ANNOUNCING THE 2020 NOMA NAACP SEED AWARD WINNERS FOR JUSTICE, EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN DESIGN

Based on common foundations and a shared vision, NOMA, NAACP, and the SEED Network announce Awards for Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) in design, architecture, and land development. Seven projects have been selected through a competitive and by a distinguished jury. Each winning project will receive a $1,000 honorarium and will present their work at the NOMA National Virtual Conference on October 17, 2020.

AWARD WINNERS

• Memorial to Enslaved Laborers at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
• Envision Comanche, Tulsa, OK
• 7933 Tree Lane, Madison, WI
• The Weatherization Kit Project, Pittsburgh, PA
• Biblioteca Caminanza, Portland, OR
• The Chicago Mobile Makerspace, Chicago, IL
• Pathways to Equity: West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project, Oakland, CA

AWARD JURY

• Carl Anthony, Architect, author and urban / suburban / regional design strategist
• Kim Dowdell AIA, NOMA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, 2019-2020 National President of NOMA
• Maya Henderson, Sustainability Professional
• Christopher Lee, AIA, Architect, Mark Cavagneo Associates
• Marquis Miller, Chief Diversity Officer, City of Chicago, Office of the Mayor
• Jacqui Patterson, Senior Director of Environmental and Climate Justice at the NAACP
• Paloma Pavel, President of Earth House Center
• Laura Shipman, Director of Community Development and Planning, One Treasure Island
• Jimmie Tucker FAIA NOMA LEED AP, Managing Principal, Self + Tucker Architects
• Barbara Brown Wilson, Associate Professor, Author, University of Virginia

NOMA, NAACP, and Design Corps Partner to Host the 2020 Social, Economic and Environmental Design (SEED) Awards

The National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) partnered with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and Design Corps to announce the NOMA-NAACP Social Environmental and Economic Design (SEED) Awards. The purpose of the partnership is to highlight the built and conceptual projects in architecture, community design, and economic development that exemplify justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) at their core.  

“We announced this partnership and awards program in the wake of COVID-19 illuminating a disproportionate impact on the very communities that should be better served by the power of design, specifically, our under-invested communities of color,” said Kimberly Dowdell, AIA, NOMA, LEED AP, NOMA President and HOK Principal. “If there ever was a time to highlight the need for built work that promotes justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, now is that time. We must promote and support design, real estate, economic and community development that improves health outcomes and contributes to the triple bottom line well-being of communities.”  

The most important element of the awards will be demonstrating the impact of U.S.-based work in the areas of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in a variety of project categories, including: built work; landscapes; community development; industrial design/products; urban planning or other relevant designs initiatives.  

Designed by students or professionals, projects most demonstrate the following: 

• JUSTICE: Demonstrated research and definition of each impacted group’s unique needs; demonstrated methodology of need assessment that is balanced and fair; impact of the project to reverse history and advance fairness for all parties impacted by the project 
• EQUITY: Demonstrated equity in the forms of beauty, access, decision-making processes incorporating community stakeholders needs, and outcomes  
• DIVERSITY: Demonstrated diverse project teams, project outcomes, and representation of persons, including race, ethnicity, gender, age, socioeconomic background, and geography.   
• INCLUSION: Illustrated and documented involvement and empowerment of diverse people and voices and influence of the voices on the final project design.  

Submissions are all in and the finalists will be announced soon. The winning projects will receive a $1,000 honorarium. NOMA, NAACP, and Design Corps. will host content around the award-winning projects as part of the NOMA conference. This year’s NOMA conference theme is, “Spatial Shifts: Reclaiming Our Cities.”   

The SEED Awards are hosted by Design Corps, which creates positive change in traditionally underserved communities by using design, advocacy, and education to help them shape their environment and address their social, economic, and environmental challenges. The SEED Awards are part of the SEED Network.