Forced Labor in Supply Chains: Its Prevalence & the Design for Freedom Movement

Please join guest speaker Brigid Abraham, a Design for Freedom Project Manager at Grace Farms, for the first event in a three-part series on “Forced Labor in Our Supply Chain.” Abraham will introduce the Design for Freedom movement, which raises awareness about the pervasiveness of forced and child labor in the building material supply chain. We’ll explore the risks of this humanitarian crisis and highlight ways in which architects and building professionals can take action towards transparency. Learn about the tools and resources available to eliminate forced labor in building materials supply chains, create true market transformation, and build a more equitable future.

This three-part series in collaboration with Grace Farms and its Design for Freedom initiative aims to shed light on the social inequalities caused by forced labor in our building material supply chain. We will examine our role and responsibility as planners and designers in choosing ethically sourced materials for our built environment. Throughout the series, we’ll focus on actionable first steps to make a difference in our own work.

Speakers:
Brigid Abraham, Project Manager, Design for Freedom

About the Speakers:
Brigid Abraham is the Design for Freedom Project Manager at Grace Farms. To this role, she brings a duality of experience in both architecture and information science. Abraham uniquely combines her education and passion for architectural research to further the movement of Design for Freedom, eliminating forced labor in building materials supply chains. Before joining Grace Farms, Abraham was the Director of Research at Pickard Chilton, a global design architect in New Haven, Connecticut. Abraham fostered a community of learning in the studio through research, education, and thought leadership. Prior to Pickard Chilton, Abraham worked in the Barbara Goldsmith Preservation Division of the New York Public Library and in interior design for Eve Robinson Associates in Manhattan. She is a licensed architect in the state of New York and certified as a LEED Green Associate, WELL Accredited Professional and Fitwel Ambassador. Abraham is a graduate of Barnard College with a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture and a Master of Library and Information Science from Rutgers University. She serves as the Communications Chair for the Board of Directors of NOMA Connecticut.

This event is offered in person and virtually. If you register for a virtual ticket, you will receive an email with a Zoom link to access the program.