On November 16, I will start a new position on the senior leadership team of the AIA as VP of Equity and Climate.

That means this is my last column. A goodbye column. And I’ve been trying to write it for weeks.

I’m terrible with goodbyes. I procrastinate. I get tongue-tied by the swirl of emotions, unable to find the right words to express my gratitude.

But I’ve realized this is not a typical goodbye – it’s more of a Minnesota goodbye.

For those who are newer to Minnesota, here’s how it works:

• You say that you have to get going. There’s a round of warm hugs, talk about how you’ll miss each other and be in touch, and you start to go toward the door.
• Then a new topic arises. “Oh – I forgot to tell you…” “One more thing…” So you slow down and stay a while longer.
• This cycle continues on the way to the threshold, then out the door to the porch, and down the steps, and along the sidewalk, stopping and starting, again and again; excuse after excuse, delaying the pain of letting go.

Minnesota goodbyes make it clear that there’s too much to say and not enough time to say it; that you really want to stay even though it’s also time to go.

Because I will be continuing to work for AIA and you will continue to be my members, and I will be mainly working remotely from Minnesota, this goodbye simply moves us over the threshold to the porch.

“PORCH: An architecture of generosity” was the organizing theme for the U.S. pavilion of the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale. For the exhibit, a porch was described as “a place of welcome exchange and shared imagination” and “a medium of proximity”. The exhibit at the Biennale was intended to create “a platform for relationships and collective intelligence.”

This is what I hope I can be to you in this new role: a front porch leading to the AIA, with the opportunity for a stronger connection between the Minnesota membership, the Minnesota state and local chapters, and AIA national. By staying connected, continuing to share your experiences and insights, our relationship will strengthen the efforts of the AIA on your behalf. We’ll be able to inform each other’s work and grow the efficacy of practice related to both climate and equity.

I look forward to seeing many of you at the Annual Conference next week. And for the hundreds who have sent emails and LinkedIn messages that I’ve not yet replied to, know that I will be in touch over the days to come.

So, I will pause (not end) it here. Thank you. For everything. It has been, and will continue to be, my privilege and honor to know you, to serve you, and to support this noble, essential profession.