In March 2022, we published a feature article exploring failures in the maintenance and administration of public housing in the United States. The piece was one of several features on our editorial that have exposed architecture’s connection to pressing social issues, with recent examples including labor, gender and racial inequalities, governance of public space, and homelessness.

Our coverage of these issues has also brought to the forefront a broad range of individuals determined to find solutions, from Weronika Zdziarska’s investigations into the impact of urban design on gender-based violence to Todd Brown’s exploration of social, environmental, and racial justice.

While Zdziarska and Brown offer examples of individuals who have used funded avenues to explore their respective areas of expertise, design-minded individuals can also make a difference through collective action. To demonstrate this, we are using our Job Highlights series this week to explore an open opportunity at the Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP) in Brooklyn, New York.

Over on our jobs board, the nonprofit organization is currently searching for a new Executive Director to guide their mission of using “the power of design and art to increase meaningful civic engagement in partnership with marginalized communities.” From their New York City roots two decades ago, the organization has recently expanded to a national scale, impacting over 60,000 people in 2021 alone.

“CUP’s work addresses the needs of communities organizing for social change around complex public policies and decision-making processes that impact their lives, from affordable housing to labor rights,” the organization explains. “By collaborating directly with communities to create accessible and visual explanations on issues important to them, CUP provides individuals with the tools to claim their rights, advocate for their needs, and fight for social justice.”

Recent projects undertaken by the CUP include a collaboration with the U.S. Department of Justice and the Center for Court Innovation on graphic novels for child victims and witnesses of crime, and training programs on community-engaged design practices with a racial justice and equity lens, with support from the Ford Foundation.

For their open Executive Director position, the organization wants to hear from people with a deep understanding of community-engaged design practices, nonprofit management, and “a belief in the power of design to effect change.”

Full details on the Center for Urban Pedagogy's latest job opportunity can be found here on Archinect Jobs. Stay tuned for future curated job highlights, and be sure to keep your eyes peeled for more exciting opportunities on Archinect's industry-leading job board. Recent editions of our Job Highlights series have seen career opportunities for Architect roles at Hawaii Off-Grid, Embodied Carbon Researchers at the University of Washington, and a Web Developer at KPF.