May 10, 2022

letter by Alexandra Gadawski

Hello Everyone,

After the last newsletter I sent a few months ago I got some really wonderful book recommendations and added quite a few to the pile beside my desk. The recommendations were all spot on! It is so fantastic to be part of this group of likeminded people. I am excited to share a few things that I have been listening to, reading and watching, and I would love to hear what has been interesting you lately.

Something to Listen to:

The Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation has created a podcast series New Angle: Voice . Episodes focus on the careers on pioneering female American architects. Featured architects include Julia Morgan, Natalie de Blois, Helen Fond, Norma Sklarek and Florence Knoll. I was particularly interested in the story of Natalie de Blois, who I was unfamiliar with. As well as creating buildings that changed the Manhattan skylight, it is thought that she was the first person at SOM to have maternity leave. The 99% Invisible podcast provides some additional context to her work.

Something to Watch:

I recently watched Mission Blue, a documentary about the impact humans are having on marine environments. It highlights the work of Sylvia Earle a pioneering marine biologist, explorer and advocate for oceans. Earle received her Ph. D. in 1966, and has spent her careers breaking barriers in her field.

Something to read:

This is not a light read, but I have been working through Healthy Buildings How Indoor Spaces Drive Performance and Productivity by Joseph Allen and John Macomber. While I think most of the information in the book has been shared in other places, there is something impactful about seeing it all aggregated into one place.

I also want to share an upcoming virtual event, The Complex journey into Parenthood, that will be moderated by our own Brittany Lynch. Brittany has been organizing the PRG+, a WILD program that is focused on bringing parenting resources to parents, as well as their colleagues and employers.

Thanks to internet research, there is limitless access to information when it comes to starting a family. The trouble is digging and sorting to find what’s relevant. PRG+ will present a curated checklist for the early stages of planning a family, pregnancy, and return to work. We will gather a spectrum of thoughts, data, and resources for professionals in the industry while navigating the workplace to better equip and advocate for families.

This event is for anyone who wants to include or already has a child in their family structure. Moms, dads, aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters, brothers, this is about equipping each other so we can navigate together! After the event, we will incorporate feedback and publish the resource so we can make it available to all.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wild-virtual-event-the-complex-journey-into-parenthood-tickets-312824054167

Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter,

Alexandra