WID Milwaukee Wins AIA National Diversity Award
“We're entering into a new era in our organization and we look forward to making the next 5 years even better than the first 5 years,” Mo Zell, founding member and Chair of the Department of Architecture at UW-Milwaukee.
​
WID Milwaukee draws several hundred attendees to its programming events held all around the city, with over 150 attendees at recent events featuring all women presenters. The group recruits exceptional speakers for their events, connecting with other women’s groups around the city, and encouraging involvement from underrepresented women in the community. WID Milwaukee’s free membership has reached over 400 members, which includes diverse designers across all professions, not just architecture. In addition to the regular membership, there are 100+ ‘WID Allies’ including key leaders at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, local firm partners, and neighborhood advocates.
“We are very proud of the diversity of our programming and caliber of our presenters, supporters, and partners. Being recognized by the AIA for this award is truly an honor,” Ali Kopyt, founding member and managing architect at Korb + Associates Architects.
WID Milwaukee will be recognized, along with the other recipients, at the 2019 AIA Conference on Architecture in Las Vegas (https://conferenceonarchitecture.com/).
The local grassroots organization, Women in Design: Milwaukee (WID Milwaukee), has been named one of the 2019 honorees of The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Diversity Recognition Program.
The AIA Diversity Recognition Program, for the past 11 years, brings attention to architects and other supporting organizations who are actively committed to making architecture a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable profession.
WID Milwaukee (www.widmke.com) focuses on connecting, empowering, and advocating for women’s opportunities, leadership, and success. They do this through monthly speaker events, mentorship events, and volunteering opportunities with a goal to unite the minds of women design professionals working around the Milwaukee area. Over the past 5 years, WID Milwaukee has grown from a small gathering of women to a powerhouse organization about to seek non-profit status.
​
