Letter from the President

Sanford Garner

AIA, NOMA, LEED AP ND

What an honor. 

For the next two years, I am privileged to serve as president of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA). What a wonderful honor. What an opportunity. I look forward to working with every member of the organization, to learn, to collaborate and to excel.

Foremost in everything we do, will be to honor NOMA’s mission: “To champion diversity within the design profession by promoting the excellence, community engagement and professional development of its members.”

When I was elected to this office on Oct. 9, 2010, I began to think more deeply about what NOMA’s mission means, and how as a collective voice we can achieve what NOMA was created to accomplish: To champion diversity. To promote excellence. To engage in our communities. To help our colleagues from all over the country, no the world develop as people and as architects.

I’m excited to introduce a two-year platform, which I’ll call MECCA (Mentorship / Education / Community / Collaboration / Authority). Remembering our past, embracing the present and guiding our future.

NOMA’s 2011 primary focus will be to strengthen NOMA’s foundation (501c3), strengthen affiliate relationships and increase the organization’s value proposition. It’s not something I can do alone, however. I’ll be looking for NOMA members to help identify concerns both within and outside the organization. My hope is that we can work together to develop strategies to address concerns.

I believe that together, we can be a stronger voice for issues that are important to each of us, our communities and our profession. So often people of color, women, those with alternative lifestyles or under-privileged persons must simply “take what we can get.”

We can do better. We know that. The challenge is to position ourselves so that we can get engaged in projects, be part of discussions and activities that impact our communities and the built environment.

So, let’s begin by starting a dialogue:

What can NOMA do better? What kind of an impact can we have collectively? How can we best leverage our affiliate relationships?

It’s an honor to be part of NOMA and to serve as your president. It’s exciting to consider the opportunities that are in front of us. If we are willing to give a little bit of our time and energy, just think of the difference we can make as an organization, as professionals and as individuals. Are you willing? I know I am.

Now, let’s get started.

Architect and urban designer Sanford E. Garner is president and founding partner of A2SO4 Architecture in Indianapolis. To begin the dialogue, drop him an e-mail at sgarner@a2so4.com.