Academy of Architecture for Justice

Toni Preckwinkle, president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, will share how the nation’s second-most-populous county, which includes Chicago, is reshaping its justice system to address the root causes of community crime and stress. Key to this effort is the Cook County Equity Fund, a $120-million initiative spearheaded by Preckwinkle, that will provide residents with increased support for mental health services, job training and access to homeownership and wealth building. Audience members will also learn about the county’s alternative sentencing and detention and deflection strategies, with the goal of reducing jail populations while maintaining public safety. Kimberly Dowdell, a Chicago architect and immediate past-president of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), will moderate the discussion and help architects more firmly grasp the importance of engaging in design for a more equitable justice system.