ANJELYQUE EASLEY

Portrait courtesy of Anjelyque Easley.

Dr. Charles Fountain Landscape Architecture Intern at Design Workshop

Graduate Research Assistant at the University of Texas at Arlington’s College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs (CAPPA)

Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (‘20), Minor in Jewish Studies with a certificate and focus on Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Pennsylvania State University

Master of Landscape Architecture (expected Fall 2021) at The University of Texas at Arlington

Anjelyque Easley discovered landscape architecture while in middle school, once discovering her passion, she attended the Charter High School for Architecture and Design in Philadelphia to further her devotion to art and design. Anjelyque earned her Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree in 2020 from The Pennsylvania State University, she is currently pursuing her Master of Landscape Architecture degree at The University of Texas at Arlington. She directs her research to enlarge the discourse of landscape history and to encompass the broad range of Black culture specifically focusing on black burial site preservation.

Continuing My Ancestors’ Story as a Black Emerging Professional in Landscape Architecture

What is your favorite dish?

Coconut chicken curry with naan bread.

What is your favorite song by a Black artist?

Golden by Jill Scott and Vidunderlig by Thomas Buttenschøn (I can’t decide which one I love more).

Three additional fun facts about Anjelyque:

1. Through my research and study abroad programs I have traveled to 13 countries and 6 states where I visited and learned about over 30 cemeteries and burial sites.

2. I have always wanted to be a cake decorator outside of Landscape Architecture, but I am not the best baker…I am working on improving that skill.

3. For the past 6 years I have not taken off my high school class ring, it reminds me of where I’ve been and motivates me to keep going every time I look down at it.

My class ring reads – [C: Architecture Design HS with ruby stone L: CHAD with lion mascot R: 2015 with National Honor Society symbol.] Image courtesy of Anjelyque Easley.

What inspired you to pursue landscape architecture? As an aspiring landscape architect, how do you hope to make community spaces accessible for all?

I became interested in landscape architecture because of my older brother. In middle school, my brother was severely injured while serving in the Marines. He was in a coma and airlifted close to our home after a few weeks he awoke and had to go through physical therapy in order to learn how to walk again. While in the hospital I went to one of his physical therapy sessions and that is where I first saw a healing/physical therapy garden. After seeing his spirits lifted and watching him interact with the tasks to test his range of motion it made me so happy. It was from that moment on that I wanted to study landscape architecture. Though I may not be focusing on healing gardens and hospitals, I am focusing on healing the racial trauma of the landscape and bringing closure to those impacted by development.

Anjelyque at the Charter High School for Architecture and Design (CHAD) working on a design project in her advance architecture class. (Spring 2015). Image courtesy of Anjelyque Easley.

The lack of representation in landscape architecture is why I worked so hard in high school and college. I knew that in the field there were not a lot of people who looked like me, so I aimed to teach, make a name for myself, and continue my education and learning. I am a product of attending several design-based summer camps in middle and high school. I feel that without my mentors from ACE and NOMA, I would not be where I am today, I gained mentors and people who believe and support me in my academic and professional endeavors. This was a crucial time where I found my interest in design which later helped me find my passion.

Since that time was so important for me, I decided to spend my time outside of school making sure that students have the same opportunities as I did to find their passions too. I always knew that I wanted to mentor and teach students who show an interest in design. For the past six years, I expanded my experience by working at four different design-based summer camps, it has been wonderful not only to teach but help students produce skills that they can use in everyday life and learn from them. With the help of seeing the impact I made on my students in their endeavors I am continuing my education and pursuing my licensure. To be a role model and to inspire a young person of color to achieve their dreams of being a designer is what inspires me to keep going even when I am tired from long nights in the studio. I know that my hard work will make it a bit easier for the person that comes after me just as the previous generations have done for me.

Last day of her internship at the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum where she studied Barry Farm, a Freedmen Community in Washington D.C. (Summer 2018). Image courtesy of Anjelyque Easley.

Name a Black architect/artist who most influenced you as an emerging professional? Name a favorite project completed by a Black Designer. Why is it your favorite?

Weeksville Heritage Center designed by Elizabeth Kennedy Landscape Architect, PLLC. The center is a multidisciplinary museum dedicated to preserving the history of the 19th century African American community of Weeksville, Brooklyn – one of America’s many free black communities. The site serves as a gateway to the historic houses on the premises where a free African American community resided. Her work on this project was a true inspiration as she was uncovering the site and stories from a formerly erased Black landscape. Through her research and her knowledge of the area, she helped develop a site that has brought so many together and lead to so many conversations of change and acknowledgment of the intentional erasure of Black landscapes. With the work of people like Elizabeth, there is a push for the documentation and preservation of these sites. I aim to recover and document the historically significant Black landscape and burial grounds and the way she approached the site is how I hope to with my projects. She has been a true inspiration for my work and I even got a chance to ask her questions about her process and design as I was the moderator for the Burial Sites and American Infrastructure panel of the Black Landscape Architecture Network’s First Symposium.

On the construction site of the Penn State Recital Hall during the Penn State Architecture and Landscape Architecture Summer Camp. (Summer 2018). Image courtesy of Anjelyque Easley.

How does your culture affect your studies and the way you design?

The lack of knowledge and documentation of Black landscapes is why I chose to continue my education and research. The cultural representation of Black people in both American history and landscape architecture is inadequate. For me, design and research go hand in hand; to truly implement a design on a site one must find out all the necessary information to approach it, from engaging the community, looking at old newspapers and historic documents, and historic maps to understand the significance and story. As a Black emerging professional, it is an honor and obligation to continue telling the stories of my ancestors along with keeping their memory alive. My favorite quote that echos this feeling I have is from Banksy where they said, "You die twice. One time when you stop breathing and a second time, a bit later on, when somebody says your name for the last time".

Presenting her research at the 2019 Landscape Architecture Foundation’s Olmsted Scholar’s Luncheon (Fall 2019). Image courtesy of Anjelyque Easley.

Are there any organizations that helped you grow in architecture? How did they help you grow?

I benefited by attending the Charter High School for Architecture and Design (CHAD) and Architecture Construction and Engineering Mentor Program (ACE), they both helped me solidify my interest in landscape architecture. I started participating in ACE in my sophomore year of high school. The first landscape architecture firm that I went to was Pennoni, I cannot remember who gave the lecture about landscape architecture, but I remember what was said filled me up with excitement. The man who spoke talked about tree planter systems and circulation and I became more intrigued! I kept asking him questions and wrote down all the answers, when I got home, I was so excited to tell my parents all about it and researched some more about it that night. Throughout my three years with ACE, I got a chance to understand and collaborate on projects across Philadelphia taking part in charrettes and site visits which helped solidify my decision of both landscape architecture and attending Penn State.

Anjelyque teaching structures with marshmallows and spaghetti at the Philadelphia Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects Camp Sustain.Ability. (Summer 2019). Image courtesy of Anjelyque Easley.

After graduating high school, I became a volunteer for the Philadelphia Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects Summer Camp Sustain. Ability mentoring minority students who were interested in architecture and design. It was such a rewarding experience that I went on to being president of the Penn State Student NOMA Chapter in 2018 and helped with the recruitment of minority students throughout my five years at Penn State.

Anjelyque holding her 2019 Undergraduate National Olmsted Scholar Award from the Landscape Architecture Foundation (Fall 2019). Image courtesy of Anjelyque Easley.

If you were able to talk to your younger self, what would you say? 

 I would say that it is okay to take breaks, your family and friends will understand, it is okay to cry and be mad at the world, you deserve a moment to yourself every now and again for your sanity. Take time to learn more about yourself and love every inch of it because you’ll look back and think about the 5 by 5 rule: “If it's not gonna matter in 5 years, don't spend more than 5 minutes being upset about it.”

Anjelyque on the road to the Giants Causeway in Ireland while researching the importance of UNESCO/ICOMOS sites. (Fall 2018). Image courtesy of Anjelyque Easley.

What would you want to say to the next generation of aspiring Black women architects?

You are more than capable of doing amazing things, do not let someone break you down because you are proud of your accomplishments and hard work. Ask for help, you are only hurting yourself by suffering in silence. Reach out and network, because there are so many people who care about you and want you to succeed. Most of all, YOU ARE ENOUGH!

Anjelyque receiving the Student Member of the Year 2018 Award at the Chicago National Organization of Minority Architects Annual Conference. [L- Tya Winn, R- Monique McCray from the Philadelphia NOMA Chapter] (Fall 2018). Image courtesy of Anjelyque Easley.

In terms of rising concerns and problems (in the architectural profession) over the past year, what is one change that you wish saw would happen and it did not? This can be in an educational and/or work atmosphere.

Our voices should be heard and not dismissed; I have seen on many occasions people looked over for their dialect and Ebonics/African American Vernacular English. Just because some of us talk/pronounce words differently does not mean we are not as capable and educated as our non BIPOC peers.

Penn State team for the Greater Philadelphia’s ACE Mentor’s 2nd annual Giant Jenga Competition in Philadelphia. (Spring 2018) (L to R: Anjelyque Easley, Hannah Gomez, Ricky Watts, and Curt Marshall – PSU College of Arts and Architecture Coordinator of Multicultural Programs). Image courtesy of Anjelyque Easley.