Arquitinas on Architecture

Women represent 20% of licensed architects in the United States, but Latina architects represent less than 1%. Join us for an enlightening discussion featuring several accomplished members of Arquitinas as they share their invaluable experiences and insights into field of architecture and design, while advocating for enhanced representation within the professional architect community. Our professional panelists will also be joined by a recent Girls Build! graduate and current member of the Girls Build! Advisory Board to share her perspective as a young person learning about built environment and architectural professions.

Pre-program drop in event: 

Speakers

Laura Flores is an award-winning architect and Director of Operations at JGMA, having led the firm’s growth to become one of the largest Latino-owned architecture firms in the United States and the Midwest, arguably one of the most award-winning portfolios of architecture of any-design firm. Her responsibilities include management of all employees and holding a leadership role on all the firm’s major projects.

Originally from Guadalajara, Mexico, Ms. Flores is also a tireless civic leader, especially in the Latino community in Chicago. She has dedicated her career to inspiring Latino youths and Latina women to achieve their fullest potential. She was recently appointed by mayor Lightfoot to become the Chair of the Chicago Plan Commission, marking it the first time in Chicago’s illustrious history that an immigrant architect from Mexico has held this position. Ms. Flores is also a founding mentor of Arquitina, a leadership initiative to mentor and guide emerging Latina women in the field of Architecture. Laura is also a founding member of Mujeres Latinas en Accion - Young Professional Advisory Council, which promotes the empowerment of Latinas through service and advocacy. Additionally, Ms. Flores comes from a family of builders and craftsman in Mexico. Her family’s history in construction and the art of making goes back many generations. It is that skill that brought her family to Chicago and this family legacy and the art of making and building inspired her to become an architect.

Cristina Gallo, AIA is the president and co-founder of Via Chicago. As a Colombian immigrant and dual0resident of Panamá, Cristina drives the firm’s focus on projects in Latin America and within the Spanish- speaking communities of Chicago. She acts as a translator – oftentimes literally – between the client, architect, contractor, and DOB officials, and brings a lifetime of cross-cultural experience to the design process.

As a member of Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Committee of AIA Chicago, Cristina spends her “fun time” organizing events, fundraising, and developing community outreach efforts to advocate for a more just and representative architectural profession in Chicago. She also participates as a mento in “Arquitinas,” a leadership and licensure initiative for Latina/x women in architecture, working to reach above and beyond the current 1% mark of licensed Latina architects in the US while creating equitable and inclusive opportunities in the profession.

Raquel Guzman Geara is an architect and interior architect with a background in planning, architectural and design strategies. She was born in the Dominican Republic and migrated to the United States at the age of eighteen.

With experience in diverse project types, Raquel has a passion for human centered design while creating solutions that impact the well-being of others. As an architect at SmithGroup Chicago, her work is focused mostly on higher education, workplace and science and tech. Additionally, Raquel is a founding mentor of Arquitina, an organization focused on helping Latina women get their license in architecture. She is featured in the book ‘Latinas in Architecture’. She currently serves as co-chair for AIA YAF. She was elected to be the Young Architect Illinois Representative for AIA YAF National and serves in the AIA Illinois Board.

Cyriana Lara is a senior at Walter Payton College Preparatory. Despite the demands of school, Cyriana remains committed to using her passion for design to solve real-world problems. Her love for design first blossomed during her time in the Chicago Architecture Center's Girls Build! program, where she discovered her talent for creating innovative solutions. Today, she is an active member of the program's Advisory Board, where she continues to hone her skills and give back to her community.