I think it's important to include your interests and reasons for studying architecture in your personal statement, because the impression I get reading it is that you only want to be an architect to change a statistic.

if you feel it's important to include your background then include it, but I wouldn't base your entire statement of interest on that alone.

In your personal statement instead of just saying there aren't many black female architects and giving all the statistics, you should really expand on how your background gives you a unique perspective and how that has influenced your decision to study to architecture and your future work. You have a sentence at the bottom where you start to talk about this, but really you could cut the statistics down to a single sentence and use the rest to talk about how it ties into your specific interests. I'm also female and non-white, so I completely understand how being a minority in this profession could be a motivating factor, just be more specific about what you feel it's important. Good luck.

I agree with the statements above about about expanding on your own personal background and interests as a designer. The statistics you present could be an opportunity to display your diagramming skills.

How are you binding your portfolio? I'm just curious how the how your images that span two sheets will look when the book is compiled.

I agree with the statements above about about expanding on your own personal background and interests as a designer. The statistics you present could be an opportunity to display your diagramming skills.

How are you binding your portfolio? I'm just curious how the how your images that span two sheets will look when the book is compiled.

I almost left out the personal statement when thinking to post it to Issuu/Archinect, I was worried that it might be too direct. However, it's content is a part of me... And I'm glad that I included it so as to realize how much I can edit it and still relay the intended message. Thanks so much for your comments.
Although, I did not realize that it would steal all attention from the rest of the work... No comments/suggestions on any of my projects? Organization? Color choice? Etc?

I am planning on doing a perfect bound; like a regular paper back book. So the full bleed spreads should still look how they do on Issuu. Of course, I'll be doing some trial printing beforehand.

I hate to be an asshole, but I'm going to be here. The personal statement was a bad start to an otherwise average portfolio. To me the layout is all over the place, the work was average and you didn't convey what the work was about. I think if you work the personal statement in differently and get your graphics together where they convey what you want them to, it will become a lot better.

Right now it really is reading as "Hey admissions, I'm a minority. I'll make you look better with diversity" portfolio.

@ joshuamings: I posted here to receive honest critique. It would be great if you could be a bit more specific about its downsides. Other than a description and process diagrams, how should I convey its meaning?

Also, it is not my intention to play the minority card to admissions. I simply want to tell them who I am and show that I have a well inspired goal.

I have edited the statement a bit, however, I would like to add/subtract some more of it: http://issuu.com/mzx.arc/docs/portfolio-ps

Your architectural content is good. But your layout is more to be desired. I've listed some of my opinion below,...but they are really just my opinion. gl.

1. dont use the translucent backgrounds. Keep a white background, and remove all the boxes,,around title, site, etc.
2. keep all ur introduction info in one place.
3. Remove all the boxes.
4. Try to limit your colors as much as you can.
5. Have a hierarchical relationship with ur images...big, small, medium, not just all medium.
6. Don't use all black in sections, try using a lighter tone. remove colors that are not giving any information
7. Don't have a small image in the middle of the spread.
8. Remove "research cabin" entirely, or use documents that are legible, and high quality
9. Your fonts are too big, and diverse. keep it small. Align ur text and images with each other
10. never put an art image in the middle of the spread that its cut.
11. remove ur italy photo spread, remove jewerly,

The statement is reading much better; breaking it up into paragraphs was a good idea too. This is just my opinion, but I'm still not sure if you need to devote so many words to listing statistics. I think just as you said you didn't need to research the information to know it was true, nobody is going to need all that info in order to believe you. There aren't many black female architects. Everyone already knows that. I think what's still missing is WHY you feel the profession needs more diversity, and how YOU envision using your unique position to make a difference. Think about it this way, your position as a future architect should be more than a statistical change, it should be a dynamic change, or else it wouldn't matter. Tell us why it matters.

The architecture content looks up to snuff, the other stuff seems meh. The photos on p26-28 need their brightness increased. Other than that it's passable. Which programs are you applying to?

updated version: simple, condensed & without the personal statement (which I am still finessing)

link: http://issuu.com/mzx.arc/docs/kristen_mimms.m.arch_portfolio

just scrolling through it first glance theres a very big improvement between the first copy you posted and this recent one. much cleaner and better presented for sure

I think it’s an interesting observation that everyone attacked the race card. probably because it’s hard to critique a portfolio that lacks creativity. Had your work been superb, people would have dismissed your personal statement. And you did in your updated link. I see potential in your projects but lack the ability to project them and lay them out so elegantly. Nonetheless, you should include more processes pages in how you derived to your projects. It might give your portfolio a boost.