Good Reasons to Be Proud

by Phillip Koski, AIA, AIA Minnesota president

The first of June marks the start of meteorological summer, and with it, a long, balmy interlude of holiday’s, celebrations, back yard parties, art fairs, and festivals. Perhaps because we in the northern latitudes experience our seasons more acutely than other folks around the country, we can be forgiven for seizing every opportunity to get outside and revel in the open air with friends, family, and neighbors.

For AIA Minnesota members this is no different. Looking at upcoming outdoor (and indoor) events on our retooled website, I see in the first week of this month both a behind the scenes house tour and a happy hour with the Residential Architecture Committee, while across town in a Minneapolis beer garden, folks can celebrate the rollout of this year’s print annual ENTER. Mid-month, a delegation from all three AIA Minnesota local chapters will be travelling to the AIA 2026 Conference on Architecture & Design in San Diego, where we will participate in the annual business meeting, elect next year’s national leaders, and attend the investiture of Angela Wolf Scott, FAIA, as our newest Fellow. Following that, Urban Sketchers Twin Cities will be meeting up with AIA Saint Paul members for an afternoon filling sketchbooks and watercolor pads in Rice Park. And Dunwoody College of Technology in Minneapolis hosts a week-long Indigenous Design Camp for 14- to18-year-old aspiring designers.

The sheer breadth and diversity of activities organized by AIA Minnesota (in concert with our local chapters) is a testament to our commitment to engage members where they are, with programs and resources they find individually valuable. But historically, we have not always made good on that commitment. I remember serving on the AIA Minnesota Board in the early teens when there was no Equity in the Built Environment (EBE) Committee, and no Women in Architecture (WIA) Committee. Our president at the time, Ann Voda, AIA, remarked that earlier in the 1970’s or 80’s there was, indeed, a “Women in Architecture” group, but that they consisted solely of the non-architect wives of male architects.

Today, the Women in Architecture Committee and the EBE Committee have some of the most active and engaged membership among our 20-plus committees and knowledge communities. This is progress with real and lasting outcomes for the profession we can take stock in. And yes, there is still more to do!  Building on the momentum of the inaugural LGBTQ+ Happy Hour at last November’s AIA MN Conference, AIA Minnesota is supporting the first ever LGBTQ+ Meet Up, to be hosted by DLR Group in the atrium of their Minneapolis office, and scheduled for the week running up to Minneapolis Pride Weekend. 

AIA Minnesota has been around for 134 years, and I feel it to be a unique distinction and responsibility to be the first openly gay architect to serve as its president. In this role (and with the grassroots support of a small but mighty base of volunteers and agitators!) it has been a privilege to help expand and formalize the systems of support and acceptance I’ve enjoyed as an active member over the last three decades of my career.  Being accepting, showing respect for all our members – these are baseline expectations for any organization (or a democracy). But to really thrive we must make spaces where every individual can feel at home, safe, with a sense of belonging.  We have and continue to do this work, year-in and year-out, regardless the political crosswinds. It’s who we are, and that should make us all very, very proud.