"Some 236 years ago, my great-great-grandfather Moses McKissack arrived in this country. He was an enslaved master builder, and his craft planted the seeds of his legacy.

In 1905, nearly halfway through America’s lifespan, my grandfather and his brother became the first Black licensed architects in the Southeast.

Theirs was just one of several major AEC companies that got their start at the turn of the 20th century. Yet although my grandfather’s firm was started with the same passion and same intellect as his peers’ endeavours, he wasn’t afforded the same opportunities because of the color of his skin.

But they persisted, and in 1990, I carried their legacy forward, launching McKissack & McKissack in Washington, DC, with just $1,000 and a folding table.

I’m so proud of how our work has shaped the country. We have offices in five cities, and from schools to hospitals, airports to stadiums to national landmarks, the spaces we create contribute towards building America’s evolving story.

Most importantly to me, we build legacy spaces that welcome all communities to learn, reflect, and imagine the future together. Places where my great-great-grandfather would never have felt welcomed are now built to reflect the global majority.

This is my hope, and my purpose as we look towards the next 250 years of building the America of the future – the longest lasting legacies are only built when they reflect the richness of our perspectives and voices."

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