On the Road to Washington, Jason Pugh Reflects on NOMA’s Power and Future

Jason Pugh, AIA, NOMA, is six hours into his 11-hour drive from Chicago to Washington when I call him. The National Organization of Minority Architects president had stepped up and volunteered to transport more than 140 laptops and monitors, donated by the Chicago office of Gensler (where he is also a senior associate) to several historically Black colleges and universities.

Our conversation turns to NOMA and how he feels the organization contributes to architecture. “NOMA brings a voice to the profession and the industry of where we want to be collectively—though we’re not there yet,” he says. “To its members, NOMA offers camaraderie and a family.”

Pugh speaks from his own experience. In NOMA, he sees the people who first supported him in his education and career, the people who mentored and wanted him to succeed before he knew what he wanted to do. “It was through this lineage that propelled me and a lot of people to strive for bigger and better things in our careers,” he says.

As 2021–2022 president, Pugh focused his platform on three pillars: education, elevation, and empowerment of the membership. That work has included rebranding NOMA’s Project Pipeline initiative, expanding it from architecture camps and workshops for youth to include programming that focuses on broader education initiatives for professional members to improve the licensure rate of emerging architects of color.

NOMA is also developing stronger resources and relationships with HBCUs. Pugh, who earned a bachelor’s degree from Howard University and a master’s from Columbia University, created an HBCU advisory group that meets regularly to strengthen the relationship between NOMA and HBCU faculty, alumni, and, importantly, students. In the past year, NOMA’s Foundation Fellowship placed HBCU students in internships to help increase their professional exposure and experience. “The students don’t get opportunities to engage with national or global firms, so they usually get internships back in their hometown at smaller shops or through connections through their professors, working locally,” he says.

Ten months into his presidency, Pugh is thrilled to see the number of NOMA members nearing 3,000—“the largest number that we’ve ever had.” While he aims to carry on NOMA’s founding tenets, he is also strategizing on how the inclusive organization can grow. “How do we make sure that we keep the original mission of the 12 founders as our North Star, and offer support or advocacy for non–African American architects? How do we amplify and raise that pedestal for our members who are Brown, Latino, Asian, and even white to find an opportunity to find their voice and leverage the strong relationships and connections that we’ve built?” he says. “We want to find a way to partner and work with other affinity organizations to help them establish their position because we understand that some of the issues and challenges that they face within their communities, we face as well. It’s a pivotal moment for the industry in terms of expanding and diversifying the pipeline and the profession.”

This article appeared under the headline “A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats” in the October 2021 issue of ARCHITECT.

• Why Equity Matters

  ARCHITECT's October 2021 issue, guest edited by the National Organization of Minority Architects, showcases the achievements of the broad and diverse design community. But it also serves as a call to action.

  

• The Pursuit and Promise of Equity in Architecture

  For Black architects, this is a moment of energy, hope, and caution. Will change happen?

  

• 50 Years of NOMA: A Timeline

  As the National Organization of Minority Architects celebrates its golden anniversary, take a look back at events, individuals, and projects that helped propel diversity and inclusion in design.

  

• How HBCUs Benefit Architects and Architecture

  Historically Black colleges and universities have an invaluable role in diversifying the design community and profession.

  

• Giving to the Profession Can Also Be Fulfilling Personally

  Joining an industry or association at the national, regional, and local levels can strengthen your connection to your discipline as well as to other individuals, communities, and networks.

  

• Next Progressives: Soft-Firm

  This New York-based interdisciplinary “brain-trust” generates concept-driven and iterative approaches across different scales—all while having serious fun along the way.

  

• Confronting the Legacy of Inequity in Architectural Lighting

  Chromatic co-founder Lauren Dandridge is determined to make a difference through her design expertise—and motivate others in the lighting industry to do the same.

  

• 5 Building Product Manufacturers and Designers of Color

  Architects looking for quality interior products—and a more diverse list of suppliers—can turn to companies such as Studio PGRB and Clare Paint.

  

• On the Road to Washington, Jason Pugh Reflects on NOMA’s Power and Future

  On a drive to deliver donated computers to several historically Black colleges and universities in D.C., the 2021-2022 National Organization of Minority Architects president shares his hopes for the organization.