NOMAArchitect and equity and inclusion advocate Gabrielle Bullock has been named as the recipient of the 2020 Whitney M. Young, Jr. Award by the American Institute of Architects (AIA). 

The award, which has been given out since 1972, according to the AIA website, “distinguishes an architect or architectural organization that embodies social responsibility and actively addresses a relevant issue, such as affordable housing, inclusiveness, or universal access.”

An AIA announcement highlighting Bullock’s selection reads: “A consummate innovator in areas of equity and inclusion, Gabrielle Bullock, FAIA, has forged a new path for the future of the profession. Her voice as a leader has reverberated throughout her firm and the design community, leading to palpable changes and the realization that a more just and equitable profession is within reach.” 

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Bullock is currently a managing director and director of global diversity at Perkins and Will, where she is overseeing a series of pivotal projects, including Destination Crenshaw, a two-mile-long open-air art museum slated for the heart of one of the city’s African-American communities. 

In a letter supporting Bullock’s nomination for the award, Damon Leverett writes, “As former staff of AIA National and responsible for equity, diversity, and inclusion, I have relied upon Gabrielle Bullock to provide support, advocacy, and speak for the advancement of a more diverse profession,” adding, “While being highly engaged in the culture of the profession, she maintains a progressive career as an architect and designer, leading socially responsible projects across the country and globally.”

In her role at Perkins and Will, Bullock has led a transformational shift aimed at “broadening the firm’s culture of inclusion and reshaping society as a whole by confronting issues of equity through meaningful work,” according to a statement, an effort that has helped the firm achieve gender diversity equilibrium. In addition, Bullock has advanced changes in the firm’s ethnic makeup through scholarships and a visiting scholar program with Tuskegee University.

Bullock was recently named as the first female African-American president of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and has played a substantial role in the AIA’s Equity in Architecture Commission and Diversity Council, among many other achievements. Bullock is also a member of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), where he has led initiatives that include the Project Pipeline Architecture Summer Camp.

The Whitney M. Young, Jr. award is named after the civil rights activist who addressed the 1968 AIA National Convention in a landmark speech that highlighted the painful lack of diversity in the profession. During the speech, Young said, “One need only take a casual look at this audience to see that we have a long way to go in this field,” adding, “You are not a profession that has distinguished itself by your social and civic contributions to the cause of civil rights . . . You are most distinguished by your thunderous silence.” 

According to the AIA, living recipients of the Whitney Young Award are automatically elevated to Fellowship, Honorary Membership, or Honorary Fellowship in the institute, as eligible. Passed winners of the award include: Ki Suh Park, Alan Y. Taniguchi, Norma Sklarek, Sharon Egretta Sutton, The Rural Studio, and many others.