Tan background with black text that reads in all capitals, "We Stand In Solidarity For Dignity, Protection, And Respect For Black Lives"
Black Lives Matter. The moment of reckoning, early 2020: George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery are part of a tragic and ongoing list of deaths, often occurring at the hands of law enforcement, due to racist hatred and stereotypes that perpetuate harm, harassment, and the killing of Black Americans, of which there appears to be no end. We recognize that there is an infrastructure of disenfranchisement in our country’s social systems, that sanctions hate in our communities and stifles the opportunities afforded to Black people.

There are fundamental questions that we as part of the design community must address: how has the design of the built environment contributed to the perpetuation of these injustices and how can we contribute to ending these ingrained social and economic harms? Our team is committed to actively serving as an ally to the Black community, toward racial, social and economic justice. We know that moving forward entails contributing to the development of public policies that center Black and other voices who have experienced systemic marginalization. To advance, we seek knowledge and understanding. We will cross barriers—between each other and across communities—to achieve a common goal of justice and the pursuit of happiness and equity for all.

Since the galvanizing moment of protest in 2020, OLIN continues to examine our capacity to do more. There is still much for us to do but here are ongoing actions:

  • OLIN invests in and engages with annual commitment of at least $10,000 to Black-led organizations that foster social and economic justice for Black and other oppressed communities.
  • OLIN’s engagement with organizations with Black autonomy and leadership in Landscape Architecture informs our hiring and retention of Black identifying practitioners in order to influence our culture and serve diverse communities.
  • OLIN seeks to build our professional community of trusted collaborators with the intention of diversity and inclusivity, so that together we may better reflect and serve the populations impacted by our designed landscapes.
  • OLIN invests in our employees to build a more inclusive and aware organization that is prepared to confront and redress these deeply disturbing ingrained patterns.

The long-standing societal failures that sparked the moment in 2020 continue to be compounded in particular with the intensification of climate change, because through generations of racist practices we have forced so many marginalized communities into harm’s way. These social, environmental, and economic inequalities in our landscape will intensify if we do nothing. We must act quickly, with compassion and fortitude, to support those communities suffering as a result of discriminatory policies. OLIN is committed to design that brings value to all, not just the privileged, and which strengthens economically challenged communities. We have taken the first steps to grow our commitments to help heal the traumas perpetuated by racism, but we understand the journey has just started.