Stephanie Morales, Associate AIA
Outgoing AIAO Board Treasurer
Thank you
My term as your AIA Oregon Treasurer is coming to a close and all I want to say is thank you. Thank you to all our members across the state who help move the profession and our State Chapter forward. Thank you to my fellow Board Members who dedicate their precious extra time in order to continue to strive for a better tomorrow. And thank you to the optimistic student members who will soon join the profession and push us towards even greater change. I feel so honored to have served our Oregon members and hope one day you too will find yourself in my or my colleagues’ position as a part of the AIA Oregon Board of Directors. It takes each of us to be the change we want to see.
During my term, I have seen the Board progress our mission forward in so many ways. I especially want to highlight progress made towards values in justice, equity, inclusion and diversity. Recently announced is the extension of AIA Oregon memberships to members of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA). Our EVP Heather Wilson stated in her October Message From that “… if you are a member of NOMA nationally or locally, you are considered eligible for AIA Oregon leadership, and we extend the full rights and privileges of membership in AIA Oregon to all NOMA members. That includes member pricing on events, opportunities to lead, and participation in awards programs.” Not only does this re-emphasize NOMA as a sister organization to AIA, but this inclusion also provides more pathways for cross-collaboration, leadership opportunities, and welcomes more diversity into our state-wide dialogue. I am truly hopeful for what is to come.
Although I will be stepping away from the Board, you can still find me an active member of the AIAO Committee on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (CoEDI). The work by this committee is crucial to understanding systems of oppression that our profession has played a part in and the importance of working together to dismantle them to create an inclusive future. It is the mission of the AIA Oregon Committee on Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (CoEDI) to better reflect the global & demographic richness of our population through advocacy for under-represented groups in our profession. I hope I’ll see you there.
If you are interested in joining the CoEDI, contact info@aiaoregon.org.