University of Waterloo School of Architecture shares their Fall lecture series and its emphasis on solidarity. According to the school, their 2020-2021 Waterloo Architecture Arriscraft Speaker Series What is Solidarity? asks: how can architects participate in collective, long-term social movements for change and advocate within and beyond professional obligations?"

Archinect's ongoing Get Lectured series features each school's lecture series and their graphic design prowess with graphic lecture posters. 

Want to share your school's lecture series? Send us your lecture series poster and details to connect@archinect.com.

The school's online lecture series goal is to bring three speakers for each set of conversations as they dive into topics of Land Back, Disability Justice, Abolition, Right to Remain, Anti-Extractivism, and Food Sovereignty. Unique to their series is discussions will be linked to student-led workshops to "facilitate deeper conversations about how solidarities might resonate within the school and beyond." 

For September, the conversation theme was "Land Back" and welcomed Amy Smoke, Phil Monture, and Eladia Smoke | KaaSheGaaBaaWeak. This discussion touched on "recognizing that settler architecture is built on land appropriated from Indigenous peoples, how can architects resist a professional continuation of colonial practice and work in solidarity with Indigenous peoples?"

October 20th's conversation theme was "Breaking the Code." Speakers Luke Anderson, Amimi Hamraie, and Susan Stryker tackle "design standards that reinforce existing power structures" and question how the industry can work with activists, communities, and consultants to create spaces that foster social equity and inclusion. 

Closing the fall lecture series will be "Abolition" on November 10th. Speakers Syrus Marcus Ware, Tiffany Lethabo King, and Sara Zewde will discuss the Black Lives Matter movement in Canada and how spatial structures reinforce white supremacy. The school shares, "By projecting an abolitionist vision, how can architectural design create better communities that centre mutual aid, social accountability, transformative justice, and a culture of care? By aligning with the abolitionist movement, architects can begin to understand the racist and colonial history of our profession, and work towards building a future where all peoples are free."

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