SUN-B07: Find Your Voice: Asian Immigrants Explore the Journey to Design Leadership

Sunday, October 29, 2023

2:00pm – 3:15pm CT

1.25 PDH, LA CES/non-HSW, AICP, FL

Lead Speaker(s)

Wanjing Ji, ASLA

Design Director
Coen+Partners
St Paul, Minnesota

Speaker(s)

Han Zhang, ASLA, LEED AP BD+C (she/her/hers)

Principal
O2 Design
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Haemee Han, ASLA

Director
Jaemee Studio
Jersey City, New Jersey

Asians represent the largest minority group in the landscape architecture profession, yet are largely under-represented in leadership. Three Asian landscape architects and artists share their diverse journeys to design leadership, detailing their first-generation immigrant struggles and inspiring emerging and mid-career landscape architects of Asian ethnicity and other under-represented minorities.

Learning Outcomes:

Understand the demographics of Asians in landscape architecture through research data and surveys—and how stereotypes, bias, and lack of role models pose unique challenges for this group’s success.
Identify the internal struggles unique to Asian immigrant emerging professionals and learn how to build confidence and a sense of belongings within the design community.
Explore three personal and unique journeys of how female Asian immigrant landscape professionals have advanced to design leadership roles.
Advocate for a diverse, equitable, and inclusive professional practice culture, and promote a network for Asian landscape architects and other under-represented minority groups.