you should check out a recent issue of architect magazine. sorry, wish i could remember the exact month, but the cover story was about this very topic.

get this: according to them black women make up .2% of the profession.

got a degree and experience?

a link to the story i mentioned.

????

Wow. That .2% are troopers. I wish there were more.....

same here, come join the fold Archi!

Thanks for the links-I have no degree or experience-I'm trying to figure out my best plan of action. It looks like I'll be going the two-year college route-work as a drafter first and see if I can make it in the profession :/

Come to Hampton University. The majority of our program is comprised of black women. I think about 45%. Check out the school blog.

my class had 2 black women - both awesome. That was about 3%...

if you already have a degree and work as a graphic designer don't go get a degree in drafting. just take some classes and read archinect.

where's yamani - she's been hiding for a while. She will say she isn't an architect but has an architecture degree and is putting to good use, educating the new generation of designers from HS

we should bring in the latino women. they're hot.

870_ my best advice is check it out. You seem focused!

Mr. Bradford Grant – Chair and Endowed Professor
Department of Architecture, Hampton University
Hampton, VA 23668
Phone: 757.727.5440
Fax: 757.728.6680

email: bradford.grant@hamptonu.edu


We will all come to Bat for You!

is a Principal at Perkins & Will's SF office

870....if your not interested in hangin with the Sister's the fricking world is wide open, long as you work at it. Put together a good application to an Architecture School which is accredited. Don't do the two year school thing cause your tossing money down the drain. Pick a school any school and I'm sure there are plenty of people who will help you thru the ropes of getting accepted into the Architecture Program in that school. We not a bunch of slugs, some of the schools attended by those of us at this site would love to know what the heck were up to and knowning of our successes would listen to our suggestions as to taking you on as a student. Just get off your bum....and get to work because today is the time to do it if you want to be there come next fall or maybe even the middle of the winter.

Best of Luck~

Actually Snooker,

Mr Grant is no longer the acting chair. He went to Howard University who also has an architecture program. Hampton is still great, offering a rich demographic of students. We are currently looking for someone to replace him. Ron Kloster is currently the acting chair.

However, the contact information is still the same.

Department of Architecture, Hampton University
Hampton, VA 23668
Phone: 757.727.5440
Fax: 757.728.6680

I'm part of the .2%

Snooker's right. I say dive in anywhere that's a good fit for your goals in life and not based on race and gender percentages. Yes, I was the only black female in my graduating class (which I hadn't realized until this topic came up) and I went to a pretty diverse school. So far, I've lived and worked with gender and race as a non-issue, probably because I spend a lot of time in my own world with a total disregard for other people. But it's always seemed to me that focusing on those things would inhibit me from doing what I please, where I please and raise unfounded insecurities in myself. And I have had great success both in and out of school.

Definitely don't do the 2-year thing. It will only delay the inevitable 5-6 year degree process.

Thank you everyone for your advice. I think my biggest fear is being eaten alive by other people- H.Y.S., I share your sentiments when it comes to dealing with other folks-I am not a people person and tend to spend most of my time alone-but I still suffer from a serious lack of confidence.
It is this lack of confidence that has kept me from applying to school, kept me single (when I very much desire a family) and made me miserable in general.
After reading the article from Architect Magazine yesterday, I tried putting myself in those other ladies' shoes, and I knew I would certainly crumble under the pressure.

This profession is a tough one to be successful in anyway, regardless of race or sex-and I honestly don't know if I can handle it. It seems one has to be sharp, resilient and have a high tolerance for Bravo Sierra-and I'm afraid my B.S. resistance hasn't been built up enough, lol.

But, I don't know if I don't try....