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Amber Wendland, AICP
//May 14, 2021
Amber Wendland, AICP
Senior Associate
Ayers Saint Gross
The past year has not only been challenging with COVID but we have also faced race and dis- crimination challenges and realities as a state and a country. How do you establish a strategy for diversity, equity and inclusion in your organization and how do you use your influential voice to help others understand the importance?
I use my voice to address diversity, equity, and inclusion through planning and design, within my firm, and in public service. While developing master plans in east and west Baltimore, I elevated community voices to build common visions for neighborhoods oppressed by legacies of racist policy and disenfranchisement. At ASG, I lead firm culture, including key efforts to address DEIgaps across an industry dominated by white men. Last summer, I also redirected spending towards Black businesses by creating a citywide map of over 125 Black-owned restaurants, which now has over 22,000 views.
As women leaders, it is our role to help grow the next generation of leaders. What advice can you share to help impact not only the younger generation but also the women who are trying to grow in their careers and create positive change?
As a woman in a white, male-dominated industry where conscious and unconscious bias is entrenched in our profession, there can be tremendous barriers for women in asserting perspectives, ideas, and leadership.
