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San Diego non-profit works to bring more diversity to architecture field

Posted at 5:36 PM, Mar 15, 2022
and last updated 2022-03-17 13:59:00-04

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego County is full of unique buildings and landmarks and this weekend many of them will be open to the public for a special tour put on by the San Diego Architectural Foundation.

The idea is to get more people interested in how structures are made.

"We need more diversity in architecture, more women, more minorities, more people to get in with a different background and start designing things for us," said Ann Militante with the Foundation.

According to a recent study by Zippa, the field of architecture is still more than 70 percent male and more than 70 percent white.

It's a reality San Diego schools are also trying to address.

Wilson Middle School in City Heights is on the upcoming tour. It's one of the newest and most state of the art schools in the district and serves a diverse population.

San Diego Unified School board trustee, Richard Barrera says the buildings and the classes inside can open up a world of possibilities to the students who come here every day.

"The facilities can create possibilities for you to think about a world you might not have thought about," Barrera said.

A world where being an architect is a dream and a goal that's within reach.

The San Diego Architectural Foundation's Open House is March 18-20. For more information, you can go to sdarchitecture.org.