AIA: Levitta Lawrence-Gathers Is “Next to Lead”
NK Architects designer Levitta Lawrence-Gathers has been selected for “Next to Lead,” a two-year program developed by AIA National for ethnically diverse women in architecture that teaches essential leadership skills to up to 16 visionaries each year. Congratulations, Levitta!
To learn more about Levitta and what this recognition means, Erin Sharp-Newton interviewed her on behalf of AIA New Jersey. They discussed education, role models, personal experience, and their hopes for diversity and inclusion in architecture.
Read some excerpts from their conversation below, or visit AIA New Jersey for the complete interview.
Erin: To start, I have to ask, what made you get into architecture to begin with?
Levitta: I wish my pursuit of architecture began as some inspirational romantic epiphany, but I would be lying. I chose architecture as a major in college because I have always been a creative person who enjoyed all art forms. But I also came from an immigrant family who did not think “Art” would pay the bills. So, I chose architecture because (in my mind) it fell within the spectrum of creative and technical, and (in my parents’ minds) is a respectable profession. It was not until after my first year in college that a light went off in me. I learned how architects craft the built environment. How we as designers can inspire change within communities and around the world. How space can invoke emotion and passion within its user. Architecture is powerful and I wanted to be a part of this group of individuals who did these amazing things.
Erin: What have been some of your challenges? What barriers do you aim to break?
Levitta: Well, I’m still on a mission to receive my architectural license. I think that is a barrier not only for black women, but for women in general, because there’s a lot that life throws at women, and we end up taking on a lot more responsibility than work.
Life pushes us off track when it comes to getting an architectural license. There is a level of support that’s not the same. I wonder if there’s an intense study as to why women don’t get licensed. I would like to see a study on this. We are pretty equal within the field itself, though not equally licensed amongst our male counterparts.
Erin: What value do you think this kind of advocacy, through AIA programs, brings to the profession?
Levitta: I think it will help people like me to feel equipped to deal with the “imposter syndrome” which is very common among ethnically diverse people. This is something I have had to deal with after giving it a name in recent years. I hope that it will bring awareness to a lot of things that have been going on in our profession in terms of diversity and inclusion. As I told them in my interview, the subject of inclusion is way beyond race — it is about making sure everyone has a voice, rather than being exclusive to certain individuals or groups, that everyone is heard, represented, and has a chance to shine and bloom. Training us to lead will help us to implement programs that are valuable to our communities, as well as to mentor and help other young professionals.
Erin: And lastly, talking to your younger self, is there anything you would like to say?
Levitta: I recently turned 30 and had a moment of epiphany where I realized in my 20s I thought I knew everything. I used to plan everything so obsessively and imagine my life to be a certain way at a certain age. And I found that that’s not true. I would say to my younger self, “don’t be afraid to ask for help.” I would say, “you don’t know everything. You are going to make mistakes — grant yourself grace.”