Throughout the month of June, KPF staff came together to celebrate, learn, and give—recognizing how the queer community challenges norms, enriches our cities, and builds urban spaces where diversity is not just accepted, but celebrated.
Over the course of the month, KPF ran a pin fundraiser benefiting Trans Formative Schools, a nonprofit dedicated to creating safe, affirming, and equitable learning environments for transgender and gender-expansive youth. Staff purchased custom-designed pins, with all proceeds supporting Trans Formative Schools’ mission to empower students and educators through advocacy, training, and community-building. This ongoing initiative offered a tangible way for KPFers to support inclusive education and foster positive change for young people across the country. KPF also sponsored the AIA NY LGBTQIA+ Pride Event, supporting the broader design community’s commitment to equity and inclusion.
KPF Film, the firm’s internal movie club, hosted a screening of the iconic 1980s queer film My Beautiful Laundrette. The event was followed by a discussion on queer representation in cinema and the intersectionality of immigrant and POC identities. The conversation underscored the importance of visibility and storytelling in advancing empathy and understanding.
In partnership with the KPF Board Game Club, staff gathered for a queer-themed board game night. The event featured games that center LGBTQIA+ narratives and creators, sparking conversation about representation in both physical and digital games. The evening highlighted how play and design can serve as powerful tools for inclusion and connection.
In London, KPF hosted a presentation by Dr. Ben Campkin (UCL), who led a conversation on Urban Change as it relates to equality, diversity, and inclusion. The event was followed by an office social that highlighted LGBTQIA+ companies, including LuvJus and Queer Brewing, and a walking tour of the West End that traced the urban and spatial history of queer identity through the ages. The tour illuminated how queer communities have shaped—and been shaped by—the city, reinforcing the importance of visibility, safety, and belonging in public space.
The month-long series of events, organized by KPF Pride, culminated in “Queer(ing) the Map: Safe Spaces in 2025”—the sixth installment of KPF Pride’s IncluCity lecture series, held in the New York office. This year’s panel brought together the remarkable voices of Nathan Greene (Director of Marketing at EDG Architecture + Engineering and Chair of Fundraising for Build Out Alliance—for which KPF is a recurring corporate sponsor—who played a pivotal role in shaping the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center), Marc Zinaman (New York City-based writer and historian, author of Queer Happened Here: 100 Years of NYC’s Landmark LGBTQ+ Places), and Erica Rose and Elina Street (Emmy and GLAAD Award-winning filmmakers whose acclaimed docuseries The Lesbian Bar Project has brought national attention to the importance and preservation of the few existing lesbian bars as vital community spaces). The discussion explored the dual meaning of “queer”—as both an adjective describing subversive, resilient modes of being, and as a verb denoting the act of placemaking by LGBTQIA+ communities. Panelists examined how queer spaces are often hidden or impermanent for safety, and how efforts to “de-queer” spaces can endanger communities. The panel challenged architects and planners to ask: What makes a space queer? How can the built environment protect or endanger queer people? What is at stake in preserving queer places?
From creative activities and happy hours to expert presentations, charity drives, and inspiring discussions, KPF’s global offices were filled with connection and purpose. Thank you to the remarkable speakers, collaborators, and everyone who joined us in championing a more inclusive and vibrant urban future—one where all identities are seen, valued, and celebrated.
