President’s Letter

Standing Up! Standing up!

This last year has shown us that we are ultimately stronger together than apart. The COVID-19 crisis has challenged us and fundamentally changed everything— we recognize that we cannot go back to the way it was. Early on, when the pandemic erupted across the state, the AIA Formed the Unified Task Force aimed at responding to the advancing crisis. Architects and leaders from across the state stood up to respond swiftly and thanks to many of their contributions, we are still standing.

As architects, we have the ability to realize a new future—we do it on a daily basis with our clients and communities. Now is the time for all of us to stand up and imagine the future we have in a post COVID-19 world and bring that vision and story to reality. Communities need us to craft those stories that create a narrative rooted in humanity and equity. As impactful as the virus has been on our systems, it has revealed, as in many disasters, the inadequacies and weaknesses within our communities.

As we begin 2021, I challenge all of you to recognize the power you possess to tell those stories and ask you to stand up with me and your colleagues to help our collective communities. We will be calling on you as Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), offering a platform to explore the future of schools and education, to train our body of professionals as leaders in disaster response and in advancing equity within our profession.

As a professional organization, the strength and value of the AIA lies within its collective membership, providing us with the ability to craft a future together. I witness it in the marvelous, extraordinary work, you all do each and every day. With over 9,000 members across the state, I am confident that we can make the lift towards a better future, together.

Sincerely,

Illya Azaroff, FAIA 2021 President | AIA New York State