The Fabric of our Society

December 2022

Building Community

Kelly Roberts
Studio Director, WALD Studio
President, Women in Lighting + Design

I’ve always felt lucky to be part of an industry that feels like a family. Coming from a small firm, the networking opportunities offered by the IES and other organizations provided a chance for connecting with peers, making friends, and learning from people across the industry. Learning not just about lighting, but about them, the people, and what makes them unique. How their past successes and tribulations, current experiences, and future goals shape their movements and interactions in the lighting community. Over the past few years, our industry has committed to celebrating the uniqueness and diversity within it. We have also begun to understand that our community must embrace various perspectives and care for our peers within, just as the industry considers its impact on the world outside.

As the recent social justice movement grows across the US, the lighting industry is called to review its current and historical practices and the role they play in society at large. The incredible Light + Justice Symposium on November 4th, hosted by the IES and LightJustice.org, reminded us about practices of lighting used as a tool for oppression in low-income and minority neighborhoods. We can all help end these practices, and we need to learn from and expand upon the work commenced by our peers. All people deserve good lighting. That is a core tenet that I believe the lighting community can agree on. 

Begin from within
The social justice movement has also helped bring attention to necessary changes within the lighting industry. We’ve seen tremendous growth in minority and cultural networking communities, such as Women in Lighting + Design (WILD), the North American Coalition for Lighting Industry Queers (NACLIQ), and Black Under-representation in Lighting + Design (BUILDup). These groups emerge because the communities they represent believe that uniting in a common goal can elevate their profiles and raise awareness of existing inequities. However, while these groups have received considerable support, not enough is being done by the lighting industry at large to address immediate needs. 

“Can we get back to lighting now?” I’ve heard this muttered at numerous events—an indication of weariness of social justice conversations. But the effort to change our industry and society at large will never be silenced or forgotten. An individual’s impact and their ability to actively participate in the lighting industry is directly affected by their overall security. The lighting industry does not exist in isolation. Active oppression of our colleagues, either legally or structurally, does not create an atmosphere where professionals can thrive. It may be convenient to consider only efforts directly related to “lighting” as our purview. But unless we also consider the impact of society at large on the people in our industry, our efforts to build diversity and inclusion will fail.

We need a commitment: to embrace and promote change, to support efforts to improve our industry, and to become better allies for our peers. This goes beyond organizations and corporate donations. Individuals across the industry must commit here and now. Take a moment to truly see your colleagues as whole persons, understanding that an individual gives their best performance when they are seen and heard, and their needs are actively met. Then, take action yourself.

EXAMINE your biases, and understand your privilege;
LISTEN to your colleagues—don’t assume you know what they need;
AMPLIFY calls to action, and take those actions within your capabilities;
SPEAK UP for the voiceless or those who cannot be heard;
DONATE money or, even better, time.

As we close out 2022, I am grateful for the progress so far: the creation of many DEIR groups putting current practices under the microscope; new mentoring efforts to increase diversity into our industry (see Equity in Lighting, lectures at Howard University, and the LA Lighting Speakers Bureau as some examples), and the growth of groups like WILD.

Let’s not lose momentum or just “get back to lighting.” Valuing the ways that people are unique brings more diversity and richness to our lighting community. And by giving individuals the support they need, we can keep all that talent and innovation. We are not just an industry, market sector, or division; we are people. And together—as a family—we will make the most positive impact.