The staff and board of the Architects Foundation, owner of The Octagon, want to share the AIA Board statement on systemic racial injustice. As the philanthropic partner of AIA, we agree that systemic racial injustice in any form, whether it be police brutality, employment discrimination, or any other efforts to marginalize people of color, is appalling and cannot be allowed to continue. We recognize The Octagon symbolizes wealth generated at the expense of enslaved African Americans. We believe it is important to listen, learn and move forward, together. We acknowledge that as a cultural institution, The Octagon has an important role to play in challenging historic oppression through our collection, interpretative efforts, visiting exhibits, and our unique partnership with the AIA to convey the role architects can play in creating a more just and equal society. We believe architects use the power of design to solve problems, transform lives, and create a better world. As the philanthropic partner of The American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Architects Foundation’s programs harness the irrepressible spirit of architects to support and empower a next-generation design community. The Architects Foundation leads philanthropic efforts that lay the foundation of architecture’s future, by attracting, inspiring and investing in new and diverse generations of architects who will create inclusive spaces and places of tomorrow. Our values • We believe architects use the power of design to positively impact our world, solving problems, transforming lives, and creating a better world. • We believe architects are uniquely qualified to influence the social as well as physical communities they design. As such, we believe the architectural profession needs to respectfully and inclusively reflect the diverse society it serves. • We believe the irrepressible spirit of architects can be harnessed to support and empower a diverse next-generation design community. • We believe in the power of historic preservation to not only teach the legacy of the past to future generations but to ensure that places with meaning remain relevant in our lives today. • We use the historic but still thriving Octagon to bring this belief to life, through exhibits and partnerships that demonstrate the value architects and architecture bring to culture. • As the essential, 501c(3) charitable partner of AIA, we believe the Institute stands stronger by encouraging a culture of philanthropy to help enable and empower members’ efforts to drive positive change through the power of design. The Architects Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) organization, EIN 59-3819154.