Earlier this year, Studio Luz Architects was selected to participate in the City of Boston Department of Supplier Diversity’s Supplying Capital and Leveraging Education (SCALE) Program, which aims to bolster more businesses’ ability to compete for contract opportunities with the City of Boston. We are among 27 certified, minority‑ and women‑owned small businesses chosen for this exciting opportunity.
The program pairs industry‑specific technical assistance and grant funding to help selected businesses build capacity and compete for city‑level contracts. For Studio Luz, this means deepening our role in shaping inclusive built environments in Boston neighborhoods, strengthening our business operations with targeted support that allows us to scale thoughtfully without sacrificing our mission, and expanding access to public‑sector opportunities so that our design work can benefit more residents, more communities, and more voices.
In August, SLA Principal + Co-Founder Hansy Better Barraza joined Mayor Michelle Wu, Chief Segun Idowu, City Councilor President Ruthzee Louijeune, Senator Liz Miranda and the Supplier Diversity Office staff at Nicoya Construction in Roxbury to share more about the positive community impact of supporting local, minority-owned businesses. Watch Hansy’s remarks below.
In the past couple months, we engaged in the SCALE curriculum through workshops, consulting, and other capacity-building opportunities tailored to the design and architectural sector. We are excited for what this means for our team, our work, and our community collaborations. We will also be actively seeking opportunities where we can put this momentum into service, like public contracts, neighborhood-driven design work, and collaborative projects that speak to our mission — that everyone should have access to good design.
Our participation signals that Boston’s procurement systems are evolving, and we are proud to bring our voice and expertise to the table. With SCALE’s resources, we are better positioned to take on larger, public‑facing projects that resonate with our values around affordability, sustainability, and community engagement. The grant and technical assistance represent strategic investments in our systems, team, and capacity, and by extension, in the neighborhoods we serve. When a firm like ours gains more access, neighborhoods gain stronger design partnerships, more inclusive processes, and architecture that reflects their community needs.
We are so proud to be able to participate in the SCALE Program alongside so many other worthy local businesses, and we are looking forward to seeing each and every one of these businesses thrive. Thank you to the Mayor’s Office for their continued support!