High-Profile: Women In. Construction 2026 | Page 24

24 Women in Construction March 2026

HP Interviews Shabana Basij-Rasikh continued from page 4

AB: You’ ve shared that your parents taught you something powerful early on. You can lose your possessions in life, but the one thing that can never be taken from you is your education. In the AEC industry, I’ ve seen firsthand how women work hard to build knowledge, credentials, and expertise, sometimes in environments where their authority is still questioned. How has education shaped your ability to lead, and what would you say to women in AEC who are claiming space through what they know?

SB: Last spring, I gave Barnard College’ s commencement address in New York City. I told the graduates about SOLA and our bold idea of equality in education, just the same way I’ ve told your readers here. And I told them this: Bold ideas challenge. Bold ideas frighten. And some bold ideas, like the one that motivated the creation of SOLA and the creation of Barnard – some bold ideas have the power to benefit not just some of us, but all of us.

Educated girls become educated women, and educated women have agency. They can uplift economies, improve the health of families, neutralize the threat of extremism. They can do all these things, and benefit everyone on Earth.

It seems straightforward, and easy to accept, but bold ideas need bold

champions. And in a time when gaps are widening between those who see equality as a pathway to mutual benefit, and those who see equality as a threat to individual gain … in a time when gaps are widening between those who hold traditional opinions of gender roles and the“ proper” place of women in society, and those who see a different arc of possibilities – in these times, in these days, we look for

SOLA students in class in Rwanda

bold champions for our bold ideas.

And that’ s my challenge to you today: Be the ones who are bold enough to bridge the gaps.

My message last spring is my message today, too. Be the bold ones.

AB: Lastly, can you share something personal about yourself? Maybe a favorite hobby, a food you can’ t say“ no” to, or a small joy that helps you recharge.

SB: This may sound simple or common, but one of my greatest joys is taking long walks, quiet walks, ideally in beautiful natural settings. On these walks I have time to think, and reflect, and process ideas.

Going for long walks in quiet surroundings may not sound like much of a hobby to most people, I’ ll acknowledge that. But most people didn’ t grow up living under the Taliban in Afghanistan after years of civil war. Most people don’ t really know what that kind of living is like. But maybe you don’ t need to know, to understand.

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