Denver architect works to inspire more women and students of color to join the field

Margarita Gonzalez, an architect and teacher, is working to increase diversity in the male-dominated architecture industry.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 3:50am

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of an architectural drafting compass and ruler, repeated in a tight grid pattern in the style of Andy Warhol. The image utilizes flat, vibrant neon color palettes overlapping with heavy black photographic outlines to turn everyday architecture tools into modern pop art.Architect Margarita Gonzalez's efforts to inspire the next generation of diverse designers and builders could help reshape the male-dominated field.Denver Today

Margarita Gonzalez, an architect originally from Colombia, is teaching architecture and design to students at CEC Early College in Denver. She is working to inspire more women and students of color to pursue careers in the male-dominated field of architecture, where they currently make up only a small percentage of professionals.

Why it matters

The architecture industry in the United States has historically been dominated by white men, with women and people of color making up a small fraction of the workforce. Gonzalez's efforts to mentor and encourage her diverse students could help address this imbalance and bring more underrepresented voices into the field.

The details

Inside CEC Early College, Gonzalez teaches her students the basics of building and architecture. She has worked as an architect around the world for many years and has seen firsthand how few female architects there are, especially women of color. According to the American Institute of Architects, women make up only 1% of architects compared to 43% who are white females. Gonzalez is determined to change this by serving as a role model and giving her students the skills and confidence to pursue careers in architecture.

  • Gonzalez has been working as an architect for many years, with experience in Spain, France, and the Middle East.
  • She currently teaches architecture and design at CEC Early College in Denver.

The players

Margarita Gonzalez

An architect originally from Colombia who is working to inspire more women and students of color to pursue careers in the male-dominated field of architecture.

Axzhatly Perez Rivera

A sophomore student at CEC Early College who is learning architecture and design from Gonzalez.

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What they’re saying

“We exist. We are all over the place, but again, based on the numbers that were recently published in AIA in New York, we are only 1% compared to 43% white female in the profession. So yeah, that's really, really shocking, at least for me.”

— Margarita Gonzalez, Architect and Teacher

“It's slightly intimidating, but it makes me want to push more for it. Like I want to have a challenge. I want to, like, do a field that's predominantly male, and I want to see what like I could do in that field.”

— Axzhatly Perez Rivera, Sophomore Student

What’s next

Gonzalez plans to continue teaching and mentoring her students at CEC Early College, with the goal of inspiring more women and students of color to pursue careers in architecture.

The takeaway

Gonzalez's efforts to increase diversity in the architecture industry by serving as a role model and providing hands-on training to her students could help address the significant underrepresentation of women and people of color in this field.