COVID Diaries: Architecture is Political with Melissa R. Daniel

Melissa R. Daniel is an architectural designer in Washington
D.C., with a broad range of project experience including
multi-family housing, public housing, retail, embassies, federal
buildings, and mission critical facility projects. Since 2013,
Daniel has ensured that women in architecture have an established
platform to tell their stories. She founded a Women in
Architecture lecture series for the D.C. metro area, developed
fluency with social media and web platforms to boost her
storytelling and empowerment capabilities, and served as
executive co-chair of the 2017 AIA Women’s Leadership Summit.
Melissa is also a recipient of a 2018 AIA Associates Award, the
2018 AIA|PV Emerging Leader Award, and a 2015 BD+C 40 Under 40
Award.


Beyond the profession, Daniel has been a member of the steering
committee for She Should Run Frontrunners, a nonprofit that
encourages women to run for public office. She has provided
direction for the development of the organization’s mission and
engagement strategies, and actively recruits new members and
potential leaders. Melissa is also the creator and host of
Architecture is Political, a podcast where Black and Brown folks
have a conversation about architecture.


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Check out the latest Architecture is Political episode where
Melissa discusses the recent global protests, reflects on the
written responses from architecture firms and allied
organizations and how to cope in a work environment when you are
the only black/brown person.