Five high-access events. Six decision-makers. One moment for architects to be in the room where it happens — as Los Angeles rebuilds, reshapes, and reimagines itself.
View All Events & RSVP →Why now? LA is navigating wildfire recovery, a mayoral race, the FIFA World Cup, the 2028 Olympics, a housing crisis, and a clean-energy transition — all at once. The decisions being made today will define this city for a generation. Architects belong in every one of these conversations.
The 2026 AIA|LA City Leaders Breakfast Series and Design for Dignity Conference represent a rare opportunity: direct, roundtable access to the city officials, elected leaders, and infrastructure stewards making decisions that directly impact your work, your clients, and your communities.
These are not passive lecture events. They are intimate conversations — held over breakfast, held in roundtable format — designed specifically for architects and designers to engage, question, and influence. Seats are limited, and they fill fast.
California State Assembly, District 57 — Exposition Park, South LA & Downtown LA
Assemblymember Elhawary is an educator, organizer, and social justice advocate born and raised in Los Angeles to Egyptian and Guatemalan immigrant parents. Her legislative focus spans housing, health equity, and educational access in the most underserved pockets of the city. She was mentored by Mayor Karen Bass and City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, and was a founding force behind the Nelson Mandela School for Social Justice.
LA Mayoral Candidate — Urban Planner, Harvard & MIT — CD4 Council Representative
With the Los Angeles mayoral primary on June 2, this is your chance to engage with Councilmember Raman just weeks before the vote. A Harvard-trained political theorist and MIT urban planner, Raman's campaign has centered on dramatically increasing housing production, revitalizing the city's film industry, improving city services, and rethinking how LA manages its built environment. She defeated a sitting councilmember in 2020 in what the LA Times called "a political earthquake."
20th Fire Chief, Los Angeles Fire Department — 30+ Year LAFD Veteran
Chief Moore was unanimously confirmed as LAFD's 20th Fire Chief in November 2025, taking command after the devastating 2025 Palisades Fire. A lifelong Angeleno raised in Venice/Mar Vista and UCLA graduate, Chief Moore has led departments ranging from wildland fire operations to the LAFD's data-driven FireStatLA performance system. He has been explicit about his mission: improving preparedness for major disasters, rebuilding community trust, and readying LA for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Housing an Inclusive Community · AIA|LA's Signature Housing + Equity Conference
Now in its 11th year, Design for Dignity is AIA|LA's premier exploration of how architects and designers can address housing inequity, displacement, and inclusive community building in Los Angeles. The 2026 edition continues a tradition of bringing together practitioners, policymakers, nonprofit leaders, and community advocates in substantive, action-oriented sessions. This year, the conference spans two consecutive Friday mornings for broader access.
President, LADWP Board of Commissioners — International Project Finance & Energy Transition Expert
Unanimously elected LADWP Board President in January 2026, Allan Marks brings decades of experience in international energy finance, infrastructure, and sustainability — having overseen transactions valued at over $100 billion globally. He oversees the nation's largest municipal utility, serving more than 4 million Angelenos. His focus is squarely on clean-energy transition, climate resilience, and equitable infrastructure investment — topics with enormous implications for how LA's built environment is designed and powered.
These are not panels or lectures. You sit across from city leaders and ask the questions that matter to your practice, your projects, and your community.
A fire chief, a mayoral candidate, a state assemblymember, an energy board president — these are the decision-makers whose policies shape every permit, code, and project in LA.
Breakfasts are just $10 for AIA members and students. The access-to-cost ratio here is extraordinary.
Your presence sends a message: architects are engaged, invested, and indispensable to Los Angeles's future. Show up and make that case in the room.