Rayshad Dorsey, a Clemson University alumnus and current lecturer in the School of Architecture, was recently named among the 2024-2025 recipients of the Faculty Fellowship to Advance Equity in Architecture.

According to The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA), the fellowship helps to extend the impact of ACSA’s “ongoing work forefronting racial equity and climate justice through public programming, outreach and partnerships.”

The fellowship assists faculty and programs in promoting their work related to equity, social justice and climate action.

According to Dorsey, his fellowship proposal sought to develop architectural strategies to confront existential threats faced by South Carolina’s Gullah Geechee communities, who he notes are endangered by the forces of climate change and gentrification.

“As a lifelong member of [the Gullah Geechee communities], I bring an intimate understanding of its heritage, combined with my research and professional expertise to this fellowship,” explained Dorsey. “My goal is to craft sustainable, resilient solutions that honor and protect the land, identity and enduring cultural legacy of these communities – ensuring their future is as rich and vibrant as their past.”

Empowered advocacy

Dorsey will receive $13,000 to be used in pursuit of his research and will have the opportunity to share the work supported by the fellowship at the ACSA’s 113th Annual Meeting in 2025.

“With the support of the ACSA, I am empowered to push forward my advocacy for equity, spatial justice, and climate justice within the architecture field,” Dorsey said. “I’m thrilled to collaborate with an extraordinary group of fellows and eager to see how our collective energy and individual projects will inspire and shape one another, fueling meaningful change in the discipline.”

Dorsey explained that his hope for his work is that it not only raises awareness but also serves as a powerful advocate for Gullah Geechee communities by equipping them with the tools and ideas they need to combat the challenges they face.

“By merging cultural heritage with the pressing issues of climate change and gentrification, I aim to develop a transformative framework – one that marginalized culture, both nationally and globally, can use as a model to confront and resist similar threats to their land, identity and way of life,” said Dorsey.