It’s the first day of March, which means it’s the first day of Advocacy Month! This year the Advocacy Committees will be joined by the 2020-2021 AIAS Advocates to provide content all month long! The majority of the content will be shared directly through the AIAS Advocacy Instagram account, so be sure to follow @aias_advocacy to keep up with Advocacy Month 2021, look out for blog posts on the AIAS website, and check out the Events Calendar for events from our committees, and Advocacy themed THRIVE Webinars taking place March 10th and March 24th! Will your chapter be hosting any advocacy events this month? Don’t forget to submit your event to be posted on the AIAS website calendar!
The goal of Advocacy Month is to showcase how to make advocacy a tangible and productive tool, such that AIAS members and chapters can take action to tackle real issues in architecture school, in the profession, and in our communities. The Sustainability & Resiliency Task Force, Social Justice Task Force, Learning & Teaching Culture Advisory Group, and the 2020-21 AIAS Advocates will each be shedding light on how their respective advocacy realms can be addressed in your day-to-day life and will highlight the work they’ve been doing all year! They aim to educate and empower you, our members, on how to use advocacy to truly make a difference.
Each week will feature one of our Advocacy Committees or our Advocates, and during our March 24th THRIVE Webinar each group will give a presentation on the work they’ve been doing this year. Afterwards, members will have an opportunity to engage with the Advocates and Committees in breakout rooms to ask questions and learn more about what it means to serve on our Committees and in the Advocates Program.
Week 1 and Week 5: The 2020-21 AIAS Advocates will kick us off and close out Advocacy Month by sharing their experiences in the Advocates Program and what they’ve been working on throughout the year. Follow along to learn about their platforms and apply to serve as one of the 2021-22 AIAS Advocates! (Learn more about how here).
Week 2: The Sustainability & Resiliency Task Force will take on the second week sharing their work and tips on what you can do to personally practice sustainability in your life at home, in school, and in your communities. Don’t forget to check out the Sustainability Best Practices Guide released earlier this year to get you started! It covers many different topics such as recycling, building practices, and sustainability-focused organizations.
Week 3: The Social Justice Task Force is taking on week three after wrapping up their content for Black History Month all throughout February. The Task Force will give a preview of resources they’ve been working on for students to help you be active advocates at your chapters and in your schools.
Week 4: The Learning & Teaching Culture Advisory Group will share the importance of adequate Learning & Teaching Culture Policies and how you can write and implement one for your school! Their week will also feature the first ever national Health & Wellness Week for the AIAS!
We hope that you and your fellow AIAS members will be inspired to share how you practice advocacy and use your voices to take action your communities! Share how you engage throughout the month by using the hashtags (#AIASAM2021 #AdvocacyMonth #AdvocAIASy) and tagging @aias_advocacy! The best and most consistent advocates could get reposted on @aiasorg and featured in our Advocacy Month Recap!
