This lecture is a discussion on the upcoming Houston Reimagined: Dismantling Inequity Through the Power of Design charette—a design exploration centered on the ongoing Unequal Inequities exhibit at the Architecture Center Houston. Unequal Inequities aims to display how policy decisions in the Houston area have systematically designed disenfranchisement into communities. The exhibit’s narrative will serve as a vehicle for public education, discussion, and engagement, with the goal of beginning a conversation on how to address and begin to resolve deficiencies and injustices found in the built environment.
Gregory Benjamin is an adjunct faculty of architecture at the University of Houston and a practicing licensed architect in Texas, where he serves as a project architect at Page. He has a bachelor of architecture from the University of Texas at Austin and a master of science in architecture from Rice University. In practice, Benjamin is interested in maintaining and creating communities that align urban issues with practical solutions.
Melvalean McLemore, AIA, is a distinguished architect with more than 14 years of experience, specializing in mixed-use, commercial, residential, K-12, and higher education projects. She was one of the first 500 Black women to be licensed as an architect in the United States and the 16th in Texas. McLemore holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture and environmental design from the University of Houston and a master of science in architecture from Rice University.
Lindsey Williams is the director of community development for the Houston Land Bank (HLB), where she leads efforts to drive equitable development and community-focused initiatives. With more than a decade of experience in architecture, construction, and urban planning, Williams has been instrumental in launching programs like the Community Purpose Lot Program and the Brownfields Activation Committee and helping the HLB team secure a $5.5 million Environmental Protection Agency grant for revitalization projects and brownfield testing. She has also spearheaded partnerships for the Finding Home initiative to expand affordable homeownership in Houston’s underserved communities. Lindsey’s work has been recognized with AIA Houston Presidential Citations and other awards, reflecting her passion for equity in the built environment. She currently serves as the associate director for the Texas Society of Architects and is a frequent speaker on urban planning and equity in development. Williams is a proud Prairie View A&M University alumna, wife, and mother.