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BRIC Architecture, a COBID company and Oregon鈥檚 largest women-owned architecture firm, boasts a staff that is 50 percent women. One-third of its leadership team are women of color, and more than 20 percent of its staff are people of color.

鈥淲hile we鈥檙e certainly proud of the representation we鈥檝e cultivated, we recognize that there is still work to do,鈥� said Karina Ruiz, founding principal. 鈥淭o continue to dismantle the systemic racism in our industry, BRIC鈥檚 leadership has committed to radically different hiring, recruitment and retention policies.鈥�

These include partnering with historically Black universities and architecture programs with diverse populations to share professional opportunities with BIPOC students. BRIC assembles diverse candidate review panels, hides certain resume elements to combat bias, and has developed a consistent set of interview questions and objectives to evaluate candidates.

Dedicated to building relationships and active outreach, BRIC has connected with emerging COBID companies through organizations such as the Society for Marketing Professional Services, Partners in Diversity and the National Organization of Minority Architects Portland chapter.

Examples of the firm鈥檚 ability to track and exceed its clients鈥� COBID utilization goals include Portland Public Schools鈥� Long-Range Facility Plan, which had an original certified business utilization goal of 18 percent. BRIC achieved 62 percent.

For the Newberg School District 2020 bond projects, the original certified business utilization goal was 20 percent. BRIC achieved 66 percent, and COBID firms made up 50 percent of the subconsultant team.

BRIC also seeks opportunities to build a pipeline of BIPOC youth and young women who are interested in architecture. It works alongside programs such as Your Street Your Voice, Wild X Project, Girls Build, ACE Mentors and Architects in Schools.

In partnership with Your Street Your Voice and Adjaye Associates, BRIC created 鈥淒esigning for Equity,鈥� which provides an eight-week paid opportunity for high school students in Portland鈥檚 Albina community.