Trauma comes in many forms: physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual or sexual abuse, neglect, discrimination, violence, etc. Trauma, much like mental health issues, is all too often invisible to others and exacerbated by past experiences.

The West Virginia Board of Architects requires West Virginia-registered architects to complete 12 hours of continuing education every calendar year.

The Kentucky Board of Architects requires Kentucky-licensed Architects to complete 12 hours of continuing education every calendar year.

June. Juneteenth is in two days, yet, just like you, I have witnessed civil unrest spread globally. Like many, I have been yearning for something other than performance or hashtag activism. I have been wondering how to meaningfully help. I just voted for the first time as a US Citizen in the Georgia primary:

• What else can I do? 
• What's my role in this? 
• As a white male, at a time when statements are pouring in from every organization, should I be quiet and #passthemic to those whose voices have been unheard for far too long? 
• If I shared my thoughts, would it be perceived as shallow virtue signaling? 
• And finally, am I racist?

The Kansas State Board of Technical Professionals requires Kansas-licensed Architects to complete 30 Professional Development Hours (PDHs) in Health, Safety, and Welfare (HSW) subjects every two years. 

May. Since 1949, May is Mental Health Month. While there has been progress, there is still a lot of stigma associated with mental health. It can be invisible to others (or relatively easily hidden in many cases), making it all the more damaging. For decades now, I have been dealing with anxiety and depression. With the help of professionals, I have acquired the tools to manage it. Some times better than others. I am stubborn and used to think I could and would beat it. I have since learned that it just does not work that way. 

COVID-19 has accelerated societal shifts and exacerbated fault lines in global healthcare, education, and economy.

With 45% of people living in the USA feeling distressed and even higher numbers in other parts of the world, the U.N. has warned that a global mental health crisis is in the making.

2020 will undoubtedly be one these years seared in the global collective consciousness. For one thing, it has put the livability of our environments (and of those we live with) to the ultimate test. Generally speaking, livability (or lovability as I wish it were called) is about “the quality of life in any human living environment.”¹

On my last visit to Havana, I went to the Fine Arts Museum to learn more about Cuban Art. In the lobby, I was greeted by an art installation that simply stated: It's now or never (Ahora or Nunca) in colored lights. I stared for a while. I took it as both an indictment for not doing enough (about an absurdly long list of things) and also as a gentle reminder to act and do what I can. What was I waiting for?

On a trip to New York, I visited the 9/11 memorial at One World Trade Center. I thought a lot about the relationship between war, peace, and architecture. After all, 9/11 and mass shootings are the only first-hand experiences I have had with war. In Normandy, France, where I grew up, the scars left by the first two world wars are omnipresent and most notable in the urban landscape. 

The Utah Board of Architecture requires that Utah-licensed architects complete 24 hours of Continuing Education every two years.