MRA Principal quoted in Richmond Free Press article featuring 2023 Whitney M. Young Jr. Award recipient Robert L. Easter, FAIA

"AIA Virginia Board Chairman Robert L. Easter will have an unexpected honor to reflect on when he ends his term this week.

The American Institute of Architects presented Mr. Easter its 2023 Whitney M. Young Jr. Award earlier this month. The award recognizes architects and organizations, in part, for their “social responsibility,” according to AIA.

Past recipients include the National Organization of Minority Architects in 2007 and Habitat for Humanity in 1988. Mr. Easter founded the Richmond firm Kelso & Easter Architects (now KEi Architects) in 1983.

“It’s nice to have people appreciate your contributions. But I don’t do it for the recognition,” Mr. Easter said. “I do it to make a difference.”

It’s the way he was raised in Hampton, where he now chairs the architecture department at Hampton University.

“My parents taught their children to believe in giving back, to recognize the responsibility that comes with having the privileges and benefits that we enjoyed growing up,” Mr. Easter explained.

Mitchell Ramseur, a North Carolina architect who served on the panel evaluating Mr. Easter’s nomination, praised his “relentless pursuit and desire to give back to the youth and champion inclusiveness and universal access to architecture as a whole.” Another award juror, Ricardo Maga Rojas of Texas, said Mr. Easter’s work in academia “has been critical to increasing the pipeline for young black architects.”

Marcus Thomas is one success story. A former student of Mr. Easter’s at Hampton, he interned KEi Architects a decade ago, is now the firm’s managing principal, and is being groomed by Mr. Easter to succeed to succeed him someday, he said.

“My hope is that this shines some light on the program he has built at Hampton,” Mr. Thomas said, “and we continue to attract and retain the talent that the program deserves and continue to turn out top-tier talent that competes with the rest.”..." Read the Full Article here https://richmondfreepress.com/news/2022/dec/15/richmond-architect-wins-national-award-diversifyin/ 

AIA's Showcase Article on Robert L. Easter, FAIA:https://www.aia.org/showcases/6572288-robert-l-easter-faia- 

Photo courtesy of AIA/Richmondfreepress.com