#38 - Community Engagement with Siboney Diaz-Sanchez

<p class="">Siboney is an architect and <a href= "https://www.enterprisecommunity.org/solutions-and-innovation/design-leadership/rose-architectural-fellowship/fellows/siboney-diaz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Enterprise Rose Fellow</a> in the Boston area.  She works to understand how architecture and design can best serve communities.  From 2015-2017 Siboney served as Zoning Commissioner for District 1 in San Antonio.  Most recently she helped complete a 63,000 square foot new construction facility for ChildSafe, a non-profit children's advocacy center while at Overland Partners. In San Antonio, Siboney dedicated her time to various non-profit arts organizations including the <a href="https://saysi.org/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">SAY Si</a> Board of Directors, VIA Metropolitan Transit Community Council and the City of San Antonio Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee. She was a founding member and co-chair of the <a href= "https://aiasa.org/engage/networks/latinos-in-architecture/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AIA San Antonio Latinos in Architecture Committee</a> that advocated for multi-generational mentorship in design professions.  She is currently working at <a href="https://www.oppcommunities.org/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">Opportunity Communities</a>, a community development corporation.  Her work for the next two years will focus on affordable housing development and community building because they are inherently connected.</p> <p class="">Siboney received her B.Arch from Cornell University.  She insists that creative fields are viable vehicles for social change and is committed to prioritizing community voices in design processes.</p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In this episode, we talk about:</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Siboney’s experience in architecture school, and the problem with the curriculum</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">How Siboney was raised to question what narratives