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Lecture Series: Pascale Sablan

Date
September 24, 2026
Time
6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. ET
Location
Department of Architectural Science, 325 Church St, ARC 202 (the Pit)
Open To
Public
Collage of two buildings, mainly of glass in a city

Lecture Title:

I Was Asked to Stand

Description:

Opening alongside the SAY IT LOUD Toronto exhibition, I Was Asked to Stand invites audiences to consider the transformative power of visibility and the responsibility that comes with leadership.

Architect, author, educator, and founder of Beyond the Built Environment, Pascale Sablan has dedicated her career to ensuring that women and BIPOC designers are not only recognized for their contributions but are seen as essential to the past, present, and future of architecture. Through initiatives such as the internationally recognized SAY IT LOUD exhibition series, her bestselling book GREATNESS: Diverse Designers of Architecture, and her leadership within the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), she has helped reshape conversations around representation, equity, and belonging within the profession.

A globe-like motif on pavement in a public space
Modern building with wood and black details

More than a lecture about advocacy, I Was Asked to Stand is a personal reflection on what it means to answer the call to lead. Sablan shares the experiences that shaped her journey, from questioning whether there was space for her voice within architecture to becoming one of the profession's leading advocates for visibility and inclusion. Along the way, she demonstrates how exhibitions, publications, mentorship, and community building have become powerful tools for documenting overlooked contributions while creating new pathways for future generations.

The lecture explores how architecture extends far beyond the design of buildings. It intersects with education, policy, culture, economic development, community engagement, and the systems that determine who has the opportunity to shape our built environment. Through stories, projects, and lived experience, Sablan illustrates how advocacy can become an integral part of professional practice and why creating visibility is itself an act of design.

Together, the SAY IT LOUD Toronto exhibition and I Was Asked to Stand challenge audiences to rethink whose stories have shaped architecture, whose stories are still being written, and what responsibility each of us carries to build a profession that reflects the full diversity of talent, experience, and perspective. Rather than simply documenting history, the work invites every participant to become part of the profession's future.

Modern black building next to a heritage building with scaffolding in the front

Learning Objectives: 

  1. Participants will understand the documented historical and systemic factors that have limited representation in architecture's professional record, and gain practical tools to build a more inclusive, well-documented practice.
  2. Participants will leave with a working list of organizations and resources that support underrepresented professionals and the communities they serve.
  3. Participants will gain the ability to identify and name women and minority architects and their contributions, and understand how thoughtful design practice improves outcomes for the people who use and live in these spaces.
  4. Participants will learn concrete community-engagement techniques that protect and center the people and places most affected by a project, a practical skill set for any firm doing site-sensitive or community-facing work.
Headshot of Pascale Sablan

91福利 the Speaker: 

Pascale Sablan, FAIA, NOMAC, LEED AP, is the Chief Executive Officer of The Third Office, a strategic advisory practice operating at the intersection of design, development, leadership, and social impact. She is also the Founder and Executive Director of Beyond the Built Environment, an organization dedicated to elevating the contributions of women and BIPOC designers, and the Immediate Past President of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA).

Recognized as the 315th living African American woman registered architect in the United States and the youngest African American elevated to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects, Pascale has become a leading voice for equity and inclusion in the built environment. Her leadership and advocacy have earned numerous honors, including the AIA Whitney M. Young Jr. Award, the Architectural League Emerging Voices Award, and recognition as one of Oprah Winfrey's Future Rising leaders.

Previously, Pascale served as Chief Executive Officer of a globally recognized design practice across the Americas. With nearly two decades of experience, she has led cultural, civic, commercial, educational, and community-centered projects, including the Studio Museum in Harlem, Bronx Point, and The Hip Hop Museum. She is also the author of the bestselling book GREATNESS: Diverse Designers of Architecture.

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