At Schuler Shook, we believe that our designs contribute to a better world. We hold Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as essential values in our practice.
Growth in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion creates a wide span of thought, breadth of participation, and shared rewards among our team. We want to recognize and engage with people of all identities, abilities, and socioeconomic positions.
Where We Have Been
In 2018, Schuler Shook’s Partners committed to advance our efforts to build a more equitable company. We developed specific internal goals and honed our outreach work. Examples of our work to date include offering mentorships and internships for young professionals; engaging with DEI Committees at professional groups such as AIA, USITT, ASTC, and IALD; participating in organizations such as Women in Lighting and Design and Women in Theatre; contributing our design work to projects with social justice goals; and financially supporting student opportunities through Chicago’s ACE Mentor program. We value the work we have done to date, and we recognize that there is more to do.
Where We Are Now
The killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and many other Black Americans re-ignited an outcry against structural racism in the US. We realized that we must strengthen our actions. Racial Equity will be our focus as we work to grow in all matters of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
We have begun our process. The Partners have worked together with experts to understand structural racism more fully, ask ourselves difficult questions, and frame the work ahead. We now commit ourselves to take immediate action.
Where We Are Going
As we continue to listen and learn, we will take the following action:
We recognize that meaningful change requires work, and we commit to the work ahead. We will provide updates to this page as we advance this effort.