NOMA

*The president of our Houston NOMA Chapter* Dear HNOMA Chapter Members, Friends, Allies, and Families, In the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, our hearts are heavy with concern for all those affected by the storm’s devastating impact. The damage and power losses experienced in Houston this week have brought significant challenges to our community, and it is during times like these that our unity and support for one another become even more crucial. We are committed to standing with each and every one of you as we navigate through this difficult period. Our thoughts are with those who have been displaced, those dealing with the loss of property, and those striving to return to normalcy amidst power outages and disrupted lives. Please know that we are here to support you in any way we can. Whether it’s through providing links for resources, offering a helping hand, or simply being a source of encouragement, we are here to assist our members and our community. We encourage everyone to reach out if you need help or if you are able to offer assistance to others. Together, we can strengthen our bonds and emerge from this crisis with resilience and solidarity. Stay safe, and take care of yourselves and each other. We will get through this together. With heartfelt concern and support, Micki Washington, AIA, IIDA, LEED AP, NOMA Houston NOMA President

NOMA members, be a part of the legacy, submit your entry today https://submit.NOMA.net. https://lnkd.in/ex2t-SQY #NOMAexchange #NOMAeverywhere #PhilFreelon #ProfessionalDesignAwards

Let America be America again. Let it be the dream it used to be. Let it be the pioneer on the plain Seeking a home where he himself is free. (America never was America to me.) Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed— Let it be that great strong land of love Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme That any man be crushed by one above. (It never was America to me.) O, let my land be a land where Liberty Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath, But opportunity is real, and life is free, Equality is in the air we breathe. (There’s never been equality for me, Nor freedom in this “homeland of the free.”) Say, who are you that mumbles in the dark? And who are you that draws your veil across the stars? I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart, I am the Negro bearing slavery’s scars. I am the red man driven from the land, I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek— And finding only the same old stupid plan Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak. I am the young man, full of strength and hope, Tangled in that ancient endless chain Of profit, power, gain, of grab the land! Of grab the gold! Of grab the ways of satisfying need! Of work the men! Of take the pay! Of owning everything for one’s own greed! I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil. I am the worker sold to the machine. I am the Negro, servant to you all. I am the people, humble, hungry, mean— Hungry yet today despite the dream. Beaten yet today—O, Pioneers! I am the man who never got ahead, The poorest worker bartered through the years. Yet I’m the one who dreamt our basic dream In the Old World while still a serf of kings, Who dreamt a dream so strong, so brave, so true, That even yet its mighty daring sings In every brick and stone, in every furrow turned That’s made America the land it has become. O, I’m the man who sailed those early seas In search of what I meant to be my home— For I’m the one who left dark Ireland’s shore, And Poland’s plain, and England’s grassy lea, And torn from Black Africa’s strand I came To build a “homeland of the free.” The free? Who said the free? Not me? Surely not me? The millions on relief today? The millions shot down when we strike? The millions who have nothing for our pay? For all the dreams we’ve dreamed And all the songs we’ve sung And all the hopes we’ve held And all the flags we’ve hung, The millions who have nothing for our pay— Except the dream that’s almost dead today. O, yes, I say it plain, America never was America to me, And yet I swear this oath— America will be! Out of the rack and ruin of our gangster death, The rape and rot of graft, and stealth, and lies, We, the people, must redeem The land, the mines, the plants, the rivers. The mountains and the endless plain— All, all the stretch of these great green states— And make America again! (Abridged) From The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes, published by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Copyright © 1994 the Estate of Langston Hughes.

Enjoy the celebrations, NOMA fam!

Congratulations to the University of Southern California for winning THIRD PLACE in the 2023 Barbara G. Laurie (BGL) Student Design Competition for Growing Forward: Planting Generational Roots! The design is about connecting generations through the retelling of history as well as cultivating intergenerational interactions. The documentation of the historically black Eliot neighborhood is present not only through the library but through the murals of Daren Todd, whose artwork focuses on capturing the significance of the black community in Portland. Through its residential spaces, courtyard green spaces, urban forest and gardens, and retail programs, Growing Forward fortifies intergenerational links that ensure Eliot’s legacy remains resilient. Follow NOMA to learn more about how to submit for the 2024 BGL Student Design Competition. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony during NOMA National Conference in Baltimore. In the meant time, you can register for conference at https://lnkd.in/gG-AGHeG. #Localideas #Nationalimpact #NOMA24 #BarbaraGLaurieStudentDesignAwards

Congratulations to Auburn University for winning SECOND PLACE in the 2023 Barbara G. Laurie (BGL) Student Design Competition for Nexus! Nexus is a restorative justice project that reclaims the soul of Albina, a community condemned by urban renewal in the 1970s. The design honors the past by weaving it into the fabric of the future. The Auburn Team envisions an atmosphere of inclusive affordable units, housing residents from multi-generational families to single dwellers with adaptable units. The design also rekindles the spirit of a once thriving community with start-up enterprises and communal spaces that foster economic opportunities and strengthen Albina as a home. Follow NOMA to learn more about how to submit for the 2024 BGL Student Design Competition. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony during NOMA National Conference in Baltimore. In the meant time, you can register for conference at https://lnkd.in/gG-AGHeG. #Localideas #Nationalimpact #NOMA24 #BarbaraGLaurieStudentDesignAwards

In Fields of Freedom In fields where poppies dare to stand, Amidst the strife of war-torn land, There lies the proof of courage grand, The valiant hearts who took the stand. Their voices hushed, yet tales they speak, Of bravery when outlooks bleak, In uniforms, both strong and meek, They fought for peace that we now seek. From Tuskegee's skies to Buffalo's might, Their legacy shines in history's light, With every dawn and through each night, Their spirits guide us in our fight. For freedom's cost is steep and sure, Paid by those who did endure, In battles fought, both clean and pure, Their memories forevermore. So let us pause and bow our heads, For those who lie in honored beds, Their sacrifice, our daily bread, In silent thanks, our tears are shed. For every soul that gave its all, We stand today, both proud and tall, Their names etched on the hallowed wall, In gratitude, we recall. On this Memorial Day, we say, To those who've gone and those who stay, Your valor known, come what may, In our hearts, you'll always sway.

Congratulations to Cornell University for winning FIRST PLACE in the 2023 Barbara G. Laurie (BGL) Student Design Competition for Reclaiming Albina's Legacy: Carving as a Catalyst for Healin! The design is based in five pillars that emphasize health, resilience, and vibrancy. Specifically, medical health emerges in community spaces and building facades; healthy lifestyles are promoted through green roofs; resilient environmental systems can be seen through angled roofs for rainwater collections; and vibrant residences engage with businesses. Follow NOMA to learn more about how to submit for the 2024 BGL Student Design Competition. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony during NOMA National Conference in Baltimore. In the meant time, you can register for conference at https://lnkd.in/gG-AGHeG. #Localideas #Nationalimpact #NOMA24 #BarbaraGLaurieStudentDesignAwards

Register for the May 17th NOMA National Town Hall at https://ow.ly/Bw9w50RA5sj. Discussion topics will include the strategic plan, conference updates, and a call for committee volunteers. Don't miss it! #Localideas #Nationalimpact #NOMA24 #NOMAvolunteer

Congratulations to YNL ARCHITECTS, INC. for winning the Phil Freelon Professional Design Award - 2023 Vision Honor for the Freeway On Ramp Reclamation in Lost Angeles, California! Los Angeles represents the vast expansion of the bedroom communities and the American Dream housing development in the U.S. since 1950s. Infrastructure, such as the interstate freeway system and highways connecting these bedroom communities, occupies a tremendous amount of valuable land throughout the greater Los Angeles region. With skyrocketing land value and an exacerbating homeless problem, the proposed visionary project experiments with the possibility of reclaiming portion of these wasted freeway system lands and creating something that is sustainable, educational and beneficial to the neighboring communities. Submit your entry to the 2024 NOMA Phil Freelon Professional Design Awards by August 16. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony during NOMA National Conference in Baltimore. Get started at https://submit.noma.net/. #Localideas #Nationalimpact #NOMA24 #PhilFreelonDesignAwards