Introduction to the black side.............

For a while I have been concerned that the black side of life and design here in the city of boston gets overlooked. In a city that is 51% minority with a Black Governor, why do we have to work so hard to know about all the exciting things that are happening in the city? Therefore the goal of this blog is to pass along information about events, activities, job opportunities and restaurant reviews from a minority perspective. The Black side or hidden side of life and design here in Boston is the scope of what you will find in the posts. And some occasional commentary will also make its way to the web. Enjoy!


Monday, September 15, 2008

Fwd: CDRC-Boston Fall Event Reminders



TOMORROW! CDRC-Boston Fall Information Session

Are you a designer, builder, planner or engineer looking to connect with your colleagues and your community? Are you a good communicator, organizer or persuader? Do you like good food at meetings? Join CDRC-Boston for our fall information and brainstorming session on September 16 at 6:00 pm at the Boston Architectural College, 320 Newbury Street, Boston.

The session will include:
  • Brief introduction to the history and work of CDRC-Boston
  • Highlights from our recent programs and an update on our current projects
  • Presentation of current technical assistance volunteer opportunities
  • Introduction to CDRC-Boston planning committees and volunteer opportunities
  • Upcoming events and programs for the fall
This is a great event both for those who are new to CDRC-Boston and for our friends who want to  reconnect and continue their involvement.  To RSVP, and for additional information about our volunteer opportunities, email info@cdrc-boston.org.



IN TWO WEEKS! CDRC-Boston Celebrates the 2008 Youth Community Design Summit

CDRC-Boston thanks the participants and supporters of our 2008 Youth Community Design Summit with a celebration on Tuesday, September 30th, 5:30-7:30PM at the Boston Society of Architects, 52 Broad Street, Boston.  The event will include photos and stories from Summit participants; we will also announce the next stage of our work with this project, building on the ideas generated by Summit teams in June.  Youth attendees, volunteers, donors, community members and CDRC-Boston friends are all welcome; please RSVP to info@cdrc-boston.org or 617-585-0198.



COMING IN NOVEMBER! CDRC-Boston at Greenbuild 2008 and Build Boston 2008

The third week of November brings not one but two exceptional building industry conferences to Boston!  First, Build Boston 2008, the Boston Society of Architects' 24th annual convention and tradeshow for design, building and management professionals, runs November 18-20 at the Seaport World Trade Center.  Just one day later, Greenbuild 2008, the U.S. Green Building Council's international conference and expo, starts at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center and runs November 19-21.  CDRC-Boston is pleased to present and participate in the following sessions during the week:

Greenbuild 2008
  • 9/19, 2-3:30pm: BL06 - Why Diversity Matters: Sustainability Depends on Inclusion and a Commitment to Design for All - There are different forms of diversity: gender, ethnic, physical, economic, and biological. We know that diversity builds strength, but how does this happen and why? Studies about innovation and collaboration show that those pursuits are enriched by diverse perspectives. Learning from one another is important and may be especially critical in the realm of sustainability, where we need to innovate and adapt behavior in significant ways.
Build Boston 2008
  • 9/19, 4-5:30pmB71 Building communities through the green economy - Green jobs and businesses provide workforce development and entrepreneurship opportunities for communities that receive fewer of the economic benefits and more of the environmental consequences of traditional development. This workshop highlights how business owners, developers, contractors, and community members can participate in and benefit from a just green economy.
  • 9/20, 1-2:30pmC48 Pro-bono in practice: doing good work that works for your firm - Now more than ever, architects are reaching out individually and in teams to assist with disaster relief, help underserved community groups, and provide services to non-profit organizations in need of professional expertise.  Boston-area firms both large and small have successfully made pro bono service a part of their businesses. Our panelists share their pro-bono design work and detail the strategies that make pro-bono services work for their firms.
For complete session descriptions, speaker listings and registration information, visit the conference websites at www.buildboston.com/home.asp and www.greenbuildexpo.com.