American culture, including corporate America, is getting more culturally and ethnically diverse over time. Every day in my classes and curriculum, I learn that diversity is becoming particularly relevant as a diverse set of perspectives and backgrounds improves both the workplace and a company's value proposition. I strongly believe that companies of all sizes should ensure that their workers, regardless of color, nationality, or gender, are welcomed and appreciated. Organizations that lack diversity and struggle to make employees feel valued sabotage the employee experience. Growing up Asian American, I have experienced feeling like an outsider because of the color of my own skin, and I can confidently say that diversity in architecture is so important to me.

Diversity in architecture means that I will see other Asian American women that look like me trying to pursue a career that is dominated by white men, and I am so grateful to have such inspiring women to look up to. Having diversity in architecture will give students like myself someone they can not only relate to but to also connect with. 

As a fourth-year student who is pursuing architecture, I believe that it is crucial in this day and age that we start to incorporate diversity in the workplace. I will definitely seek out employers with the excellent support of diverse workforces because I don’t want to work for a nondiverse firm. One day, I aspire to be one of those diverse perspectives that will potentially add new ideas to the table when it comes to design. Not only do I want to add my ideas to the table but I also want to learn about my peers and the backgrounds they come from. Thankfully, with more inventive solutions being proposed, architecture will continue to grow and we will see more architectural creativity from previously unseen backgrounds. 

Not only do I want to work for a diverse firm, but I also want to work for a firm that advocates for sustainable and green architecture. Green architecture is so important because it is a building strategy that minimizes the negative impact of construction projects on human health and the environment. By using eco-friendly building materials and construction techniques, the "green" architect or planner attempts to protect the air, water, and land. My logic behind working for a sustainable firm is that I want to see a change in this world. Not only do I want to meet new people, learn about different cultures and share my experiences, but I also want to be part of the impact on the world and hopefully one day, my actions can cause a domino effect.