Archinect - Features 2024-12-21T23:06:02-05:00 https://archinect.com/features/article/150266166/the-aia-praised-trump-and-biden-s-infrastructure-plans-but-lacks-political-vision-to-draw-connections-to-structural-racism The AIA Praised Trump and Biden's Infrastructure Plans But Lacks Political Vision to Draw Connections to Structural Racism Dante Furioso 2021-06-08T08:01:00-04:00 >2021-10-12T01:42:58-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/9d/9d95e5ca8e593aba3ce8a46acaab4f83.jpeg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>In November 2016, the Executive Vice President and CEO, of the <a href="https://archinect.com/firms/cover/49568164/the-american-institute-of-architects" target="_blank">American Institute of Architects</a> (AIA), <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/840820/robert-ivy" target="_blank">Robert Ivy</a>, issued a statement congratulating President-elect Trump and the new Congress. Speaking for the organization&rsquo;s 95,000 members, Ivy said they were &ldquo;ready to work&rdquo; with Trump to improve America&rsquo;s infrastructure. Within liberal and progressive circles, the backlash was swift, given the divisive nature of Trump&rsquo;s infrastructure plans, which included significant expansion of the <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/35989/mexican-american-border" target="_blank">southern border wall with Mexico</a> and more coal power plants.</p>