In 2022, while in third grade, nine girls participated in the architecture residency at Laurel Dell Elementary School in San Rafael. Working with mentors from UC Berkeley’s Y-PLAN and Youth in Arts, their class learned about design, scale, and structure while taking on challenges posed to them by community leaders. Over three years the children generated proposals for affordable housing; created models and a game featuring pathways, gateways, and bridges to college; and strategized about how to respond to the impacts of climate change and sea level rise. They contributed their hopes and creativity as they generated visions for a joyful, livable San Rafael.
When the students were in fifth grade, architect Patricia Alarcón visited with their class and shared her journey which was featured in the book Latinas and Allies in Architecture. She learned that, since kindergarten, these nine girls had been in a class cohort with sixteen boys. Alarcon speculated that—within that context—these girls may have had powerful reflections and insights about their experiences learning about architecture. Using the Latinas book as inspiration, the girls wrote their own book, Young Girls in Architecture. Their book mirrored the content and layout of the Latinas book. The girls described how they met many challenges and how they grew as designers and leaders over those years.
They wrote their own book, describing their journeys in architecture from 3rd – 5th grade.
“It is challenging to speak in front of the class because I don’t like to speak in public. On one project, I collaborated with Libny. Everything went well while we were sharing in front of the class. It has been okay working with the boys, but they are really loud and crazy, while the girls are mostly calm. In the future I hope to learn more about music, sports, and art. I also hope to become a better architect.” Arleth Rodas Enriquez, Young Girls in Architecture
In 2025, the whole class was selected to receive an achievement award from the Marin Conservation League. Representing their fellow students, Arleth Rodas Enriquez and Libny Balan Pinzon spoke about their visions for how to adapt to sea level rise at the MCL annual dinner for a crowd of more than great poise and confidence, Arleth and Libny proudly took got up to the podium and addressed the audience with poise and confidence.
Arleth and Libny received an award and spoke at the Marin Conservation League dinner.