would support the amending of the county’s charter to require that no less than 10% of the county’s general fund be dedicated to community programs and alternatives to incarceration. In supporting Measure J, we are echoing the calls of the ReImagine LA Coalition which called for the redirection of funding from policing towards the community. Their calls which led to Measure J being added to the ballot will secure, with a vote of YES, upwards of $1 billion dollars per year back into the community.

As designers and architects for the community, it is important that the communities that we live and build in everyday are supported with the funds to be able to succeed and thrive in their own spaces. We believe that the endorsement of Measure J will be a step in the right direction in realizing this desire to better support the diverse communities of Los Angeles.

JEDI Committee:

Joshua A. Foster, NOMA, Assoc. AIACo-Chair, JEDI Committee & KFA Architecture
Leslie Sydnor, AIA, LEED APCo-Chair, JEDI Committee & & Board Director, AIA Los Angeles
Ziba Ghassemi, AIA, LEED APVice-Chair, JEDI Committee & Board Director, AIA Los Angeles
Genelle Brooks-Petty, NOMA, Assoc. AIAVice-Chair, JEDI Committee & Board Director, So Cal NOMA

RESOURCE LINKS:

Measure J (Ballotpedia)

Reimagining L.A. County: Shifting County Budget Priorities to Communities and Incarceration Alternatives

Endorsement: Yes on Measure J. Shift L.A. County spending from punishment to treatment

AIA|LA JEDI Committee

For more information, please contact:

Will Wright
Director, Government & Public Affairs
AIA Los Angeles
(213) 639-0764
will@aialosangeles.org

 




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