Conference and Events

Diversity Summit Reports and Resources

In 2013, ASLA convened its first Diversity Summit with the goal of developing a deeper understanding of why landscape architecture is failing to attract a more diverse profile. Each summit has brought together a group of experienced and emerging landscape architects who identify as African American or Latinx to develop strategies that address diversity issues in the field.

In 2017, the Diversity SuperSummit convened the largest group of attendees to date. Participants evaluated goals from previous summits, developed focus areas for four key diversity initiatives to guide ASLA’s work plan in the coming year, and discussed the future of the Diversity Summit.

In 2019, the Diversity Summit welcomed seventeen landscape architects from across the country who represented a wide array of sectors including residential design, education, horticulture, and urban planning. They were chosen to help address challenges in diversifying the profession and build upon recommendations for a path forward. Participants of the 2019 Diversity Summit took a holistic view of the issues affecting underserved/marginalized/vulnerable communities, as well as an action-oriented approach to identify solutions unique to the landscape architecture profession. Focus items and initiatives will continue to be established and evaluated as ASLA plans future diversity, equity and inclusion activities.

The Case for Diversity

Population growth of people of color in the United States has outpaced that of white Americans for the past two decades, and by 2043 the U.S. Census Bureau projects the nation to become a majority-minority nation. The shifting demographics of our nation are not reflected in the field of landscape architecture where African Americans and Latinx together account for 17 percent of graduating landscape architecture students. New perspectives are needed to ensure that landscape architecture reflects the communities it serves.

Diversity Summit Reports

• 2019 Diversity Summit Report   
• 2018 Diversity Summit Report  
• 2018 Diversity Summit Summary 
• 2017 Diversity SuperSummit Report  
• 2017 Diversity SuperSummit Summary  
• 2017 Super Cumbre de Diversidad: Resumen   
• 2016 Diversity Summit Report  
• 2015 Diversity Summit Report  
• 2014 Diversity Summit Report 
• 2013 Diversity Summit Report

 Special Presentations

• Action Items Taken Resulting from Summits  (presented at 2017 Diversity Super Summit)
• The Color of Landscape Architecture, 2018 Diversity Summit
• Designing for Diversity and Diversity in Design - Diversity Summit discussions assisted in organizing one of two General Sessions at the 2016 Annual Meeting and EXPO in New Orleans.
• Diverse Voices, Diverse Perspectives - Marking the first Diversity Summit in 2013, ASLA filmed and edited videos of the original participants in two films. Links of these videos were shared with all Landscape Architecture program chairs and ASLA Chapter leadership to adopt for their own use, and posted to the ASLA career discovery webpage. To date, they have received several thousand views.

LAND Coverage of ASLA's Diversity Summits

•  Diversity SuperSummit Works to Set Action Plan and Future Summit Agendas (2017)
•  Diversity Summit Sets 2017 Action Plan (2016)
• ASLA Diversity Summit Convenes (2015)
• 2014 Diversity Summit Convenes in D.C. (2014)
• 2013 Diversity Summit Sets Direction for the Year (2013)

Please direct inquiries about ASLA's Diversity Summit to Lisa J. Jennings, Career Discovery and Diversity Manager at diversity@asla.org.