About Advocacy
Advocacy is at the heart of IIDA’s mission to elevate and protect the interior design profession. From championing legislation and licensure to increasing public awareness and understanding of our impact, we work to ensure that interior designers are recognized as essential contributors to the built environment.
Here in Hawaiʻi, our chapter is committed to making advocacy approachable and actionable. Through educational programming, local partnerships, and community-building events, we empower our members to raise their voices and shape the future of design.
Why Advocacy Matters
Interior designers play a crucial role in creating safe, inclusive, and healthy environments. Yet in many parts of the country, including Hawaiʻi, legal recognition of our profession is still evolving. Advocating for practice rights, title protection, and the ability to seal and submit plans is key to advancing our profession and increasing the value of what we do.
At IIDA, advocacy is about:
- Advancing legislation that supports the profession
- Ensuring public health, safety, and welfare through thoughtful design
- Educating policymakers and the public about the value of interior design
- Supporting professional development, leadership, and accreditation
Our Local Impact
In 2023, we launched our POV (Point of View) series as one way to bring advocacy to life here in Hawaiʻi. This rotating conversation series brings together professionals from across the built environment—lighting experts, contractors, engineers, estimators, and designers—to share honest perspectives about collaboration, communication, and what it really takes to bring a project to life.
By exploring the “behind-the-scenes” realities of our industry, POV helps attendees understand the roles and responsibilities of their peers, improve coordination, and become better advocates within their own workplaces.
POV is more than a networking event—it’s a platform for change.
Resources & Tools
- IIDA Advocacy Map — Learn about legislation in your state
- Advocacy Action Center — Sign up for alerts and contact your local representatives
- Consortium for Interior Design — A coalition of ASID, CIDQ, and IIDA
Take Action
Interested in becoming an advocate for interior design? Whether you’re a student, emerging professional, or industry veteran, there’s a role for you in shaping the future of our field. Contact us to get involved in upcoming initiatives or learn more about advocacy opportunities in Hawaiʻi.
Follow our journey on Instagram for real-time updates on our events, advocacy work, and more.