Labores y Diseños

Student-organized pro bono community initiative in partnership with a local immigrant rights organization to honor immigrant labor in the landscape architecture profession. The program included a film screening and an interdisciplinary panel with leaders in landscape architecture, landscape contracting, and construction, creating space for dialogue on ethical labor practices, recognition, and care for immigrant workers. The team raised $7,000 to fund the event, support invited speakers, provide meals for attendees, and donate surplus funds to the community partner.

Labores y Diseños was a community driven event designed to bridge the divide between those who design landscapes and those who build them. The project created a space for meaningful dialogue between landscape architects, contractors, laborers, and decision makers. Our goal was to promote more equitable and inclusive workplace practices. By centering the experiences of skilled laborers who are often overlooked within the design process, the initiative encouraged industry leaders to reconsider how recognition, care, and dignity are woven through project delivery.

The event brought participants together through a film screening, discussion panel, shared meal, and open community conversation. This format prioritized a welcoming environment that prioritized storytelling, mutual learning, and relationship-building across professional and cultural boundaries.

To extend its impact beyond the event itself, Labores y Diseños incorporated both quantitative and qualitative data collection. Attendees contributed written reflections via postcards and post-event surveys, offering insight into their professional backgrounds and lived experiences. Analysis of this data revealed a strong demand for continued dialogue around labor equity and highlighted key themes that will inform future programming.

Design played a critical role throughout, from visual identity and outreach materials to educational resources, all crafted to reflect the project's placed based and community outreach mission.

Collaboration was essential to the project's success. Immigrant advocacy organizations, landscape professionals, contractors, students, and community members actively shaped the event through ongoing feedback and participation. Sponsors and volunteers provided essential financial, logistical, and outreach support, enabling the project to be fully realized through collective effort. Over $7,000 was raised to fund speaker travel, meals, venue costs, and educational materials, with remaining funds donated to a partner immigrant advocacy organization to support continued community work.

Although the initial event has concluded, we hope to continue the work of Labores y Diseños. Ongoing evaluation, participant feedback, and sustained partnerships will guide future programming focused on immigrant labor advocacy in the built environment. By fostering continued collaboration across disciplines, the project contributes to a more just, inclusive, and socially responsive landscape architecture practice.