1 00:00:04,519 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie and Samantha and welcome to stuff. 2 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: I've never told your production of I heart ideas 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 --> 00:00:55,600 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 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 1: every year I missed a couple of years and said 23 00:01:19,280 --> 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 --> 00:01:27,759 Speaker 1: we will do cheesecake. Are you in on the cheesecake game? 26 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 1: To any I am. But I actually have a very 27 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 1: funny story about cheesecake because I once when I was 28 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 1: in middle school, I bought an entire cheesecake from Krogerant. 29 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 1: It was a different chocolate flavor every slice, that little 30 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:44,640 Speaker 1: special try. Me and my friend ate the entire thing 31 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 1: while we were watching the Stargate movie with Kurt Russell 32 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:50,920 Speaker 1: James Spader, and we got very sick. Yeah, and so 33 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 1: I have an association. I just have to get past it. 34 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:55,040 Speaker 1: Like every time I have the first bite, it's good, 35 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: but you know there's that like nervousness and it's not 36 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 1: like that's not good. But you are the winner. You 37 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 1: get to make the request. Okay, it will be a cheesecake. 38 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 1: Do you like the toppings or do you like playing cheesecake. 39 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 1: Let's make a pretty good cheesecake. I will say that 40 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:15,639 Speaker 1: playing or strawberry, I don't really get much more interesting 41 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:18,120 Speaker 1: in it. Yeah. So the reason I fell in love 42 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 1: with cheesecakes because I watched my mom make it and 43 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:21,840 Speaker 1: I helped to make it. It's like these mini chocolate 44 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:25,520 Speaker 1: chips with the chocolate crust. That is my all time favorite. 45 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 1: I don't like anything over that. Like, I can do 46 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:30,520 Speaker 1: some strawberries and all of that, but I don't want 47 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 1: to be I'll fancy with like Heathcliff ribbon bar type 48 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 1: of thing that will make my teeth fall out. It's 49 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 1: an orphan thing. Oh no, I know, y'all. Well, you're welcome. 50 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 1: Cheesecake a side. I used to be where my parents 51 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:50,080 Speaker 1: in college would be like me, does that the cheesecake factory? 52 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:56,760 Speaker 1: And I'd be like, Okay, that's fancy. I know, super fancy. Book. 53 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 1: It overwhelms me. It's too much. Really, I agree with you. There, 54 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:04,960 Speaker 1: we're on the same page. But today we are not 55 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:08,920 Speaker 1: talking about just cheesecake. Fine, Fine, we'll return to that 56 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 1: topic later. Who did you bring us as our female 57 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: first of the day. Well, today's female first is Norma 58 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 1: Merrick s Clark, and she has a lot of first 59 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:22,920 Speaker 1: to her name, like a lot of them, but one 60 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:25,080 Speaker 1: of the biggest ones is that she was well. She 61 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 1: was one of the first black female licensed architects in 62 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 1: the US. She wasn't the first one. A lot of 63 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:32,840 Speaker 1: places list her as the first, but she probably wasn't 64 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 1: the first UM in the US. But she was the 65 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:38,120 Speaker 1: first black woman to be licensed as an architect in 66 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:41,960 Speaker 1: New York and in California. And she was the first 67 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:44,400 Speaker 1: black woman to be a member of the American Institute 68 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 1: of Architects. And she was the first black woman to 69 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:51,920 Speaker 1: be appointed a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. 70 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 1: So this one is UM, I guess a little bit 71 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 1: different than previous first just because she died in twelve 72 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:01,040 Speaker 1: so that wasn't that long ago. I think a lot 73 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 1: of the people we've covered in the past kind of 74 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 1: like stuck to But I think it's important to show that, 75 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:08,720 Speaker 1: like this was the first that happened not too long ago, 76 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 1: and this is still a field that is very The 77 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 1: number of black women, black people in general, lit alone 78 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 1: black women in the field of licensed architects in the 79 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:22,599 Speaker 1: United States is very small and disproportionate UM, and it's 80 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:25,920 Speaker 1: something that's growing, but like it's still it's still a 81 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 1: small number of black women in the field. And yeah, 82 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:32,800 Speaker 1: so we're going to talk about Normal today, which is 83 00:04:33,400 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 1: she was, you know, a pioneer in the field, and 84 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:41,560 Speaker 1: her story is pretty interesting. Yeah, it is pretty telling that. 85 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 1: Um it's such a recent first. And normally when we 86 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:48,240 Speaker 1: do these, I get a bunch of bullet points and 87 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 1: I'm like, Okay, here's the things that they've done. And 88 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:56,799 Speaker 1: this one is three pages. She did a lot, right, Yeah, yeah, 89 00:04:56,920 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 1: So I guess well, let's get started, let's get into 90 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:05,279 Speaker 1: you already, yeah, so ready. So Normal was born on 91 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:09,680 Speaker 1: April fifteenth nine in Harlem, and her father's name was 92 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:12,839 Speaker 1: Walter Merrick. He was a doctor, and her mother was 93 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:15,360 Speaker 1: Amy Merrick, and she was a seamstress. And they were 94 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:19,560 Speaker 1: both immigrants there from Trinidad, and she was their only child. 95 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:23,360 Speaker 1: And so she was raised during the Great Depression. Her 96 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: family moved from Crown Heights in Brooklyn when she was 97 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:28,760 Speaker 1: a child, or excuse me, her family moved to Crown 98 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:31,200 Speaker 1: Heights in Brooklyn when she was a child, and her 99 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 1: father got a medical degree from Howard University. UM, so 100 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:39,159 Speaker 1: when she was a child, she was already exhibiting all 101 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 1: these signs that like would lead towards architecture. I don't 102 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 1: know about y'all. But like, architecture is very interesting too. 103 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:48,640 Speaker 1: I could never I could never do it, like like, 104 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 1: but I think it's amazing, um and just something that's 105 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 1: grown like becomes so innovative so quickly. Um. But just 106 00:05:56,400 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 1: like it has so many different elements of things, and 107 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:01,400 Speaker 1: like there's the art, there is the math, there are 108 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:03,359 Speaker 1: the visuals, and like you know, just so many the 109 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:06,240 Speaker 1: physics of it, like so many different things that go 110 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 1: into it. And so as a child, she exhibited all 111 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:11,480 Speaker 1: these signs of being good in all these different areas. 112 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 1: So she had this art thing. She sketched, she painted, 113 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:17,679 Speaker 1: and she drew, and she did carpentry work, she worked 114 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 1: on furniture. Um. Yeah, so she was really a cool 115 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:24,120 Speaker 1: gal when she was young. And she went to a 116 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 1: public girls school called Hunter College High School. And she 117 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:29,880 Speaker 1: was a good high school student too in some of 118 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:32,839 Speaker 1: those same fields. She said that her grades were pretty 119 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:37,240 Speaker 1: good and pretty much everything. I love it, I know. 120 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:40,240 Speaker 1: But she was really good at art, the sciences, and math, 121 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:45,320 Speaker 1: which is still pretty much everything. It's good in general. 122 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 1: But it was her father who suggested to her that 123 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:53,159 Speaker 1: maybe you should do architecture. And obviously then as there 124 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:55,839 Speaker 1: aren't now there weren't many black people who were in 125 00:06:55,880 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 1: the profession, but that didn't keep her from pursuing it. 126 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:02,120 Speaker 1: So she wanted to go to Howard like her father did, 127 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:05,279 Speaker 1: but her father didn't want her to. Her parents wanted 128 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 1: her to stay closer to home, and so to prepare 129 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 1: for a Columbia University's architecture program, she took liberal arts 130 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 1: courses at Barnard College, and Barnard College was associated with 131 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 1: Columbia University, but it was for women like it was 132 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:23,800 Speaker 1: for women, as Columbia didn't accept women's students. So she 133 00:07:23,880 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 1: went through that those courses and then she got into 134 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:30,560 Speaker 1: the Columbia University School of Architecture. So she remarked on 135 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 1: how her first year there was super hard, but that 136 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:36,120 Speaker 1: didn't keep her from coming back after the summer. She 137 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 1: came back in the fall because like many of her 138 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 1: classmates were World War Two veterans UM some have bachelor's 139 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:45,440 Speaker 1: and master's degrees, so basically they had people around them 140 00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 1: and they already had all this experience to be able 141 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:51,120 Speaker 1: to help them through the process of getting through these Amazingly, 142 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:54,080 Speaker 1: I can't even imagine how difficult courses they were. UM. 143 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 1: So those people would kind of work on assignments together, 144 00:07:56,880 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 1: but she had this situation where she was commuting to 145 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:02,680 Speaker 1: school sometimes had to finish her work on her commutes 146 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:05,200 Speaker 1: or at home alone. And so that kind of having 147 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 1: we know, like having how having that support system is 148 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:13,440 Speaker 1: important when you're going through school. She got her Bachelor 149 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:16,800 Speaker 1: of Architecture degree in nineteen fifty and she was one 150 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:19,480 Speaker 1: of two women in her class and the only black one. 151 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:24,640 Speaker 1: After that, she applied to nineteen architectural firms. She said 152 00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 1: in the interviews, like I won't forget that number nineteen, 153 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:31,560 Speaker 1: but was turned down to every one of them. Yeah, 154 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 1: and she got hers on the she got the twentie um. 155 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:36,400 Speaker 1: This is a quote that she said. She said, I 156 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:39,400 Speaker 1: don't know if the rejections were because I was a 157 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:42,840 Speaker 1: black person, because I was a young woman, or because 158 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 1: of the economic recession at the time, but she said 159 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:49,560 Speaker 1: that those places weren't hiring women are black people. So 160 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:51,560 Speaker 1: I think we can go to kind of go like 161 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:57,280 Speaker 1: we know what the issue was here. Yeah, So she 162 00:08:57,760 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 1: her twenty one That was when she went to work 163 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 1: in the City of New York's Department of Public Works 164 00:09:02,679 --> 00:09:06,080 Speaker 1: as what she says as a junior draft person, and 165 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:09,600 Speaker 1: she didn't like that job because she couldn't really be 166 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:13,120 Speaker 1: creative in it. UM, so she wasn't there long. She 167 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:16,600 Speaker 1: took the New York State Architects Licensing exam and she 168 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:20,360 Speaker 1: passed it on the first time, which everybody doesn't do UM, 169 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:22,680 Speaker 1: even though it was a really tough days long test. 170 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:26,960 Speaker 1: And she became a licensed architect in nineteen fifty four, 171 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:32,320 Speaker 1: and that was when her first first comes along. She 172 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 1: became New York State's first black woman licensed architect. So 173 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 1: she was hired by a private architectural firm at that 174 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 1: point after she quit her job with the city. Even 175 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:48,679 Speaker 1: though her supervisor gave her a bad reference and her 176 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:52,800 Speaker 1: relationship with that supervisor with her boss wasn't there wasn't 177 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:55,360 Speaker 1: anything wrong with it, so he but he said that 178 00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:59,000 Speaker 1: she was lazy, she got to work late a lot, 179 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 1: that she didn't know an anything about design and architecture, 180 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:04,640 Speaker 1: and that she socialized a lot. So he had a 181 00:10:04,679 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 1: lot of really negative things to say about her, even 182 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 1: though she never had any issues, and she thought it 183 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:15,800 Speaker 1: had to do with the fact that her boss wasn't 184 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:18,599 Speaker 1: a licensed architect and was older and she was a 185 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:24,079 Speaker 1: younger black and licensed architect. UM. So she still got 186 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:27,439 Speaker 1: the job. She was a threat. Yeah, well, and I'm 187 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:31,920 Speaker 1: sure like old dude is like, man, I've done nothing. 188 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:34,320 Speaker 1: We feel this way similarly, but we don't lash out 189 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 1: at recommended right. So even though she got out of 190 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:44,840 Speaker 1: her old job because she felt like she was wasting 191 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 1: her potential, she was still doing small tests like designing 192 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:50,960 Speaker 1: bathroom layouts, so she still kind of felt, you know, 193 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:53,400 Speaker 1: a way about that. She spent a year at that 194 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:56,640 Speaker 1: small firm, and in nineteen five she joined the office 195 00:10:56,640 --> 00:10:59,720 Speaker 1: of skin Moore, Owings and Meryll. She ended up working 196 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:03,880 Speaker 1: there until nineteen sixty, so that was a pretty big firm. 197 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:06,640 Speaker 1: And as that major firm, she was working on large 198 00:11:06,640 --> 00:11:10,520 Speaker 1: scale projects and teaching evening architecture courses at New York 199 00:11:10,559 --> 00:11:14,360 Speaker 1: City Community College. And so around this time she was 200 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:16,760 Speaker 1: a single mother of two children. She had already been 201 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 1: married and been divorced, and her mother took care of 202 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:21,640 Speaker 1: her children while she worked, so she did have a 203 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 1: support system. Is not like nobody was there while she 204 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:27,760 Speaker 1: was doing all this stuff. And in nineteen fifty nine, 205 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:30,480 Speaker 1: she became the first black woman to be a member 206 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:39,360 Speaker 1: of the American Institute of Architects BOOM. In nineteen sixty. 207 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:44,079 Speaker 1: That's when she moved to California, and there she took 208 00:11:44,120 --> 00:11:48,480 Speaker 1: a job at Gruin and Associates in Los Angeles. And 209 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:52,760 Speaker 1: just a side note about Gruin, Victor Gruen was the 210 00:11:52,760 --> 00:11:54,959 Speaker 1: person who was credited with kind of being a pioneer 211 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:57,160 Speaker 1: in the American shopping mall. He did a lot of 212 00:11:57,160 --> 00:11:59,480 Speaker 1: work in that area. Yeah, I think I talked about 213 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:03,320 Speaker 1: him recent because we were talking about food courts on 214 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 1: the other show. I was gonna say, why you pointed me, 215 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:11,360 Speaker 1: I don't know that one. You're not slowing. Yeah, shopping 216 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:15,880 Speaker 1: malls are I feel. I don't know how sad I 217 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:17,720 Speaker 1: am about them leaving, but I do have I do 218 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:20,600 Speaker 1: remember the glory days of going into the Disney stores 219 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 1: and into the jewelry stores and then having the double 220 00:12:25,520 --> 00:12:29,000 Speaker 1: layers and then you see stories on top, trying to 221 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:31,920 Speaker 1: fig out where to go getting a cookie in between, 222 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:34,880 Speaker 1: always feeling like you were this close to like falling 223 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:36,880 Speaker 1: over the edge because they always had those on the 224 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 1: top level, the white glass, and I would always be scared. 225 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:42,320 Speaker 1: I'm like, oh my gosh, there's not ways, no perfume. 226 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: Everything so funny the things you're saying, I think no 227 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:48,640 Speaker 1: one else would say, it was like a plus of mall. 228 00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:54,520 Speaker 1: You could look down. I think you could smell. You're 229 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:56,280 Speaker 1: like a little kid in a small town and all 230 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:59,120 Speaker 1: you see with three aisles and you come to a 231 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:05,160 Speaker 1: giant mall that is like yeah, yeah, I went out. 232 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:07,400 Speaker 1: Well you've been to China. I'm not sure if you 233 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 1: you have, but they had a million shopping I don't. 234 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:16,840 Speaker 1: They have so many malls it is ridiculous. And they're huge, 235 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:19,000 Speaker 1: like there there's a basement, and there's a basement under 236 00:13:19,040 --> 00:13:25,880 Speaker 1: the basement. Like they're so organized, so organized, like they 237 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:28,880 Speaker 1: would name what the categories of things are on each floor. 238 00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:31,559 Speaker 1: When you got to that floor, I was like, wow, 239 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:35,760 Speaker 1: this is that makes sense. This is very organized and 240 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:42,000 Speaker 1: I like it. Anyway that go to malls in China, 241 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:47,480 Speaker 1: you'll be there for the next ninety years. So when 242 00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:51,520 Speaker 1: she was at Gruing, she recognized how much scrutiny she 243 00:13:51,640 --> 00:13:55,200 Speaker 1: was getting from her boss. There. She didn't have a car, 244 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:57,840 Speaker 1: and she got rides with one of her colleagues who 245 00:13:57,840 --> 00:14:01,240 Speaker 1: was a white man, to get to work, and later 246 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:04,439 Speaker 1: she said in an interview, it took only one week 247 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:07,720 Speaker 1: before the boss came and spoke to me about being late. 248 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 1: Yet he had not noticed that the young man had 249 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:14,480 Speaker 1: been late for two years. My solution was to buy 250 00:14:14,480 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 1: a car, since I, the highly visible employee, had to 251 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:21,360 Speaker 1: be punctual. And uh, I think it's funny how she 252 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:24,080 Speaker 1: said highly visible employee. I feel like that's definitely skating 253 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:28,480 Speaker 1: around saying, oh I was a black woman. They wanted 254 00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 1: me to see me my mistakes. Yeah, we we we 255 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 1: get the subtext there. She got her architecture license in 256 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:38,360 Speaker 1: California in nineteen sixty two, and so she was the 257 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:42,040 Speaker 1: first African American woman to have one in California, and 258 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:48,040 Speaker 1: she remained the only one for twenty years. Eight. Yeah, 259 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:56,359 Speaker 1: that was weird noise. We're all about it today. Sorry, 260 00:14:57,320 --> 00:15:00,200 Speaker 1: speaking of weird noises, we should follish for an out 261 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:18,040 Speaker 1: of right back and we're back, thank you sponsoring. So yeah, 262 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:22,240 Speaker 1: she she becomes the first another first, another first black 263 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:24,760 Speaker 1: woman architect in California and state that way for a 264 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:29,920 Speaker 1: very unfortunate the eighties. Yeah. Yeah, and she was at 265 00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:32,640 Speaker 1: that firm for a while too. After six years at 266 00:15:32,640 --> 00:15:35,840 Speaker 1: that firm, she became the director of architecture there and 267 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:40,360 Speaker 1: she hired people and oversaw staff and coordinated the technical 268 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:43,480 Speaker 1: aspects of some really big projects, and so some of 269 00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:49,560 Speaker 1: her projects were California, mart Fox Plaza, Pacific Design Center, 270 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 1: San Bernardino City Hall, and the US Embassy in Tokyo. 271 00:15:54,280 --> 00:15:58,360 Speaker 1: And her son said that she thought designing the building 272 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:00,880 Speaker 1: was the actual easy part of the job, while the 273 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:03,360 Speaker 1: production of it, all the other nuts and bolts that 274 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:06,240 Speaker 1: went into it, was the real work of the job. 275 00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:09,560 Speaker 1: I feel like it's easy to downplay when you're you've 276 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 1: worked that hard to get to somewhere and it's such 277 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:14,800 Speaker 1: a major position. It's easy to downplay and sing, yeah, 278 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:16,720 Speaker 1: I just knew what I was. You know, that's the 279 00:16:16,720 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 1: easy part. But yeah, I get how things like that 280 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:24,800 Speaker 1: have so many different moving parts, so everybody's job is important. 281 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:26,880 Speaker 1: But yeah, so she got she got to that point, 282 00:16:26,920 --> 00:16:29,040 Speaker 1: and for a lot of her career she actually served 283 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:33,040 Speaker 1: as a project manager rather than a design architect, which 284 00:16:33,280 --> 00:16:36,360 Speaker 1: was actually the case with many women architects who worked 285 00:16:36,440 --> 00:16:40,680 Speaker 1: who worked in corporate firms. So she didn't design most 286 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:44,840 Speaker 1: of the big projects that she supervised. And Marshall Pernell, 287 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:47,320 Speaker 1: who was a former president of the ai A, the 288 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:50,360 Speaker 1: American Institute of Architects, told The l A Times that 289 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 1: she could design large projects, but that it was unheard 290 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:57,920 Speaker 1: of to have an African American female who was registered 291 00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:01,040 Speaker 1: as an architect. You didn't try that person out in 292 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:03,480 Speaker 1: front of your clients and say this is the person 293 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:07,639 Speaker 1: designing your project. So Marshall Parnell, who was a former 294 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:10,280 Speaker 1: president of the ai A, told the l A Times 295 00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:14,000 Speaker 1: that she could design large projects, but quote, it was 296 00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:16,800 Speaker 1: unheard of to have an African American female who was 297 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:20,520 Speaker 1: registered as an architect. You didn't trot that person out 298 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:22,800 Speaker 1: in front of your clients and say this is the 299 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 1: person designing your project. She was not allowed to express 300 00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:31,200 Speaker 1: herself as a designer, but she was capable of doing anything. 301 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:35,560 Speaker 1: That's what Marshall Purnell said. Either way, she was a 302 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:39,000 Speaker 1: really good project manager. And she stayed with Grewin until 303 00:17:39,119 --> 00:17:42,320 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty and she got She was married several times 304 00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 1: throughout her life. During the time where she was at Grwin, 305 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:47,440 Speaker 1: she married Rolph s Clerk, an associate at Gruen who 306 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:49,920 Speaker 1: died in nineteen eighty four, so he died years after 307 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:55,199 Speaker 1: they married. In nineteen eighty Here's another first. She became 308 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:59,240 Speaker 1: the first black woman appointed to the College of Fellows 309 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:02,320 Speaker 1: of the ai A, and she was the first woman 310 00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:04,879 Speaker 1: in the Los Angeles AI a chapter to be given 311 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:10,560 Speaker 1: that honor. That same year, she became vice president at 312 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:14,600 Speaker 1: the Los Angeles firm Walton Beckett Associates. So she was 313 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:18,400 Speaker 1: a project director on Terminal one at Los Angeles International Airport, 314 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:22,080 Speaker 1: which was a fifty million dollar project that she finished 315 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:28,159 Speaker 1: before the start of the Olympics. M hm. This is 316 00:18:28,200 --> 00:18:30,240 Speaker 1: another part of her life which I think YouTube will 317 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:35,280 Speaker 1: really appreciate. She co founded the women owned firm Siegel's, 318 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:39,720 Speaker 1: Clerric and Diamond with Margot Siegel and Katherine Diamond, and 319 00:18:39,760 --> 00:18:43,359 Speaker 1: that was the largest completely women owned architectural firm in 320 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:49,960 Speaker 1: the US at the time. Yeah. Like that. She was 321 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:55,320 Speaker 1: the first African American woman to co own an architectural practice. Yeah, 322 00:18:55,560 --> 00:19:02,560 Speaker 1: so many first yeah. Yeah. The firm made a bunch 323 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:05,359 Speaker 1: of proposals, that made proposals on five projects and it 324 00:19:05,480 --> 00:19:08,280 Speaker 1: got all of those commissions. So they worked on the 325 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:11,520 Speaker 1: Tarzana Promenade, which was a ninety thousand square foot medical 326 00:19:11,520 --> 00:19:15,600 Speaker 1: and retail center, and a remodeling of the Lawndale Civic Center. 327 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:20,160 Speaker 1: And they worked on additions to schools and other institutional buildings. 328 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 1: So this was after her previous husband died. She married 329 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:30,600 Speaker 1: Dr Cornelius Welch, so another marriage in her life, and 330 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:33,680 Speaker 1: she left Siegel's Clerk and Diamond in nineteen eighty nine, 331 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:35,840 Speaker 1: even though it was a really cool thing to do, 332 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:38,960 Speaker 1: because even though they had these fifty million dollar projects, 333 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:42,920 Speaker 1: they couldn't get the large scale projects that she really wanted, 334 00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:45,639 Speaker 1: and she missed that kind of challenge and the money 335 00:19:45,680 --> 00:19:49,280 Speaker 1: that came with those projects, which is totally understandable. Yeah. 336 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:53,720 Speaker 1: She became the principle of project management at the Jarity Partnership, 337 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:56,200 Speaker 1: which was a firm that was known for his design 338 00:19:56,200 --> 00:20:00,000 Speaker 1: of public spaces, and while she was there, she helped design, 339 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:05,200 Speaker 1: mine and construct the Mall of America. And I've never 340 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:08,040 Speaker 1: been to the Mall of America. I have not. I've 341 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:14,159 Speaker 1: seen the Mary Kayton Ashley short or they ed. Okay, now, 342 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:16,440 Speaker 1: I'm just annoyed. You've seen that, but not anybody Gables. 343 00:20:17,560 --> 00:20:21,200 Speaker 1: I've seen it multiple times. I'm not insisticated, you okay, 344 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:24,840 Speaker 1: I'm old. I'm also shot because a lot of the 345 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:28,359 Speaker 1: dates are in my lifetime accomplished, and I'm just like, wow, 346 00:20:28,359 --> 00:20:32,639 Speaker 1: it took that long for her to be awarded and 347 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:36,040 Speaker 1: honored as she should have been. That's crazy. It is 348 00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:38,679 Speaker 1: well we have a little bit more for you, but 349 00:20:38,840 --> 00:20:41,240 Speaker 1: first one more quick break for word from our sponsor, 350 00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:59,680 Speaker 1: and we're back. Thank you sponsor. So I'm all of America. 351 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:04,560 Speaker 1: Future destination for Mary Kate and Ashley big project is 352 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:06,560 Speaker 1: the point, I think. Well, that's why she worked on 353 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:10,280 Speaker 1: it for Mary ka obviously. Of course it was a 354 00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:13,200 Speaker 1: big set for their little mini series, The Adventures of 355 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:17,520 Speaker 1: Mary Kaye. Absolute because they don't around and get lost again. 356 00:21:18,040 --> 00:21:21,800 Speaker 1: I don't really remember much other than the coaster, remember, 357 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:26,200 Speaker 1: like you watch it every day, you're like back to 358 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:28,480 Speaker 1: the Mary Kate and Nashley video. I just gotta I 359 00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:30,680 Speaker 1: gotta hold onto the old daisys. I don't need your 360 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:32,680 Speaker 1: judgment of what I gotta do. I oh no, I'm 361 00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:35,520 Speaker 1: just saying like, it's not like we're that fresh. I'm 362 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:37,359 Speaker 1: not that fresh up on it, because I imagine it 363 00:21:37,359 --> 00:21:39,080 Speaker 1: wouldn't be a thing that you go back to every 364 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:42,320 Speaker 1: day a lot. Oh no, never, of course, not. Well, 365 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:46,520 Speaker 1: maybe you do, no judgment. She retired from that practice 366 00:21:46,560 --> 00:21:49,120 Speaker 1: in nineteen two, But you know, she had a long, 367 00:21:49,280 --> 00:21:52,679 Speaker 1: illustrious career, and she also did a ton of other things. 368 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:56,359 Speaker 1: Besides that career, she also taught at the University of California, 369 00:21:56,400 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 1: Los Angeles, and served as a director of the University 370 00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:03,960 Speaker 1: of Southern California Architects Skilled and she was a member 371 00:22:04,040 --> 00:22:09,960 Speaker 1: of the Commission of the California State Board of Architectural Examiners. Yeah, 372 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:13,600 Speaker 1: and what I'm outful mouthful. In the nineteen nineties, she 373 00:22:13,680 --> 00:22:18,240 Speaker 1: lectured at Howard University, Columbia University, and other schools, and 374 00:22:18,359 --> 00:22:22,159 Speaker 1: she held seminars for people who were taking the Architecture 375 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:25,159 Speaker 1: Licensing exam So she kind of worked as this mentor 376 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:27,080 Speaker 1: to other people. She said that she didn't have any 377 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:30,199 Speaker 1: mentors and or like role models growing up, but was 378 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:33,359 Speaker 1: happy to be one to others. Which I feel like 379 00:22:33,359 --> 00:22:36,240 Speaker 1: it's an important thing to remember, like left as you 380 00:22:36,760 --> 00:22:38,240 Speaker 1: and I guess that would be a huge problem for 381 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:40,639 Speaker 1: anybody who's the first How do you find them in 382 00:22:41,680 --> 00:22:44,280 Speaker 1: when you're the one that's paving the way and to 383 00:22:44,359 --> 00:22:46,520 Speaker 1: remember when you once you have, let's teach others to 384 00:22:46,520 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 1: do so. Yeah, I'm a big I guess you have. 385 00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:52,159 Speaker 1: You definitely have to have a lot of resilience to 386 00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:56,040 Speaker 1: be a person breaking down marries like that. Especially feel 387 00:22:56,119 --> 00:23:01,399 Speaker 1: that is dominant even now by pretty much mel people. 388 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:06,480 Speaker 1: People articulate as always, that's us. But that's one of 389 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:08,680 Speaker 1: those words. I love the word people because it just 390 00:23:08,680 --> 00:23:14,240 Speaker 1: automatically makes you sound smarter, money dumb when I say people, 391 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:19,720 Speaker 1: That's how I say it. No want to, I'm giving this. 392 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:24,159 Speaker 1: I'm getting these endearing all from YouTube right now. Now 393 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:28,240 Speaker 1: it's getting more concerned. Don't worry about it, don't worry 394 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:30,000 Speaker 1: about so. Yeah, I mean, that's got to be really 395 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:32,520 Speaker 1: hard to come into a field that is still predominantly 396 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:36,399 Speaker 1: male based and male dominated and trying to lead away, 397 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:39,000 Speaker 1: trying to do siminars. That's phenomenal as a black woman 398 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:44,080 Speaker 1: just paving her way through. She felt that quote architecture 399 00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:46,760 Speaker 1: should be working on improving the environment of people in 400 00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:49,640 Speaker 1: their homes, in their places of work, and their places 401 00:23:49,680 --> 00:23:52,960 Speaker 1: of recreation. It should be functional and pleasant, not just 402 00:23:53,040 --> 00:23:57,639 Speaker 1: in the image of the ego of the architects. I 403 00:23:57,640 --> 00:23:59,600 Speaker 1: think that's good insight into how she felt about the 404 00:23:59,600 --> 00:24:03,960 Speaker 1: work that she did once she retired. I like this part. 405 00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:06,879 Speaker 1: She lived with her family in southern California and she 406 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:11,160 Speaker 1: had garden parties in the springtime, which is not really fancy. 407 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:13,399 Speaker 1: I don't know if I've ever been to a garden party. Before, 408 00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:15,199 Speaker 1: but I would love to go to one. I've been 409 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:17,800 Speaker 1: to one and it was sponsored by a gin company 410 00:24:17,840 --> 00:24:20,080 Speaker 1: and it was beautiful. There was there a lot of 411 00:24:20,119 --> 00:24:24,040 Speaker 1: gin there, so much. I feel like is the thing 412 00:24:24,080 --> 00:24:27,080 Speaker 1: that you drink at garden parties? Though, No, you drink 413 00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:31,560 Speaker 1: like um type of thing. And that's more. Isn't that 414 00:24:31,560 --> 00:24:34,840 Speaker 1: whiskey and bucket? Yes, and stuff, so more on those lines. 415 00:24:34,880 --> 00:24:38,400 Speaker 1: Maybe a little bit of lemonade and tees of sorts. 416 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:40,199 Speaker 1: But that would be what I would think of as 417 00:24:40,240 --> 00:24:43,760 Speaker 1: a garden party. But if it was my garden party, yes, 418 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:47,080 Speaker 1: it would have a lot of gin. I think we 419 00:24:47,119 --> 00:24:48,560 Speaker 1: can make our own rules when it comes to the 420 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:50,920 Speaker 1: garden party. I think so. I think there's a lot 421 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:54,760 Speaker 1: of like that croquet game again, which I can reference 422 00:24:54,800 --> 00:25:01,160 Speaker 1: to Heathers. I've oh too, people, we're letting Samantha down 423 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:05,159 Speaker 1: on the river find friends here if you if you 424 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:08,679 Speaker 1: keep naming things to be fair, you guys also had 425 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:11,240 Speaker 1: a SpongeBob reference. I was like, what it's true, Yeah, 426 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:14,440 Speaker 1: I will watch Heathers eve and I yes, let's have 427 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:16,440 Speaker 1: a party. Let's have a garden party. Actually that was 428 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:18,440 Speaker 1: a name party for that at one of the restaurants 429 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:20,760 Speaker 1: in Atlanta who they all came dressed up. I don't 430 00:25:20,760 --> 00:25:22,320 Speaker 1: know what it was for, but it was really cute. 431 00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:25,200 Speaker 1: They're really cute all stuff like that. Yeah, we can, 432 00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:28,520 Speaker 1: we can make it work. Okay, please have a there 433 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:31,840 Speaker 1: like the Heather. Is it like this is the sporty Heather? 434 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:33,840 Speaker 1: Is it like Spice Girls? But with Heathers No, it's 435 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:37,479 Speaker 1: just who's the leader? Okay, So I can't just scary 436 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:41,159 Speaker 1: Heather or whatever. You could be scary Heather would be 437 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 1: one on a writer's character, not a Heather. She's oh, Bianca, Oh, 438 00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:48,000 Speaker 1: I can't do that. That's what I can't take that 439 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:51,280 Speaker 1: out because if I don't know my coming for you, 440 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:55,000 Speaker 1: they're gonna get me. Um. But Heather, I want to 441 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:57,600 Speaker 1: know the writer's character is the dark haired one. In comparison, 442 00:25:57,840 --> 00:25:59,880 Speaker 1: she had a Doherty, isn't it? As well? As well 443 00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:04,560 Speaker 1: questions later what a cast. She was still really active 444 00:26:05,320 --> 00:26:09,080 Speaker 1: in all the architectural things going into, you know, the 445 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:11,639 Speaker 1: later years of her life. In two thousand three, she 446 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:15,320 Speaker 1: was appointed to the California Architects Board, where she served 447 00:26:15,359 --> 00:26:19,000 Speaker 1: on the Professional Qualifications Committee and the Regulatory Enforcement Committee. 448 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:21,879 Speaker 1: I was really hoping you that she was just the 449 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:26,800 Speaker 1: she started as the whole committia. I really wanted her 450 00:26:26,800 --> 00:26:31,840 Speaker 1: to beat someone. I am, I'm here for it. And 451 00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:33,760 Speaker 1: she was on a bunch of other boards and committees 452 00:26:33,760 --> 00:26:36,200 Speaker 1: to which wouldn't even go into. In two thousand eight, 453 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:39,480 Speaker 1: the AI gave her the Whitney M. Young Junior Award, 454 00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:43,280 Speaker 1: which is an award that recognizes an architect or an 455 00:26:43,320 --> 00:26:48,760 Speaker 1: organization that embodies the profession's responsibility to address social issues. 456 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:53,680 Speaker 1: And she died four years later in tve of heart 457 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:56,280 Speaker 1: failure at her home in California when she was eighty 458 00:26:56,359 --> 00:27:01,560 Speaker 1: five years old. Yeah, but she was clearly you know, 459 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:04,280 Speaker 1: recognized for the work that she did while she was alive. 460 00:27:04,359 --> 00:27:07,639 Speaker 1: But she has got an aposthumous award as well. Just 461 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:11,760 Speaker 1: this year, in July twenty nineteen, she became the first 462 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:14,800 Speaker 1: black woman to be given the American Institute of Architects 463 00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:18,080 Speaker 1: Los Angeles Gold Medal, and that gold medal is given 464 00:27:18,080 --> 00:27:21,040 Speaker 1: in recognition of a significant body of work with lasting 465 00:27:21,080 --> 00:27:25,320 Speaker 1: influence on the theory and practice of architecture. And that's 466 00:27:25,359 --> 00:27:30,360 Speaker 1: the highest honor that the organization awards. So she's as 467 00:27:30,359 --> 00:27:35,000 Speaker 1: many people are and have been awarded things posthumously as well. 468 00:27:35,680 --> 00:27:38,639 Speaker 1: So it's good to know that a person, you know, 469 00:27:38,680 --> 00:27:40,920 Speaker 1: we talk about giving people their flowers while they're still 470 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:43,560 Speaker 1: alive and for them to be awarded while they're alive, 471 00:27:43,760 --> 00:27:49,399 Speaker 1: but also important to remember people after they've gone and 472 00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:52,800 Speaker 1: the work that they've done, especially pioneering and feels like 473 00:27:52,800 --> 00:27:54,840 Speaker 1: this and kind of opening up like she acted as 474 00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:57,680 Speaker 1: a mentor to opening it up to other people who 475 00:27:57,720 --> 00:28:00,359 Speaker 1: may think that they don't have a place and and 476 00:28:00,560 --> 00:28:02,439 Speaker 1: feels like this, And I think about this all the 477 00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:04,400 Speaker 1: time when it comes to you know, being a first 478 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:06,840 Speaker 1: or being a black woman to pioneer spaces that a 479 00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:11,120 Speaker 1: lot of people may think of as white spaces, but 480 00:28:11,880 --> 00:28:14,560 Speaker 1: they are are are male spaces. White spaces are spaces 481 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:19,800 Speaker 1: for men. Uh and not having a kind of path 482 00:28:20,080 --> 00:28:21,960 Speaker 1: or not seeing a path or a way forward for 483 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:24,640 Speaker 1: you because you can't see yourself in that organization. But 484 00:28:25,320 --> 00:28:28,359 Speaker 1: there are you know they're there, you know they're they're there. 485 00:28:28,520 --> 00:28:33,520 Speaker 1: And I think having, you know, being able to look 486 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:36,359 Speaker 1: back at a legacy like hers and being able to 487 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:39,480 Speaker 1: continuously honor her legacy is important when it comes to 488 00:28:39,960 --> 00:28:42,760 Speaker 1: remembering that we can continue forward on the path that 489 00:28:42,880 --> 00:28:45,160 Speaker 1: she created. There can be more black women architects, in 490 00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:47,640 Speaker 1: the field. They can you can be licensed. You know, 491 00:28:47,760 --> 00:28:51,240 Speaker 1: you can fail when you can apply somewhere nineteen times 492 00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:53,560 Speaker 1: and the twentieth one will be the one that you get. 493 00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:55,640 Speaker 1: So I think that's why I think it's important to 494 00:28:55,680 --> 00:28:58,400 Speaker 1: look back at a legacy like hers. That's very well 495 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:01,720 Speaker 1: put Eaves. I agree. I think we talked about on 496 00:29:01,720 --> 00:29:04,840 Speaker 1: the show a lot the power of seeing yourself somewhere 497 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:07,880 Speaker 1: and how much that can impact you, especially when you're young, 498 00:29:08,160 --> 00:29:09,720 Speaker 1: like when you're a child and you don't if you 499 00:29:09,720 --> 00:29:12,320 Speaker 1: don't see anybody that looks like you, then you kind 500 00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:14,680 Speaker 1: of think, well, that must not be for me. So 501 00:29:14,720 --> 00:29:17,479 Speaker 1: I'm glad that we have people like this, we have 502 00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:21,440 Speaker 1: our female First that are being examples and being mentors. 503 00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:24,240 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, and on Female First, I wanted to shout 504 00:29:24,240 --> 00:29:25,920 Speaker 1: out a couple of other people because I know I 505 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:28,000 Speaker 1: mentioned in the beginning that she was not the the 506 00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:32,040 Speaker 1: first licensed black female architect in the US. So the 507 00:29:32,120 --> 00:29:35,240 Speaker 1: first black architect period to become a member of the 508 00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:40,959 Speaker 1: AIA was Paul Revere Williams in ninete and before Norma 509 00:29:41,040 --> 00:29:44,920 Speaker 1: there were Beverly Lorraine Green and Georgia Louise Harris Brown, 510 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:48,000 Speaker 1: and they were also thought to be licensed as architects 511 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:51,760 Speaker 1: in nineteen forty two and nineteen forty nine respectively. In 512 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:56,160 Speaker 1: both of them were registered in Illinois, and so both 513 00:29:56,160 --> 00:29:58,760 Speaker 1: of their stories are interesting as well. And I felt 514 00:29:58,800 --> 00:30:00,880 Speaker 1: like we talked about this a lot first and how 515 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:03,160 Speaker 1: there was a path for a person to get to 516 00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:05,600 Speaker 1: a first, there were so many other hands involved, especially 517 00:30:05,640 --> 00:30:08,200 Speaker 1: when it comes to inventions and stuff like that, that 518 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:11,680 Speaker 1: a person's first wasn't isolated, and also continuing to put 519 00:30:11,720 --> 00:30:16,080 Speaker 1: into perspective and context why a first is important in 520 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:18,400 Speaker 1: terms of like, well, other people had access and there 521 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:22,200 Speaker 1: weren't barriers for them necessarily, but you know, it's there 522 00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:24,920 Speaker 1: were leading up to her becoming having her first, there 523 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:27,760 Speaker 1: were other people who came before her, and Beverly and 524 00:30:27,840 --> 00:30:31,080 Speaker 1: Georgia were two of those people, and so their stories 525 00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:34,600 Speaker 1: are really interesting as well. And Brown recognized the bearer 526 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:37,040 Speaker 1: she faced because she was a black woman trying to 527 00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:40,920 Speaker 1: work in architecture. So she learned Portuguese and we moved 528 00:30:40,960 --> 00:30:42,920 Speaker 1: to Brazil in nineteen fifty three because she kind of 529 00:30:42,920 --> 00:30:46,800 Speaker 1: realized there was a burgeoning, growing architecture seeing there and 530 00:30:46,920 --> 00:30:50,000 Speaker 1: she later got her architectural license there as well. In 531 00:30:50,040 --> 00:30:53,360 Speaker 1: Brazil and she moved there knowing about all those advancements 532 00:30:53,360 --> 00:30:55,840 Speaker 1: that were being made, and she was also kind of 533 00:30:55,840 --> 00:30:58,440 Speaker 1: seeking racial democracy because there was this kind of propaganda 534 00:30:58,520 --> 00:31:02,240 Speaker 1: machine going on right now saying, look at us, we 535 00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:05,360 Speaker 1: have this really open, you know, racial situation going on 536 00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:09,200 Speaker 1: in Brazil, but without needing to go into the details 537 00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:14,200 Speaker 1: of like the racial Yeah, like maneuvers of everything that 538 00:31:14,240 --> 00:31:17,800 Speaker 1: happened and still is happening in Brazil right now. Like, um, 539 00:31:17,840 --> 00:31:20,880 Speaker 1: it wasn't obviously as rosy as that propaganda made it seem, 540 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:23,080 Speaker 1: so you know, that was the thing. But she also 541 00:31:23,320 --> 00:31:26,280 Speaker 1: was successful when she got to Brazil and started working 542 00:31:26,320 --> 00:31:28,959 Speaker 1: their architecture. But yeah, those are stories as well. If 543 00:31:28,960 --> 00:31:33,800 Speaker 1: anybody wants to go on that path and continue looking 544 00:31:33,800 --> 00:31:36,760 Speaker 1: at all these architectural first and pioneering women in it, 545 00:31:37,720 --> 00:31:41,000 Speaker 1: and you've got a bonus female first listeners, like a 546 00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:46,520 Speaker 1: mini female first within the female firm. Homework homework. Yeah, 547 00:31:47,600 --> 00:31:51,360 Speaker 1: I've always wanted to assign homework. If we can see 548 00:31:51,400 --> 00:31:55,480 Speaker 1: your opportunity, it's time listeners go out and find more 549 00:31:55,520 --> 00:31:59,360 Speaker 1: female first for us and send them away. Yeah, because 550 00:31:59,360 --> 00:32:02,040 Speaker 1: I think that's a about what we have to say 551 00:32:02,320 --> 00:32:05,400 Speaker 1: about Norma. Thank you so much as always a used. Yeah, 552 00:32:05,480 --> 00:32:08,640 Speaker 1: it's a joy being here. So that's a pleasure. Okay, 553 00:32:08,880 --> 00:32:11,240 Speaker 1: we do. We love it when you come here. We do, 554 00:32:11,560 --> 00:32:14,000 Speaker 1: and we would love for listeners to be able to 555 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:16,440 Speaker 1: find you because you do other things than this. You 556 00:32:16,520 --> 00:32:19,080 Speaker 1: have a lot of other stuff going on. Yeah, I 557 00:32:19,080 --> 00:32:20,800 Speaker 1: feel like I never know where I can tell them 558 00:32:20,800 --> 00:32:23,840 Speaker 1: to find me, but I will say that I also 559 00:32:23,960 --> 00:32:26,920 Speaker 1: host Unpopular, which is a show about people in history 560 00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:29,320 Speaker 1: who stood up to the status quo and did things 561 00:32:29,320 --> 00:32:31,880 Speaker 1: and were often persecuted for it. You can find Unpopular 562 00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:34,480 Speaker 1: and all the social media things like the Facebook, the Twitter, 563 00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:38,680 Speaker 1: and the Instagram and the Instagram, Instagram, and you can 564 00:32:38,680 --> 00:32:42,080 Speaker 1: listen to the show on all of the also things 565 00:32:42,080 --> 00:32:43,760 Speaker 1: where you listen to podcast wherever you're listening to this 566 00:32:43,760 --> 00:32:48,040 Speaker 1: one right now, And you can also hear me on 567 00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:51,080 Speaker 1: this day in History class, which is also on all 568 00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:55,240 Speaker 1: of the social media thanks, and also on the podcast 569 00:32:55,320 --> 00:32:58,920 Speaker 1: also on the podcast that thing that you're used to 570 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:01,520 Speaker 1: listen if you're look up the phone and I don't 571 00:33:01,520 --> 00:33:03,880 Speaker 1: know that I don't do a good at mid mid central, 572 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:08,080 Speaker 1: midwestern whatever that old accident is talking about trans Atlantic Yeah, 573 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:10,960 Speaker 1: that's thing. Got London on the phone I'm pretty good 574 00:33:10,960 --> 00:33:13,640 Speaker 1: at it. I don't want to hear any critiques because 575 00:33:13,680 --> 00:33:17,280 Speaker 1: it's perfect and that's the only thing they say over 576 00:33:17,280 --> 00:33:20,760 Speaker 1: and over London, just London in general, because I like it. 577 00:33:21,240 --> 00:33:23,120 Speaker 1: Like that. We're not here to criticize. You're going to 578 00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:25,560 Speaker 1: validate to it all to thank you, just to call London. 579 00:33:25,720 --> 00:33:27,560 Speaker 1: I want to call London. I've been waiting my whole 580 00:33:27,600 --> 00:33:31,480 Speaker 1: life in London to debut that impression. So thanks everyone. 581 00:33:34,440 --> 00:33:36,920 Speaker 1: Think I'm pretty sure that that works. You can also 582 00:33:37,480 --> 00:33:41,200 Speaker 1: email us at Stuff Media, mom Stuff at iHeart media 583 00:33:41,240 --> 00:33:43,600 Speaker 1: dot com. You can find us on Twitter at mom 584 00:33:43,680 --> 00:33:46,479 Speaker 1: Stuff Podcast or on Instagram at Stuff I've Never Told You. 585 00:33:46,680 --> 00:33:50,520 Speaker 1: Thanks as always to our super producer Andrew Howard Andrew, 586 00:33:50,680 --> 00:33:53,040 Speaker 1: and thanks to you for listening. Stuffone Never Told You 587 00:33:53,120 --> 00:33:54,880 Speaker 1: is a protection of I Heart Radios how Stuff Works. 588 00:33:54,920 --> 00:33:56,800 Speaker 1: For more podcast from my Heart Radio, visit the iHeart 589 00:33:56,840 --> 00:33:58,880 Speaker 1: Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you listen to your 590 00:33:58,920 --> 00:34:04,280 Speaker 1: favorite shows. The Blue