Project Leadership: Elgin Cleckley, Carmen Wright
Overview: The National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) has an established two-week summer STEM program entitled Project Pipeline Architectural Summer Camp. This program aims to increase the number of underrepresented minorities, especially African-Americans, pursuing careers in architecture.
Highlights: Design Thinking Professor and Equity Center Design Director Elgin Cleckley led the second annual Project Pipeline summer camp virtually. Student design interns produced community led design concepts for their own neighborhoods. Students began the program learning the art of collage following the work of African American artist Romare Bearden, then conducted COVID-safe interviews to discover needs from friends, family, and local residents.
In the last week of August, students met with Rhoadside Harwell, Ms. Joy Johnson, and Ms. Audrey Oliver (leadership of the Public Housing Association of Residents) to provide youth feedback on the Charlottesville Comprehensive Plan. The program culminated with presentations of the student’s community–led design ideas in mid-September.
2020 Project Pipeline Report: Crystal Johnson, Izaiah Richardson, Logan Martin, Marck Williams, Markasia Thompson, Zymir Faulkner, Patricia Yao, and Elgin Cleckley, “Project Pipeline,” The Equity Center, A UVA Democracy Initiative Center for the Redress of Inequity through Community-Engaged Scholarship, August-October 2020.