Mohamed Fakhry, Associate AIA
Chair, Committee on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Co-Chair, Emerging Professionals Committee
NOMA Conference Recap
A few weeks ago, I attended the Annual NOMA Conference in Portland - Towards Just and Joyful Futures (October 11-15), along close to 1,200 others NOMA members and non-members from all across the country and the world!
I am grateful to my firm ZGF for offering me the opportunity to join the conference and join all the beautiful souls that came to Portland, to celebrate BIPOC and POC contribution to architecture through the lenses of advancing and advocating for more Diversity, Equity, and inclusion in the profession of Architecture.
Some of my most inspiring moments at the conference happened when I meet a few of the NOMA founders and pioneers, and I listened, as they shared countless memories of their journey, advices, and words of encouragements. Indeed, pushing and advocating for more sustainable and equitable bridges in the profession of architecture is hard work and challenging work, and it it requires a lot of efforts, commitment, and dedication, not just from a few of us, but from all of us. The NOMA founders and pioneers along the many emerging professionals who attended the conference in Portland, they all reminded me of one thing, it is not about perfection, it is about keeping up and carrying on.
As a Deaf designer, I am most thankful to NOMAPDX for making this conference one to remember and of the most accessible ones I have attended since my early journey in architecture. There are still doors standing very tall and heavy all across the world when it comes to accessibility, but NOMAPDX broke some of those doors open and uplifted me and thousands others by providing closed captions and sign language accommodations for all, and that is beautiful and impactful progress. I hope that will set as a precedent for future conferences on architecture nationwide and worldwide to push for accessibility and breaking the barriers towards people with disabilities.
« Building Bridges towards Just and Joyful Futures » is indeed a slogan that is palpable and we can get there if we dare to believe in change. Again, we all need to ask ourselves, isn’t now the time to come together and build those bridges? I believe it is!
« And through architecture, I find sanctuaries and bridges in the world!
And through humans, I find laughter and joy!
And through Peace and freedom, I find
A life worth of love and dreams! »
Mohamed Fakhry