Seeking, inspiring, and mentoring the next generation of black women designers through art excellence.
The mission of 400 FORWARD is to uplift girls by giving them the tools they need to address social issues created by the unjust built environments of our inner-city communities.
400 FORWARD was named in light of the 400th living African American woman becoming a licensed architect in 2017—out of the more than 115,000 total licensed in the U.S. This initiative aims to seek out and support the next 400 licensed women architects with an underlying focus on African American girls through exposure, mentorship, and financial assistance.
Mentorship + Outreach
We provide free art and architectural summer camps and workshops that feature local city-builders, makers, artists, musicians, and dancers, creating presentations and art installations. We provide participation in summer festivals and design summits hosted in Detroit showcasing the work of the youth. We connect girls to mentors in cities across the country.
Community Engagement
Our mentees have partnered with companies like Ford Motor Company and the Detroit Land Bank on local architectural and urban design projects, connecting communities to companies and organizations doing work in their neighborhood. In the words of city-builder Jay Pitter, Urban Development should not be something happening to you. We have the power and knowledge to be directly involved.
Scholarships + Financial Support
The cost of architectural licensing exams alone are more than $1,400. Financing educational needs can be a major roadblock to a student reaching their full potential. 400 FORWARD has direct access to connecting students to assistance, scholarships and wrap-around services, and providing study material and licensing exams for African American women in architecture.
“Too often I find myself on project teams and construction sites where no one looks like me. Yet this is in a city where everyone looks like me. The people who are actually the users of these spaces are not the ones at the table. And they need to be.”
— Tiffany D. Brown, CEO + Founder of 400 FORWARD