In this talk, Mikayla reflects on how social media became a space for identity, community, and visibility within architecture. Drawing on her experience growing up across South Africa, Angola, Portugal, and the UK, she speaks about the loneliness of navigating multiple cultural identities and how creating content online helped her build the sense of belonging she often struggled to find in person. What began as casual posting during Covid gradually became a platform for sharing the realities of architecture school, from late nights and pressure to the emotional and practical challenges of the profession.

From there, Mikayla widens the discussion to representation in architecture more broadly. She highlights how architecture is not only shaped by who designs buildings, but also by who gets to speak about the profession, whose voices are visible, and whose perspectives are taken seriously. Looking at the imbalance in architectural media and leadership, she argues that the lack of female visibility has real consequences, not just for careers, but for the design of everyday spaces themselves. Through examples from toilets and kitchens to public lighting and urban planning, she shows how built environments often reflect narrow assumptions about who they are designed for.

Ultimately, the talk is about using visibility as a form of agency. Mikayla argues that social media can play an important role in opening up architectural discourse, allowing more women and underrepresented voices to take part in shaping the profession. By sharing lived experience as well as design perspectives, she shows how online platforms can help architecture feel more accessible, more inclusive, and more reflective of the people it is meant to serve.

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