1 00:00:04,519 --> 00:00:07,480 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie and Samantha and welcome to stuff. 2 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: I've never told your production of I Heart Radios how 3 00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 1: stuff work. Do you know what today is, Samantha? What 4 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:24,160 Speaker 1: is today? I don't know? Wait what, but it's time 5 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:27,480 Speaker 1: for another female first. That was really anti colomatic. I 6 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:30,160 Speaker 1: wasn't really hoping it was. Of course, it is a 7 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: big day. That is the biggest day. It's true. It's true. However, 8 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:36,640 Speaker 1: I thought that was something else added. Maybe that's actually 9 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:39,919 Speaker 1: I'm not well, you know what next time, Kate Champagne, 10 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:43,240 Speaker 1: we'll do it right, Yes, we'll do it right. Expectations 11 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 1: are huge. Yes, we're going to build it up every time. 12 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:47,839 Speaker 1: But that means we are joined once again by our 13 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:53,080 Speaker 1: friend and co worker Eves. Eves. Hello, Hi, I'm good, 14 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 1: but I have a request. If there is cake next time, 15 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 1: can it be cheesecake? Because I'm not a hugest fan 16 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 1: of other kinds of cake. So if can do if 17 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:04,679 Speaker 1: I can be that person and request that comes. No, 18 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: that's perfect because I'm the same way. And so my 19 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:11,319 Speaker 1: birthday is this month, y'all just heads up. And since 20 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 1: I was fourteen years old because I did not like 21 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:16,840 Speaker 1: regular cake, my birthday cake has always been cheesecake. So 22 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 1: every year I missed a couple of years and so 23 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:21,039 Speaker 1: I couldn't go home. My mom would make me a 24 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:25,520 Speaker 1: fancy homemade cheesecake for my birthday. So I like that. Yes, yes, 25 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:28,400 Speaker 1: we will do cheesecake. Are you in on the cheesecake game, Tony? 26 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:31,400 Speaker 1: I am. But I actually have a very funny story 27 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:35,760 Speaker 1: about cheesecake because I once when I was in middle school, 28 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:38,760 Speaker 1: I bought an entire cheesecake from Krogerant. It was a 29 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 1: different chocolate flavor every slice, that little special try. Me 30 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 1: and my friend ate the entire thing while we were 31 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 1: watching the Stargate movie with Kurt Russell James Spader, and 32 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:51,640 Speaker 1: we got very sick. Yeah, and so I have an ass. 33 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:53,720 Speaker 1: I just have to get past it. Like every time 34 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 1: I have the first bite, it's good, but you know 35 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 1: there's that like nervousness and that's not like that's not good. 36 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 1: But you are the winner. You get to make the request. Okay, 37 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 1: it will be a cheesecake. Do you like the toppings 38 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:11,040 Speaker 1: or do you like playing cheesecake. Let's make a pretty 39 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 1: good cheesecake. I will say that playing or strawberry, I 40 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:17,079 Speaker 1: don't really get much more interesting in it. Yeah. So 41 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 1: the reason I fell in love with cheesecakes because I 42 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:20,640 Speaker 1: watched my mom make it and I helped to make it. 43 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 1: It's like these mini chocolate chips with the chocolate crust. 44 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 1: That is my all time favorite. I don't like anything 45 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:29,639 Speaker 1: over that. Like, I can do some strawberries and all 46 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:31,920 Speaker 1: of that, but I don't want to be I'll fancy 47 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 1: with like Heathcliff ribbon bar type of thing that will 48 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 1: make my teeth fall out. It's an orphan thing. Oh no, 49 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 1: I know, y'all. Well, you're welcome. Cheeseake a side. I 50 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 1: used to be where my parents in college would be 51 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 1: like me, does that the cheesecake factory? And I'd be like, Okay, 52 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:59,800 Speaker 1: that's fancy. I know, super fancy. Book. It overwhelms me. 53 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:02,720 Speaker 1: It's too much. I agree with you. There, we're on 54 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 1: the same page. But today we are not talking about 55 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 1: just cheesecake. Fine, fine, we'll return to that topic later. 56 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 1: Who did you bring us as our female first of 57 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 1: the day. Well, today's female first is Norma Merrick s Clark, 58 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 1: and she has a lot of first to her name, 59 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: like a lot of them, but one of the biggest 60 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:25,800 Speaker 1: ones is that she was well she was one of 61 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:29,400 Speaker 1: the first black female licensed architects in the US. She 62 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:31,320 Speaker 1: wasn't the first one. A lot of places list her 63 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 1: as the first, but she probably wasn't the first UM 64 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 1: in the US. But she was the first black woman 65 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 1: to be licensed as an architect in New York and 66 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 1: in California. And she was the first black woman to 67 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 1: be a member of the American Institute of Architects. And 68 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 1: she was the first black woman to be appointed a 69 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 1: Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. So this one 70 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 1: is UM, I guess a little bit different than previous 71 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 1: first just because she died in twelve, so that wasn't 72 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 1: that long ago. I think a lot of the people 73 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:03,280 Speaker 1: we've covered in the past kind of like stuck to 74 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 1: But I think it's important to show that, like this 75 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:09,200 Speaker 1: was the first that happened not too long ago, and 76 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 1: this is still a field that is very The number 77 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 1: of black women, black people in general, lit alone black 78 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 1: women in the field of licensed architects in the United 79 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:22,840 Speaker 1: States is very small and disproportionate UM, and it's something 80 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:26,360 Speaker 1: that's growing, but like it's still it's still a small 81 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:30,880 Speaker 1: number of black women in the field. And yeah, so 82 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:33,800 Speaker 1: we're going to talk about Normal today, which is she was, 83 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:37,479 Speaker 1: you know, a pioneer in the field, and her story 84 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 1: is pretty interesting. Yeah, it is pretty telling that. Um 85 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:46,520 Speaker 1: it's such a recent first. And normally when we do these, 86 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:49,240 Speaker 1: I get a bunch of bullet points and I'm like, Okay, 87 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:51,479 Speaker 1: here's the things that they've done. And this one is 88 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:57,160 Speaker 1: three pages. She did a lot, right, Yeah, yeah, So 89 00:04:57,320 --> 00:05:01,800 Speaker 1: I guess well, let's get started, let's get into you already. Yeah, 90 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 1: so ready. So Normal was born on April fifteenth nine 91 00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:10,839 Speaker 1: in Harlem, and her father's name was Walter Merrick. He 92 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 1: was a doctor, and her mother was Amy Merrick, and 93 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:16,280 Speaker 1: she was a seamstress. And they were both immigrants there 94 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:20,400 Speaker 1: from Trinidad, and she was their only child. And so 95 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 1: she was raised during the Great Depression. Her family moved 96 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:27,200 Speaker 1: from Crown Heights in Brooklyn when she was a child, 97 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 1: or excuse me, her family moved to Crown Heights in 98 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:32,000 Speaker 1: Brooklyn when she was a child, and her father got 99 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:36,240 Speaker 1: a medical degree from Howard University. UM. So when she 100 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:39,920 Speaker 1: was a child, she was already exhibiting all these signs 101 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:42,840 Speaker 1: that like would lead towards architecture. I don't know about y'all. 102 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 1: But like, architecture is very interesting too. I could never 103 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:49,160 Speaker 1: I could never do it, like like, but I think 104 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:53,760 Speaker 1: it's amazing, um and just something that's grown, like become 105 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:56,960 Speaker 1: so innovative so quickly. Um. But just like it has 106 00:05:57,040 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 1: so many different elements of things, and like there's the art, 107 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:02,159 Speaker 1: there is the math, there are the visuals, and like 108 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 1: you know, just so many the physics of it, like 109 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:06,920 Speaker 1: so many different things that go into it. And so 110 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:09,920 Speaker 1: as a child, she exhibited all these signs of being 111 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:12,359 Speaker 1: good in all these different areas. So she had this 112 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:15,880 Speaker 1: art thing. She sketched, she painted, and she drew, and 113 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:19,719 Speaker 1: she did carpentry work, she worked on furniture. Um. Yeah, 114 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:22,840 Speaker 1: so she was really a cool gal when she was young. 115 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:25,920 Speaker 1: And she went to a public girls school called Hunter 116 00:06:26,120 --> 00:06:29,000 Speaker 1: College High School. And she was a good high school 117 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:31,600 Speaker 1: student too in some of those same fields. She said 118 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:34,960 Speaker 1: that her grades were pretty good and pretty much everything 119 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 1: I love it, I know. But she was really good 120 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:40,960 Speaker 1: at art, the sciences, and math, which is still pretty 121 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 1: much everything good in general. But it was her father 122 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:50,520 Speaker 1: who suggested to her that maybe you should do architecture. 123 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:54,599 Speaker 1: And obviously then as there aren't now there weren't many 124 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 1: black people who were in the profession, but that didn't 125 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:00,599 Speaker 1: keep her from pursuing it. So she wanted to go 126 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 1: to Howard like her father did, but her father didn't 127 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:06,240 Speaker 1: want her to. Her parents wanted her to stay closer 128 00:07:06,279 --> 00:07:10,120 Speaker 1: to home, and so to prepare for a Columbia University's 129 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:14,760 Speaker 1: architecture program, she took liberal arts courses at Barnard College, 130 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:17,760 Speaker 1: and Barnard College was associated with Columbia University, but it 131 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 1: was for women like it was for women, as Columbia 132 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 1: didn't accept women's students. So she went through that those 133 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:27,280 Speaker 1: courses and then she got into the Columbia University School 134 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:31,520 Speaker 1: of Architecture. So she remarked on how her first year 135 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:34,640 Speaker 1: there was super hard, but that didn't keep her from 136 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:36,640 Speaker 1: coming back after the summer. She came back in the 137 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:40,560 Speaker 1: fall because like many of her classmates were World War 138 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 1: Two veterans UM some have bachelor's and master's degrees, so 139 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 1: basically they had people around them and they already had 140 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:48,680 Speaker 1: all this experience to be able to help them through 141 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:51,600 Speaker 1: the process of getting through these Amazingly, I can't even 142 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:54,920 Speaker 1: imagine how difficult courses they were. UM. So those people 143 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:57,440 Speaker 1: would kind of work on assignments together, but she had 144 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:00,600 Speaker 1: this situation where she was commuting to school sometimes had 145 00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 1: to finish her work on her commutes or at home alone. 146 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:07,200 Speaker 1: So that kind of having we know, like having how 147 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 1: having that support system is important when you're going through school. 148 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:16,040 Speaker 1: She got her Bachelor of Architecture degree in nineteen fifty 149 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:18,560 Speaker 1: and she was one of two women in her class 150 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:21,800 Speaker 1: and the only black one. After that, she applied to 151 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:25,800 Speaker 1: nineteen architectural firms. She said in the interviews, like I 152 00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:29,200 Speaker 1: won't forget that number nineteen, but was turned down to 153 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:32,839 Speaker 1: every one of them. Yeah, and she got hers on 154 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:35,480 Speaker 1: the she got the twentie um. This is a quote 155 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:37,320 Speaker 1: that she said. She said, I don't know if the 156 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:40,760 Speaker 1: rejections were because I was a black person, because I 157 00:08:40,840 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 1: was a young woman, or because of the economic recession 158 00:08:44,280 --> 00:08:48,120 Speaker 1: at the time, but she said that those places weren't 159 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 1: hiring women are black people. So I think we can 160 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:53,600 Speaker 1: go to kind of go like we know what the 161 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:59,000 Speaker 1: issue was here. Yeah, So she her twenty one. That 162 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:00,800 Speaker 1: was when she went to work in the City of 163 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 1: New York's Department of Public Works as what she says 164 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:07,320 Speaker 1: as a junior draft person, and she didn't like that 165 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 1: job because she couldn't really be creative in it UM, 166 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:14,120 Speaker 1: so she wasn't there long. She took the New York 167 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:17,440 Speaker 1: State Architects Licensing exam and she passed it on the 168 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:20,719 Speaker 1: first time, which everybody doesn't do UM, even though it 169 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:23,840 Speaker 1: was a really tough days long test, And she became 170 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 1: a licensed architect in nineteen fifty four, and that was 171 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 1: when her first first comes along. She became New York 172 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 1: State's first black woman licensed architect. So she was hired 173 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 1: by a private architectural firm at that point after she 174 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:45,199 Speaker 1: quit her job with the city. Even though her supervisor 175 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:49,880 Speaker 1: gave her a bad reference and her relationship with that 176 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:53,719 Speaker 1: supervisor with her boss wasn't there wasn't anything wrong with it, 177 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:57,120 Speaker 1: so he but he said that she was lazy, she 178 00:09:57,200 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 1: got to work late a lot, that she didn't know 179 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:03,600 Speaker 1: an anything about design and architecture, and that she socialized 180 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:06,480 Speaker 1: a lot. So he had a lot of really negative 181 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 1: things to say about her, even though she never had 182 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:12,880 Speaker 1: any issues, and she thought it had to do with 183 00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 1: the fact that her boss wasn't a licensed architect and 184 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:21,920 Speaker 1: was older, and she was a younger black and licensed architect. UM, 185 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:27,120 Speaker 1: so she still got the job, she was a threat. Yeah, well, 186 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:31,360 Speaker 1: and I'm sure like old dude is like, man, I've 187 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:33,920 Speaker 1: done nothing. We feel this way similarly, but we don't 188 00:10:33,960 --> 00:10:41,920 Speaker 1: lash out at recommendation. Right. So, even though she got 189 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:44,360 Speaker 1: out of her old job because she felt like she 190 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:47,840 Speaker 1: was wasting her potential, she was still doing small tests 191 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:50,760 Speaker 1: like designing bathroom layouts, so she still kind of felt, 192 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:53,120 Speaker 1: you know, a way about that. She spent a year 193 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:56,199 Speaker 1: at that small firm, and in nineteen five she joined 194 00:10:56,200 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 1: the office of skin Moore, Owings and Meryll. She ended 195 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:02,160 Speaker 1: up working there until nineteen sixty, so that was a 196 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 1: pretty big firm. And as that major firm, she was 197 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:09,960 Speaker 1: working on large scale projects and teaching evening architecture courses 198 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:13,280 Speaker 1: at New York City Community College. And so around this 199 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:16,160 Speaker 1: time she was a single mother of two children. She 200 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:19,040 Speaker 1: had already been married and been divorced, and her mother 201 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 1: took care of her children while she worked, so she 202 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:23,520 Speaker 1: did have a support system. Is not like nobody was 203 00:11:23,559 --> 00:11:26,520 Speaker 1: there while she was doing all this stuff. And in 204 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 1: nineteen fifty nine, she became the first black woman to 205 00:11:29,679 --> 00:11:34,320 Speaker 1: be a member of the American Institute of Architects BOOM. 206 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 1: In nineteen sixty That's when she moved to California, and 207 00:11:43,559 --> 00:11:46,040 Speaker 1: there she took a job at Gruin and Associates in 208 00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:50,800 Speaker 1: Los Angeles. And just a side note about Gruin, Victor 209 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:54,080 Speaker 1: Gruen was the person who was credited with kind of 210 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:56,839 Speaker 1: being a pioneer in the American shopping mall. He did 211 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:58,920 Speaker 1: a lot of work in that area. Yeah, I think 212 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 1: I talked about him recent because we were talking about 213 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:04,600 Speaker 1: food courts on the other show. I was gonna say, 214 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:06,720 Speaker 1: why you pointed me, I don't know that one. You're 215 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:15,199 Speaker 1: not flooring. Yeah, shopping malls are I feel. I don't 216 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:17,120 Speaker 1: know how sad I am about them leaving, but I 217 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:19,240 Speaker 1: do have I do remember the glory days of going 218 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 1: into the Disney stores and into the jewelry stores and 219 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:27,160 Speaker 1: then having the double layers and then you see stories 220 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:30,600 Speaker 1: on top, trying to fig out where to go getting 221 00:12:30,640 --> 00:12:33,560 Speaker 1: a cookie in between, always feeling like you were this 222 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:36,080 Speaker 1: close to like falling over the edge because they always 223 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:38,240 Speaker 1: had those on the top level of the white glass, 224 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 1: and I would always be scared. I'm like, oh my gosh, 225 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:45,400 Speaker 1: there's no perfume. Everything so funny. The things you're saying, 226 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:47,680 Speaker 1: I think no one else would say. It was like 227 00:12:47,679 --> 00:12:50,719 Speaker 1: a plus of mall. You could look down. I think 228 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:55,400 Speaker 1: you could smell. You're like a little kid in a 229 00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:58,360 Speaker 1: small town and all you see with three aisles and 230 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:04,440 Speaker 1: you come to a giant mall that is like, yeah, yeah, 231 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:06,600 Speaker 1: I went out. Well you've been to China. I'm not 232 00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:10,200 Speaker 1: sure if you you have, but they had a million 233 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:15,400 Speaker 1: shopping I don't. They have so many malls it is ridiculous. 234 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:18,400 Speaker 1: And they're huge, like there there's a basement, and there's 235 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:22,960 Speaker 1: a basement under the basement. Like they're so organized, so organized, 236 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:28,240 Speaker 1: like they would name what the categories of things are 237 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:30,960 Speaker 1: on each floor. When you got to that floor, I 238 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:34,520 Speaker 1: was like, wow, this is that makes sense. This is 239 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:40,400 Speaker 1: very organized and I like it. Anyway that go to 240 00:13:40,520 --> 00:13:45,280 Speaker 1: malls in China, you'll be there for the next ninety years. 241 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:50,520 Speaker 1: So when she was at Gruing, she recognized how much 242 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:54,640 Speaker 1: scrutiny she was getting from her boss. There. She didn't 243 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:57,000 Speaker 1: have a car, and she got rides with one of 244 00:13:57,000 --> 00:14:00,119 Speaker 1: her colleagues who was a white man, to get to work, 245 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:03,839 Speaker 1: and later she said in an interview, it took only 246 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:06,559 Speaker 1: one week before the boss came and spoke to me 247 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:10,280 Speaker 1: about being late. Yet he had not noticed that the 248 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:13,720 Speaker 1: young man had been late for two years. My solution 249 00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:17,520 Speaker 1: was to buy a car, since I, the highly visible employee, 250 00:14:17,559 --> 00:14:21,120 Speaker 1: had to be punctual. And uh, I think it's funny 251 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:23,480 Speaker 1: how she said highly visible employee. I feel like that's 252 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:25,920 Speaker 1: definitely skating around saying, oh I was a black woman. 253 00:14:26,800 --> 00:14:30,560 Speaker 1: They wanted me to see me my mistakes. Yeah, we 254 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:34,600 Speaker 1: we we get the subtext there. She got her architecture 255 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:38,040 Speaker 1: license in California in nineteen sixty two, and so she 256 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:40,360 Speaker 1: was the first African American woman to have one in 257 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:48,040 Speaker 1: California and she remained the only one for twenty years. Eighties. Yeah, 258 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:56,359 Speaker 1: that was weird noise. We're all about it today. Sorry, 259 00:14:57,320 --> 00:15:00,200 Speaker 1: speaking of weird noises, we should follish for an out 260 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:18,040 Speaker 1: of right back and we're back, thank you sponsoring. So, yeah, 261 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:22,240 Speaker 1: she she becomes the first another first, another first black 262 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:24,840 Speaker 1: woman architecture in California and state that way for a 263 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:30,080 Speaker 1: very unfortunate eies. Yeah. Yeah, and she was at that 264 00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:32,960 Speaker 1: firm for a while too. After six years at that firm, 265 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:36,600 Speaker 1: she became the director of architecture there and she hired 266 00:15:36,640 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 1: people and oversaw staff and coordinated the technical aspects of 267 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:44,280 Speaker 1: some really big projects. And so some of her projects 268 00:15:44,800 --> 00:15:50,640 Speaker 1: were California, mart Fox Plaza, Pacific Design Center, San Bernardino 269 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:54,680 Speaker 1: City Hall, and the US Embassy in Tokyo. And her 270 00:15:54,720 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 1: son said that she thought designing the building was the 271 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:01,960 Speaker 1: actual easy part of the job, while the production of it, 272 00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:04,560 Speaker 1: all the other nuts and bolts that went into it, 273 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:07,480 Speaker 1: was the real work of the job. I feel like 274 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:10,360 Speaker 1: it's easy to downplay when you're you've worked that hard 275 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 1: to get to somewhere and it's such a major position, 276 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:15,880 Speaker 1: it's easy to downplan sing, Yeah, I just knew what 277 00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:17,840 Speaker 1: I was. You know, that's the easy part. But yeah, 278 00:16:17,880 --> 00:16:21,160 Speaker 1: I get how things like that have so many different 279 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:25,520 Speaker 1: moving parts, so everybody's job is important. But yeah, so 280 00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 1: she got she got to that point, and for a 281 00:16:27,360 --> 00:16:29,840 Speaker 1: lot of her career she actually served as a project 282 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:33,920 Speaker 1: manager rather than a design architect, which was actually the 283 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:37,080 Speaker 1: case with many women architects who worked who worked in 284 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:41,160 Speaker 1: corporate firms. So she didn't design most of the big 285 00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:45,480 Speaker 1: projects that she supervised. And Marshall Pernell, who was a 286 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:48,880 Speaker 1: former president of the ai A, the American Institute of Architects, 287 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:52,840 Speaker 1: told The l A Times that she could design large projects, 288 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:55,800 Speaker 1: but that it was unheard of to have an African 289 00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:59,680 Speaker 1: American female who was registered as an architect. You didn't 290 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:02,160 Speaker 1: try that person out in front of your clients and 291 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:06,840 Speaker 1: say this is the person designing your project. So Marshall Parnell, 292 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:09,359 Speaker 1: who was a former president of the ai A, told 293 00:17:09,440 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 1: the l A Times that she could design large projects, 294 00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:15,600 Speaker 1: but quote, it was unheard of to have an African 295 00:17:15,600 --> 00:17:19,280 Speaker 1: American female who was registered as an architect. You didn't 296 00:17:19,320 --> 00:17:21,760 Speaker 1: trot that person out in front of your clients and 297 00:17:21,840 --> 00:17:25,320 Speaker 1: say this is the person designing your project. She was 298 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 1: not allowed to express herself as a designer, but she 299 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:33,639 Speaker 1: was capable of doing anything. That's what Marshall Purnell said. 300 00:17:34,440 --> 00:17:37,439 Speaker 1: Either way, she was a really good project manager. And 301 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:41,120 Speaker 1: she stayed with Grewin until nineteen eighty and she got 302 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:43,359 Speaker 1: She was married several times throughout her life. During the 303 00:17:43,359 --> 00:17:45,760 Speaker 1: time where she was at Grwin, she married Ralph s. Clerk, 304 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:48,920 Speaker 1: an associate at Gruen who died in nineteen eighty four, 305 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 1: so he died years after they married. In nineteen eighty 306 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:57,040 Speaker 1: Here's another first. She became the first black woman appointed 307 00:17:57,240 --> 00:18:00,879 Speaker 1: to the College of Fellows of the ai A, and 308 00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:03,680 Speaker 1: she was the first woman in the Los Angeles AI 309 00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:08,560 Speaker 1: a chapter to be given that honor. That same year, 310 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:12,240 Speaker 1: she became vice president at the Los Angeles firm Walton 311 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:15,960 Speaker 1: Beckett Associates. So she was a project director on Terminal 312 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:19,520 Speaker 1: one at Los Angeles International Airport, which was a fifty 313 00:18:19,560 --> 00:18:23,040 Speaker 1: million dollar project that she finished before the start of 314 00:18:23,119 --> 00:18:28,840 Speaker 1: the Olympics. M hm. This is another part of her 315 00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:32,280 Speaker 1: life which I think YouTube will really appreciate. She co 316 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:37,000 Speaker 1: founded the women owned firm Siegel's, Clerric and Diamond with 317 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:40,879 Speaker 1: Margot Siegel and Katherine Diamond, and that was the largest 318 00:18:41,440 --> 00:18:46,240 Speaker 1: completely women owned architectural firm in the US at the time. Yeah. 319 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:52,080 Speaker 1: Like that. She was the first African American woman to 320 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:59,960 Speaker 1: co own an architectural practice. Yeah, so many first yeah. Yeah. 321 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:04,080 Speaker 1: The firm made a bunch of proposals, that made proposals 322 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:07,160 Speaker 1: on five projects and it got all of those commissions. 323 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:10,040 Speaker 1: So they worked on the Tarzana Promenade, which was a 324 00:19:10,119 --> 00:19:12,600 Speaker 1: ninety thousand square foot medical and retail center, and a 325 00:19:12,680 --> 00:19:17,080 Speaker 1: remodeling of the Lawndale Civic Center. And they worked on 326 00:19:17,080 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 1: additions to schools and other institutional buildings. So this was 327 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:27,159 Speaker 1: after her previous husband died, she married Dr Cornelius Welch, 328 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:31,840 Speaker 1: so another marriage in her life, and she left Seagulls, 329 00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:34,159 Speaker 1: Clerk and Diamond in nineteen eighty nine, even though it 330 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:36,600 Speaker 1: was a really cool thing to do, because even though 331 00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:40,400 Speaker 1: they had these fifty million dollar projects, they couldn't get 332 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:43,560 Speaker 1: the large scale projects that she really wanted, and she 333 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:46,080 Speaker 1: missed that kind of challenge and the money that came 334 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 1: with those projects, which is totally understandable. Yeah. She became 335 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:54,160 Speaker 1: the principle of project management at the Jarity Partnership, which 336 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:56,280 Speaker 1: was a firm that was known for his design of 337 00:19:56,320 --> 00:20:00,000 Speaker 1: public spaces, and while she was there, she helped design, 338 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:05,200 Speaker 1: mine and construct the Mall of America back. I've never 339 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:08,040 Speaker 1: been to the Mall of America. I have not. I've 340 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:14,320 Speaker 1: seen the Mary Kayton Ashley short ed. Okay, now, I'm 341 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:17,760 Speaker 1: just annoyed. You've seen that, but not anybody Gables. I've 342 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:22,560 Speaker 1: seen it multiple times. I'm not insisticated you Okay, I'm old. 343 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:25,280 Speaker 1: I'm also shot because a lot of the dates are 344 00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:28,439 Speaker 1: in my lifetime accomplished, and I'm just like, wow, it 345 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:33,119 Speaker 1: took that long for her to be awarded and honored 346 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:37,000 Speaker 1: as she should have been. That's crazy. It is. Well, 347 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:39,159 Speaker 1: we have a little bit more for you, but first 348 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:55,560 Speaker 1: one more quick break for word from our sponsor, and 349 00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:59,680 Speaker 1: we're back. Thank you sponsor. So I'm all of America. 350 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:04,560 Speaker 1: Future destination for Mary Kate and Ashley big project is 351 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:06,719 Speaker 1: the point, I think, Well, that's why she worked on it. 352 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:11,040 Speaker 1: For Mary. Of course, it was a big set for 353 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:14,400 Speaker 1: their little mini series, The Adventures of Mary Kaye Absolute 354 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:18,320 Speaker 1: because they don't around and get lost again. I don't 355 00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:23,879 Speaker 1: really remember much other than the coaster, remember, like you 356 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:26,879 Speaker 1: watch it every day, you're like that Mary Kate and 357 00:21:26,920 --> 00:21:29,240 Speaker 1: Nashley video. I just gotta I gotta hold onto the 358 00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:31,480 Speaker 1: old daisys. I don't need your judgment of what I 359 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:33,840 Speaker 1: gotta do. I oh no, I'm just saying like, it's 360 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:36,199 Speaker 1: not like we're that fresh. I'm not that fresh up 361 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:38,000 Speaker 1: on it, because I imagine it wouldn't be a thing 362 00:21:38,040 --> 00:21:41,040 Speaker 1: that you go back to every day a lot. Oh no, never, 363 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:45,040 Speaker 1: of course, not. Well, maybe you do, no judgment. She 364 00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:48,399 Speaker 1: retired from that practice in nineteen two. But you know, 365 00:21:48,480 --> 00:21:51,520 Speaker 1: she had a long, illustrious career, and she also did 366 00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:54,600 Speaker 1: a ton of other things. Besides that career, she also 367 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:58,040 Speaker 1: taught at the University of California, Los Angeles and served 368 00:21:58,080 --> 00:22:01,680 Speaker 1: as a director of the University of Southern California Architects 369 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:05,199 Speaker 1: Skilled and she was a member of the Commission of 370 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:10,200 Speaker 1: the California State Board of Architectural Examiners. Yeah, and what 371 00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:14,280 Speaker 1: I'm outful mouthful. In the nineteen nineties, she lectured at 372 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:18,840 Speaker 1: Howard University, Columbia University, and other schools, and she held 373 00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:22,960 Speaker 1: seminars for people who were taking the Architecture Licensing exam 374 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:25,800 Speaker 1: So she kind of worked as this mentor to other people. 375 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:28,199 Speaker 1: She said that she didn't have any mentors and or 376 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:30,919 Speaker 1: like role models growing up, but was happy to be 377 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:34,440 Speaker 1: one to others, which I feel like it's an important 378 00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:37,120 Speaker 1: thing to remember, like left as you and I guess 379 00:22:37,119 --> 00:22:38,960 Speaker 1: that would be a huge problem for anybody who's the 380 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:42,159 Speaker 1: first How do you find them in when you're the 381 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:45,360 Speaker 1: one that's paving the way and to remember when once 382 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:47,360 Speaker 1: you have, let's teach others to do so. Yeah, I'm 383 00:22:47,359 --> 00:22:50,600 Speaker 1: a big I guess you have. You definitely have to 384 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:53,800 Speaker 1: have a lot of resilience to be a person breaking 385 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:57,160 Speaker 1: down marries like that, especially feel that is dominant even 386 00:22:57,200 --> 00:23:04,320 Speaker 1: now by pretty much mel people. People articulate as always 387 00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:07,560 Speaker 1: that's us, but that's one of those words. I love 388 00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:10,359 Speaker 1: the word people because it just automatically makes you sound smarter, 389 00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:15,359 Speaker 1: money dumb when I say people. That's how I say it. 390 00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:21,680 Speaker 1: No want to, I'm giving this. I'm getting these endearing 391 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:25,520 Speaker 1: all from YouTube right now. Now it's getting more concerned. 392 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:29,159 Speaker 1: Don't worry about it, don't worry about so. Yeah. I mean, 393 00:23:29,200 --> 00:23:31,040 Speaker 1: that's got to be really hard to come into a 394 00:23:31,080 --> 00:23:34,520 Speaker 1: field that is still predominantly male based and male dominated 395 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:37,560 Speaker 1: and trying to lead away, trying to do siminars. That's 396 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:40,720 Speaker 1: phenomenal as a black woman just paving her way through. 397 00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:45,480 Speaker 1: She felt that quote architecture should be working on improving 398 00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:47,959 Speaker 1: the environment of people in their homes, in their places 399 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:50,919 Speaker 1: of work, and their places of recreation. It should be 400 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:54,280 Speaker 1: functional and pleasant, not just in the image of the 401 00:23:54,320 --> 00:23:58,800 Speaker 1: ego of the architects. I think that's good insight into 402 00:23:58,800 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 1: how she felt about the work that she did once 403 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:05,239 Speaker 1: she retired. I like this part. She lived with her 404 00:24:05,280 --> 00:24:08,439 Speaker 1: family in southern California and she had garden parties in 405 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:11,480 Speaker 1: the springtime, which is not really fancy. I don't know 406 00:24:11,480 --> 00:24:13,679 Speaker 1: if I've ever been to a garden party before, but 407 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:15,320 Speaker 1: I would love to go to one. I've been to 408 00:24:15,359 --> 00:24:17,919 Speaker 1: one and it was sponsored by a gin company and 409 00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:20,239 Speaker 1: it was beautiful. There was there a lot of gin 410 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:24,159 Speaker 1: there so much. I feel like is the thing that 411 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:27,240 Speaker 1: you drink at garden parties? Though, No, you drink like 412 00:24:27,359 --> 00:24:31,919 Speaker 1: um type of thing. And that's more. Isn't that whiskey 413 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:34,840 Speaker 1: and bucket? Yes, and stuff? So more on those lines. 414 00:24:34,880 --> 00:24:38,400 Speaker 1: Maybe a little bit of lemonade and tees of sorts. 415 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:40,199 Speaker 1: But that would be what I would think of as 416 00:24:40,240 --> 00:24:43,760 Speaker 1: a garden party. But if it was my garden party, yes, 417 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:47,080 Speaker 1: it would have a lot of gin. I think we 418 00:24:47,119 --> 00:24:48,560 Speaker 1: can make our own rules when it comes to the 419 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:50,920 Speaker 1: garden party. I think so. I think there's a lot 420 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:54,720 Speaker 1: of like that croquet game again, which I can reference 421 00:24:54,800 --> 00:25:00,800 Speaker 1: to Heathers. I've never oh too people. We're letting Samantha 422 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:05,080 Speaker 1: down on the river find friends here if you if 423 00:25:05,080 --> 00:25:08,560 Speaker 1: you keep naming things to be fair, you guys also 424 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:11,240 Speaker 1: had a SpongeBob reference. I was like, what it's true. Yeah, 425 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:14,440 Speaker 1: I will watch Heathers eve and I yes, let's have 426 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:16,440 Speaker 1: a party. Let's have a garden party. Actually that was 427 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:18,440 Speaker 1: a name party for that at one of the restaurants 428 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:20,840 Speaker 1: in Atlanta. They all came dressed up. I don't know 429 00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:22,520 Speaker 1: what it was for, but it was really cute. They're 430 00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:25,320 Speaker 1: really cute all stuff like that. Yeah, we can, we 431 00:25:25,320 --> 00:25:28,639 Speaker 1: can make it work. Okay, please have a there like 432 00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:31,840 Speaker 1: the Heather. Is it like this is the sporty Heather? 433 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:33,840 Speaker 1: Is it like Spice Girls? But with Heathers No, it's 434 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:36,840 Speaker 1: just who's the leader? Okay, So I can't just pret 435 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:40,760 Speaker 1: like scary Heather or whatever. You could be scary Heather 436 00:25:40,840 --> 00:25:43,120 Speaker 1: would be one on a writer's character, not a Heather. 437 00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:47,080 Speaker 1: She's oh, Bianca, Oh, I can't do that. That's what 438 00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:48,920 Speaker 1: I can't really take that out because if I don't 439 00:25:48,920 --> 00:25:53,000 Speaker 1: know my coming for you, they're gonna get me. Um. 440 00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:56,119 Speaker 1: But Heather, I want to know the writer's character is 441 00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:58,520 Speaker 1: the dark haired one. In comparison, she had a Doherty, 442 00:25:58,560 --> 00:26:02,240 Speaker 1: isn't it? As well? As well questions later what a cast? 443 00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:07,560 Speaker 1: She was still really active in all the architectural things 444 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:10,439 Speaker 1: going into, you know, the later years of her life. 445 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:13,080 Speaker 1: In two thousand three, she was appointed to the California 446 00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:17,280 Speaker 1: Architects Board, where she served on the Professional Qualifications Committee 447 00:26:17,320 --> 00:26:20,919 Speaker 1: and the Regulatory Enforcement Committee. I was really hoping you 448 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:25,880 Speaker 1: that she was just the She started as the whole Committie. 449 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:30,280 Speaker 1: I really wanted her to beat someone. I am. I'm 450 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:32,680 Speaker 1: here for it. And she was on a bunch of 451 00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:34,960 Speaker 1: other boards and committees to which wouldn't even go into. 452 00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:38,080 Speaker 1: In two thousand eight, the AI gave her the Whitney M. 453 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:42,320 Speaker 1: Young Junior Award, which is an award that recognizes an 454 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:46,600 Speaker 1: architect or an organization that embodies the profession's responsibility to 455 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:52,399 Speaker 1: address social issues. And she died four years later in 456 00:26:52,520 --> 00:26:55,840 Speaker 1: twelve of heart failure at her home in California, when 457 00:26:55,840 --> 00:27:00,600 Speaker 1: she was eighty five years old. Yeah, but she was 458 00:27:00,840 --> 00:27:03,280 Speaker 1: clearly you know, recognized for the work that she did 459 00:27:03,359 --> 00:27:06,320 Speaker 1: while she was alive. But she has got an aposthumous 460 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:09,680 Speaker 1: award as well. Just this year, in July twenty nineteen, 461 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:13,199 Speaker 1: she became the first black woman to be given the 462 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:17,000 Speaker 1: American Institute of Architects Los Angeles Gold Medal, and that 463 00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:19,920 Speaker 1: Gold Medal is given in recognition of a significant body 464 00:27:19,960 --> 00:27:23,440 Speaker 1: of work with lasting influence on the theory and practice 465 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:28,120 Speaker 1: of architecture. And that's the highest honor that the organization awards. 466 00:27:28,880 --> 00:27:33,320 Speaker 1: So she's as many people are and have been awarded 467 00:27:33,400 --> 00:27:36,760 Speaker 1: things posthumously as well. So it's good to know that 468 00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:39,800 Speaker 1: a person. You know, we talk about giving people their 469 00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:42,440 Speaker 1: flowers while they're still alive and for them to be 470 00:27:42,480 --> 00:27:47,280 Speaker 1: awarded while they're alive, but also important to remember people 471 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:52,359 Speaker 1: after they've gone and the work that they've done, especially pioneering. 472 00:27:52,359 --> 00:27:54,280 Speaker 1: It feels like this and kind of opening up like 473 00:27:54,359 --> 00:27:56,359 Speaker 1: she acted as a mentor to opening it up to 474 00:27:56,440 --> 00:27:59,040 Speaker 1: other people who may think that they don't have a place, 475 00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:01,920 Speaker 1: and and feels like this. And I think about this 476 00:28:02,119 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 1: all the time when it comes to you know, being 477 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:06,280 Speaker 1: a first or being a black woman to pioneer spaces 478 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:10,919 Speaker 1: that a lot of people may think of as white spaces, 479 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:14,119 Speaker 1: but they are are are male spaces. White spaces are 480 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:19,320 Speaker 1: spaces for men. Uh and not having a kind of 481 00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:21,840 Speaker 1: path or not seeing a path or a way forward 482 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:24,359 Speaker 1: for you because you can't see yourself in that organization. 483 00:28:24,440 --> 00:28:27,520 Speaker 1: But there are you know they're there, you know they're 484 00:28:27,560 --> 00:28:33,200 Speaker 1: they're there. And I think having, you know, being able 485 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:35,960 Speaker 1: to look back at a legacy like hers and being 486 00:28:35,960 --> 00:28:39,120 Speaker 1: able to continuously honor her legacy is important when it 487 00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:42,480 Speaker 1: comes to remembering that we can continue forward on the 488 00:28:42,480 --> 00:28:44,520 Speaker 1: path that she created. There can be more black women 489 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:47,400 Speaker 1: architects in the field. They can you can be licensed. 490 00:28:47,440 --> 00:28:50,280 Speaker 1: You know, you can fail when you can apply somewhere 491 00:28:50,360 --> 00:28:53,000 Speaker 1: nineteen times and the twentieth one will be the one 492 00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:55,040 Speaker 1: that you get. So I think that's why I think 493 00:28:55,040 --> 00:28:57,000 Speaker 1: it's important to look back at a legacy like hers. 494 00:28:57,760 --> 00:29:01,160 Speaker 1: It's very well put. Eaves. I agree. I think we 495 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:03,120 Speaker 1: talked about on the show a lot the power of 496 00:29:03,280 --> 00:29:06,680 Speaker 1: seeing yourself somewhere and how much that can impact you, 497 00:29:06,760 --> 00:29:09,160 Speaker 1: especially when you're young, like when you're a child and 498 00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:11,280 Speaker 1: you don't if you don't see anybody that looks like you, 499 00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:13,440 Speaker 1: then you kind of think, well, that must not be 500 00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:17,040 Speaker 1: for me. So I'm glad that we have people like this, 501 00:29:17,200 --> 00:29:20,560 Speaker 1: we have our female First that are being examples and 502 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:23,840 Speaker 1: being mentors. Oh yeah, and on Female First, I wanted 503 00:29:23,880 --> 00:29:25,680 Speaker 1: to shout out a couple of other people because I 504 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:27,560 Speaker 1: know I mentioned in the beginning that she was not 505 00:29:27,720 --> 00:29:31,400 Speaker 1: the the first licensed black female architect in the US. 506 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:35,080 Speaker 1: So the first black architect period to become a member 507 00:29:35,080 --> 00:29:39,840 Speaker 1: of the AIA was Paul Revere Williams in ninete and 508 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:44,240 Speaker 1: before Norma there were Beverly Lorraine Green and Georgia Louise 509 00:29:44,280 --> 00:29:47,240 Speaker 1: Harris Brown, and they were also thought to be licensed 510 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:51,560 Speaker 1: as architects. In nineteen forty two and nineteen forty nine respectively, 511 00:29:51,680 --> 00:29:55,720 Speaker 1: in both of them were registered in Illinois, and so 512 00:29:55,920 --> 00:29:58,480 Speaker 1: both of their stories are interesting as well. And I 513 00:29:58,520 --> 00:30:00,520 Speaker 1: felt like we talked about this a lot first and 514 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:03,040 Speaker 1: how there was a path for a person to get 515 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:05,200 Speaker 1: to a first, there were so many other hands involved, 516 00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:08,000 Speaker 1: especially when it comes to inventions and stuff like that, 517 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:11,400 Speaker 1: that a person's first wasn't isolated, and also continuing to 518 00:30:11,440 --> 00:30:16,000 Speaker 1: put into perspective and context why a first is important 519 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:18,240 Speaker 1: in terms of like, well, other people had access and 520 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:21,560 Speaker 1: there weren't barriers for them necessarily, but you know, it's 521 00:30:22,040 --> 00:30:24,800 Speaker 1: there were leading up to her becoming having her first, 522 00:30:24,800 --> 00:30:27,480 Speaker 1: there were other people who came before her, and Beverly 523 00:30:27,640 --> 00:30:30,800 Speaker 1: and Georgia were two of those people, and so their 524 00:30:30,800 --> 00:30:34,320 Speaker 1: stories are really interesting as well. And Brown recognized the 525 00:30:34,360 --> 00:30:36,960 Speaker 1: bearer she faced because she was a black woman trying 526 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:40,560 Speaker 1: to work in architecture, So she learned Portuguese and he 527 00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:42,840 Speaker 1: moved to Brazil in nineteen fifty three because she kind 528 00:30:42,840 --> 00:30:46,120 Speaker 1: of realized there was a burgeoning, growing architecture seeing there 529 00:30:46,520 --> 00:30:49,880 Speaker 1: and she later got her architectural license there as well. 530 00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:52,680 Speaker 1: In Brazil, and she moved there knowing about all those 531 00:30:52,720 --> 00:30:55,800 Speaker 1: advancements that were being made, and she was also kind 532 00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:57,800 Speaker 1: of seeking racial democracy because there was this kind of 533 00:30:57,800 --> 00:31:01,200 Speaker 1: propaganda machine going on right now saying, look at us, 534 00:31:02,080 --> 00:31:05,239 Speaker 1: we have this really open, you know, racial situation going 535 00:31:05,320 --> 00:31:08,400 Speaker 1: on in Brazil, but without needing to go into the 536 00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:14,160 Speaker 1: details of like the racial yeah, like maneuvers of everything 537 00:31:14,160 --> 00:31:17,760 Speaker 1: that happened and still is happening in Brazil right now. Like, um, 538 00:31:17,840 --> 00:31:20,880 Speaker 1: it wasn't obviously as rosy as that propaganda made it seem, 539 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:23,080 Speaker 1: so you know, that was the thing. But she also 540 00:31:23,320 --> 00:31:26,280 Speaker 1: was successful when she got to Brazil and started working 541 00:31:26,280 --> 00:31:28,959 Speaker 1: their architecture. But yeah, those are stories as well. If 542 00:31:28,960 --> 00:31:33,800 Speaker 1: anybody wants to go on that path and continue looking 543 00:31:33,800 --> 00:31:36,760 Speaker 1: at all these architectural first and pioneering women in it, 544 00:31:37,720 --> 00:31:41,000 Speaker 1: and you've got a bonus female first listeners, like a 545 00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:46,520 Speaker 1: mini female first within the female FIRS homework homework. Yeah, 546 00:31:47,600 --> 00:31:51,360 Speaker 1: I've always wanted to assign homework. If we can see 547 00:31:51,400 --> 00:31:55,480 Speaker 1: your opportunity, it's time listeners go out and find more 548 00:31:55,520 --> 00:31:59,360 Speaker 1: female first for us and send them away. Yeah, because 549 00:31:59,360 --> 00:32:02,040 Speaker 1: I think that's a about what we have to say 550 00:32:02,320 --> 00:32:05,400 Speaker 1: about Norma. Thank you so much, as always a used. Yeah, 551 00:32:05,480 --> 00:32:08,640 Speaker 1: it's a joy being here. So that's a pleasure. Okay, 552 00:32:08,880 --> 00:32:11,040 Speaker 1: we do. We love it when you come here. We do, 553 00:32:11,560 --> 00:32:14,000 Speaker 1: and we would love for listeners to be able to 554 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:16,440 Speaker 1: find you because you do other things than this. You 555 00:32:16,520 --> 00:32:19,080 Speaker 1: have a lot of other stuff going on. Yeah, I 556 00:32:19,080 --> 00:32:20,800 Speaker 1: feel like I never know where I can tell them 557 00:32:20,800 --> 00:32:23,840 Speaker 1: to find me, but I will say that I also 558 00:32:23,960 --> 00:32:26,920 Speaker 1: host Unpopular, which is a show about people in history 559 00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:29,320 Speaker 1: who stood up to the status quo and did things 560 00:32:29,320 --> 00:32:31,880 Speaker 1: and were often persecuted for it. You can find Unpopular 561 00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:34,480 Speaker 1: and all the social media things like the Facebook, the Twitter, 562 00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:38,680 Speaker 1: and the Instagram and the Instagram, Instagram, and you can 563 00:32:38,680 --> 00:32:42,080 Speaker 1: listen to the show on all of the also things 564 00:32:42,080 --> 00:32:43,760 Speaker 1: where you listen to podcast wherever you're listening to this 565 00:32:43,760 --> 00:32:48,040 Speaker 1: one right now. And you can also hear me on 566 00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:51,080 Speaker 1: This Day in History class, which is also on all 567 00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:55,240 Speaker 1: of the social media things, and also on the podcast 568 00:32:55,320 --> 00:32:58,920 Speaker 1: also on the podcast that thing that you're used to 569 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:01,520 Speaker 1: listen if you're look up the phone and I don't 570 00:33:01,520 --> 00:33:03,880 Speaker 1: know that. I don't do a good at mid mid central, 571 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:08,080 Speaker 1: midwestern whatever that old accident is talking about. Trans Atlantic Yeah, 572 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:10,960 Speaker 1: that thing, get London on the phone. I'm pretty good 573 00:33:10,960 --> 00:33:13,640 Speaker 1: at it. I don't want to hear any critiques because 574 00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:17,280 Speaker 1: it's perfect and that's the only thing they say over 575 00:33:17,280 --> 00:33:20,760 Speaker 1: and over London, just London in general, because I like it, 576 00:33:21,240 --> 00:33:23,120 Speaker 1: like that. We're not here to criticize, You're going to 577 00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:25,560 Speaker 1: validate to it all to thank you, just to call London. 578 00:33:25,720 --> 00:33:27,560 Speaker 1: I want to call London. I've been waiting my whole 579 00:33:27,600 --> 00:33:33,560 Speaker 1: life in London to debut that impression. So thanks everyone. 580 00:33:34,360 --> 00:33:37,920 Speaker 1: I'm pretty sure that that works. You can also email 581 00:33:38,160 --> 00:33:41,640 Speaker 1: us at Stuff Media, mom Stuff at iHeart media dot com. 582 00:33:41,840 --> 00:33:44,360 Speaker 1: You can find us on Twitter at mom Stuff Podcast, 583 00:33:44,560 --> 00:33:46,920 Speaker 1: or on Instagram at Stuff I've Never Told You. Thanks 584 00:33:46,920 --> 00:33:50,800 Speaker 1: as always to our super producer Andrew Howard Andrew, and 585 00:33:50,840 --> 00:33:53,160 Speaker 1: thanks to you for listening. Stuffone Never Told You is 586 00:33:53,160 --> 00:33:55,000 Speaker 1: a protection of I Heart Radios How Stuff Works. For 587 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:57,280 Speaker 1: more podcast from my Heart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, 588 00:33:57,360 --> 00:33:59,480 Speaker 1: Apple Podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. 589 00:34:00,440 --> 00:34:04,280 Speaker 1: The Blue