Global Leaders Committed to Eliminating Forced Labor
In fall 2017, CEO and Founder of Grace Farms Foundation, Sharon Prince, and the late Bill Menking, prolific professor, curator, and Founding Editor-in-Chief of The Architect’s Newspaper, discussed the fact that acknowledging forced labor in the building materials supply chain or what could be done to eliminate it was not on the industry’s agenda.
From their initial conversation at the SANAA-designed Grace Farms in New Canaan, Connecticut, they corralled leading principals across the architecture, engineering, and construction sectors for the Design for Freedom Working Group. Since then, an expanding group of more than 60 experts and leaders from sectors that actualize or influence the built environment joined to raise awareness of modern slavery across industries and to create outcomes that will ensure a clean, ethical building materials supply chain.
Grace Farms Foundation’s interdisciplinary humanitarian mission is to pursue peace through five initiatives—nature, arts, justice, community, and faith—and Grace Farms, a SANAA-designed site for convening people across sectors. Our stake in the ground is to end modern slavery and gender-based violence, and create more grace and peace in our local and global communities.
Burke-Vigeland, Madeline, FAIA, LEED AP, NCARB | Gensler, Principal
Califano, Mark, Esq. | Dentons, Partner-Commercial Litigation practice
C.deBaca, Luis, Amb. (ret.) | Grace Farms Foundation, Justice Initiative Sr. Advisor and Former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
Coppedge, Susan, Amb. (ret.) | Former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons & Krevolin & Horst
Crawford, Jill | Type A Projects, Founding Partner
Darling, Diana | The Architect’s Newspaper, CEO, Co-Founder, and Publisher
Denison, Dirk, FAIA, MCHAP | MCHAP Director and Professor at Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), College of Architecture
DuBois, Bill, CSI, CCS | Gensler, Certified Construction Specifier/Architect
Gans, Deborah, FAIA | Gans & Co., Founder and Principal Architect
Gilbert, Jared | COOKFOX Architects, Director of Communications
Gorman, Jay | Sciame Construction, Project Executive
Green, Michael, AIBC, FRAIC, AIA | MGA, a Katerra Company, President and CEO
Gore, Meredith, Ph.D. | University of Maryland, Associate Professor
Grennan, Elizabeth | Global Managing Counsel, McKinsey Digital
Guilliams, Gabe, PE | BuroHappold Engineering, Principal, Lighting Specialist
Harriss, Harriet, Ph.D., CONS, RIBA, PFHEA, PFRSA | Pratt School of Architecture, Dean
Hernandez-Eli, Jhaelen | NYC Economic Development Corp., SVP, Head of Design and Construction Division
Idenburg, Florian, RA, AIA-IA | SO – IL, Founding Principal
Kaiman, Elliot, Esq. | Wiggin and Dana, Partner, Design, Construction and Real Estate
Kharitonova, Olya | GoodFolk, Creative Director
King, Leslie P., Esq. | Carlton Fields, Shareholder, Construction Litigation
Klemmer, Andrew | Paratus Group, President & Founder
Laidley, Iain, Ph.D. | GoodFolk, Managing Director
Liu, Jing, AIA | SO – IL, Founding Principal
Lynch, Brad, AIA | Brininstool + Lynch, Founding Principal
MacDonald, Shawn, Ph.D. | Verité, CEO
Malekshahi, M. Mark, PE | Zubatkin Owner Representation, Sr. Project Manager
Marroquin, Diego | East Rock Capital, Partner, and The World Around, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman
Yoshida, Shohei | Shohei Yoshida and Associates, Principal
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS
Dodge, Sarah | AIA, Senior VP of Advocacy & Relationships
Prosky, Benjamin | AIA NY & Center for Architecture, Executive Director
Seidel, Paula, CAE | AIA, Senior Director, Industry and International Relations
Yao, Kim, AIA | AIA NY, President and ARO, Principal
GRACE FARMS FOUNDATION
Prince, Sharon | CEO and Founder
Khattabi, Rod | Chief Accountability Officer and Justice Initiative Director
C.deBaca, Luis, Amb. (ret.) | Justice Initiative Sr. Advisor and Former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor & Combat Trafficking in Persons
Thatcher, Chelsea | Founding Creative Director and Chief Marketing Officer
Adams, Kenyon Victor | Arts Initiative Creative Director
Cleary, Eavan Michele | Director of Brand Design
Fowler, Mark | Nature Initiative Director
Rapuano, Elizabeth | Director of Communications
Reynolds, Alina Marquez, Esq. | General Counsel and Justice Initiative Senior Advisor
Sikora, Ashley | Director of Marketing
Walsh, Meg Hely | Director of Strategic Partnerships
In Honor of William Menking, (1947- 2020) Co-Founder of the Design for Freedom Working Group and Founding Editor-in Chief of The Architect’s Newspaper
“Bill’s well-tested observation that architects are really well meaning and are taught to make the world a better place, and his commitment to inspire leading architects to step up for slave-free buildings was instrumental in galvanizing our early Working Group.
We will move forward with his wonderful enthusiasm and fervor.” — Sharon Prince, CEO and Founder, Grace Farms Foundation
A symbol of freedom across time and cultures, the Design for Freedom hummingbird emblem embodies the spirit of survivors and our role in safeguarding them. The hummingbird’s vibrant colors, piercing gaze, and uplifted wings exude a relentless energy and optimism. But, a hummingbird loses its color in captivity, and only regains it when it’s free. A silhouette forms from the shape of the hummingbird and poignantly reminds us of the modern slavery that has been hidden in plain sight for too long.
