Heather Wilson
AIA Oregon Executive Vice President/CEO
Cultivating Genuine Exchange
If you did not know already, the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) will be hosting their annual conference October 26-30, 2022, in Nashville, Tennessee. Our very own BRIC Architecture, the largest WBE-Certified architecture firm in Oregon, will be represented in a presentation on “Cultivating an Equitable and Inclusive Office Culture” and you can still register to see it!
NOMA members in Oregon are also often AIA members, and participate eagerly, leading our conversations on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Social Justice in the Built Environment, and providing representation on our Board and in our Committees so that our conversations about how to build better places to live work and play is a truly diverse conversation, inviting and inclusive.
The way AIA Oregon members can best display our connection, I believe, would be to participate fully in the exchange. Many questions you have as a firm principal, new architect, student or business owner will be answered at this conference. The presentations will come from a fresh perspective, and you will likely gain educational insights that come from cultural exchange with a genuine desire to learn.
Your 2024 AIA President, Kimberly Dowdell, AIA, is a NOMA member, and made many aspects of her platform about the connection she hopes to foster between the organizations through her Presidency. We have the same desire here at AIA Oregon, and the Board of Directors approved the action to recognize all NOMA members as AIA Oregon members – that means every member of NOMA will also be extended the benefits of membership in AIA (member pricing for events, eligibility for leadership positions on the Board of Directors, awards eligibility).
We hope this action continues to foster close ties between NOMA national, NOMA PDX, and AIA Oregon. I personally hope you take the opportunity to sign up for the virtual conference and tune in.