February 4th 5:30-8pm we'll be hosting another super fun karaoke at Voicebox SE - 734 SE 6th Ave in Portland. Last time was an absolute blast - we had a ton of Spanish-language classics, current hits, and throwbacks from all eras. If you want to join, please email to be added to the calendar appointment! 

KARAOKE DETAILS:

Email us to claim a spot! This is how we do our headcount so please update your RSVP to Hannah if things change.

OTHER INFO:

• NOMA will pay your cover charge, and you can buy your own snacks/dinner/drinks.

• You must be 21+ to join!

• If you reserve a spot, you do not need to arrive exactly at 5:30 - but we hope you'll want to join for a while!

• This is a tight space. Please do not join if you feel sick.

• No, you do not need to be good at singing.

• Yes, a great attitude and passion for performance can strongly outweigh having imperfect pitch.

• Yes, wigs and fabulous outfits are welcome. For the wigless, wigs will be provided.

• Questions? Ask Hannah.

First meeting of the year! Tune in over Zoom.

NOMA PDX is happy to share a handful of flexible education offerings for NOMA PDX and UO/PSU NOMAS members - review any day between NOW and December 26th to receive credit! 

Just two steps to learn on your own time...

1. Click below to access the courses:

• 8 Ways to Design for Disabled Joy (1.0 LU|HSW), video

• Decolonizing Pacific NW Architecture (1.5 LU|HSW), video

• Fat-Friendly Design (2.0 LU|HSW), self-led online course - formerly $30, free for members! If you attended the similar live training today, you can't earn additional AIA credit for this, sorry.

See below for more about each course offering.

2. For all three of these courses, use the Google form we emailed you to request your AIA credit and/or certificate by December 26, 2024! For the two videos, you will be required to answer a few questions. 

Prefer learning in a group or live? 

Keep an eye on your inbox for info/invitations for:

• a Tue 11/12 lunchtime Zoom "watch party" for the Disabled Joy video

• more upcoming Zoom sessions on additional topics: how to write alt-text, all about sensory spaces...

If you attend over Zoom you do NOT need to fill out the above Google form requesting credit - just show up, participate in the chat, and share your reporting info then.

You can also schedule a watch party for these videos for your office! The more the merrier.

So you don't forget... 

We will follow up at the end of both November and December to remind you to complete the courses and request credit/certificates!

If you have any questions, contact Hannah Silver.

Join us at the BLACK Gallery for a conversation circle exploring the role architects and designers play in the movement for social justice. 

The BLACK Gallery, 916 NW Flanders December 13th, 4-6p

EVENTBRITE TICKET REQUIRED: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/our-power-architects-in-the-fight-for-justice-tickets-1086579110369

ALT TEXT: Bold and beautiful, fists raised against a bright background of buildings, standing tall together under the sun. Energetically collaged shapes and images hold all pieces in unison.

Free AIA-accredited course for NOMA PDX and UO/PDX NOMAS members! Join over Zoom during lunch on Fri 12/13/24. 

NOMA PDX/NOMAS members don't need to do anything besides show up, participate, and share AIA/contact info in the chat to receive credit.

If you have questions, email Hannah Silver.

About this Course

Architecture engages all of our senses, but the way most AEC firms share their work online is very dependent on sight. Alt-text is an essential component of overall digital accessibility - it describes digital images for folks who are low-vision or have cognitive disabilities. As we expand our understanding of disability justice in the built environment, digital and physical accessible design choices become interwoven. Alt-text makes buildings more accessible to blind people by describing photos and layouts of spaces online, which brings predictability, comfort, and safety to their in-person experiences. This workshop is based off of the Alt-Text as Poetry project by Bojana Coklyat and Shannon Finnegan, which challenges us to think about access as a creative opportunity, not just a box to check. Students will participate in fun, engaging activities to hone their alt-text-writing skills, expand their understanding of access, and build relationships with other inclusion-minded folks.

Learning Objective 1:
Summarize how alt-text fits into the movement to shape digital and physical spaces that are not only accessible, but also joyful, for disabled people.

Learning Objective 2:
Compose alt-text for architectural images that is both expressive and explanatory.

Learning Objective 3:
Share examples of how alt-text can help make architecture more inclusive as built space, a profession, and an art form.

Learning Objective 4:
Determine next steps for advancing disability justice in the built environment through personal and/or professional practices.

Members bring your plus ones to our NOMA Winter Social!

We are excited to celebrate our amazing community. L'Atlier Yaffe is an amazing Black-owned, creative, community-oriented cafe space. More details to come.

Get your free ticket(s) HERE

Free AIA-accredited course for NOMA PDX and UO/PDX NOMAS members! Join over Zoom during lunch on Thur 12/5/24. 

NOMA PDX/NOMAS members don't need to do anything besides show up, participate, and share AIA/contact info in the chat to receive credit.

If you have questions, email Hannah Silver.

About this Course

Expectations for accessibility and inclusion on the Internet are shifting rapidly. If you are developing a firm website, posting project updates to social media, or conducting community engagement online, there is a lot to know about the design choices that make digital experiences accessible and welcoming to everyone. This 1 hour course will introduce the basics of digital accessibility: alt-text/image description, visual contrast, accessible language, Zoom hosting tips, document setup, visual hierarchy, font selection, creating culturally representative renderings, and more!

Learning Objective 1:
Summarize how firm marketing and community outreach digital design choices fit into the movement to shape spaces that are not only accessible, but also joyful, for disabled people.

Learning Objective 2:
Share examples of how using accessible language, visual contrast, text hierarchy, and other inclusive digital design strategies ensures that marketing and engagement efforts reach community members whose access needs often go unmet in digital communications.

Learning Objective 3:
Describe how renderings and other architectural representation can be more inclusive of disabled and other marginalized communities through diverse entourage selection, image description, and style choices.

Learning Objective 4:
Determine next steps for advancing disability justice in online spaces and the built environment through personal and/or professional practices.

Free AIA-accredited course for NOMA PDX and UO/PDX NOMAS members! Join over Zoom during lunch on Wed 11/20/24. 

NOMA PDX/NOMAS members don't need to do anything besides show up, participate, and share AIA/contact info in the chat to receive credit.

If you have questions, email Hannah Silver.

About this Course

In a very positive design trend, many libraries, schools, airports, and other spaces now offer "sensory rooms" as safe spaces intentionally shaped to meet the needs of autistic people. At its core, a sensory space in should be a retreat from a main, shared public space for anyone of any age to be quiet, make noise (vocal stimming), read a book, work, play a game, or zone out. Because autistic people (1 in 44 children and 1 in 45 adults) often have hypersensitivity to certain noises, light, smells, and textures that can make large public spaces uncomfortable or unbearable, a key feature of a good sensory space is its ability to adjust to the needs of any visitor. As we create these spaces, we should ask the same question that disabled artists Bojana Coklyat and Shannon Finnegan ask in their Alt-Text as Poetry Workbook, "How do we make spaces and experiences that disabled people not only can access but want to access?" To do this, designers of sensory spaces should learn primarily from autistic people themselves, as well as evidence-based practices and occupational therapists. The design guide referenced throughout this training was developed with the help of many topic experts to ensure that sensory room design is responsive to the wide range of needs that exist in a neurodiverse community.

HSW Justification:
This course centers autistic people and their needs so that we can shape environments that are inclusive of them.

Learning Objective 1:
Understand how hypersensitivity to certain noises, light, smells, and textures can make large public spaces uncomfortable or unbearable for people Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnoses.

Learning Objective 2:
Share examples of how thoughtful design of malleable "sensory spaces" can provide autistic people of all ages--and many others--with a safe space to retreat to within larger, possibly overwhelming, buildings or events.

Learning Objective 3:
Describe the best practices for designing a sensory room, or spaces that that are sensitive to sensory needs: Safety Balanced with Cozy Enclosure, Multisensory Agency, Design Cohesion, and Connection to Place.

Learning Objective 4:
Determine next steps for applying new knowledge about sensory sensitive design to everyday design projects of all typologies, as well as to our own workplaces.

Join us for the November Member Meeting over Zoom

Per usual, we will have some socializing for the first 15, then meeting content!

Instructors Hannah and Monse will stream the 8 Ways to Design for Disabled Joy video over Zoom. We will pause to respond to particular topics and will leave some room at the end of the session for Q+A. If you attend this training and participate in the chat, you can receive AIA credit or a certificate!

You can also watch the video on your own time BEFORE DEC 26 to receive credit - just fill out the Google form we emailed. If you attend this Zoom showing for the entire time, you don't need to fill out the form.

Join us for an in-person gathering at Scott Edwards Architecture as we connect with architects who are licensed in other countries or states and are looking to get licensed locally. 

This event is for architects licensed in other countries or states who are looking to get licensed locally.  We’ll chat about the unique challenges foreign-trained architects face—like getting international degrees recognized, navigating career paths, and the ongoing need for advocacy. 

This is a chance to share experiences, gather ideas on how we can better support each other, and set the stage for our next event, where we'll dive deeper into the local licensure process and NCARB.

Join us for the September Member Meeting with NBBJ at the Kiln!

If you plan to attend in person, snag an Eventbrite ticket here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/september-meet-up-tickets-995681138087?aff=oddtdtcreator

Per usual, we will have some socializing for the first 30 mins both online and in-person, then meeting content!

NBBJ at Kiln is located overlooking across the street from Hawthorne Asylum Foodcarts, so parking is on local streets or parking lots.  There are plenty of locations available. 

Additionally public transportation is easily accessible.

Join us for our monthly virtual gathering every 3rd Monday on ZOOM! 

This supportive space is dedicated to minority moms in architecture, interior design, engineering, and construction offering a time to connect, share experiences, and empower each other in balancing the challenges of motherhood and a career in the AEC industries. 

Whether you're seeking advice, sharing stories, or simply looking for a community, we welcome you to join the conversation.

We are so excited to offer this fun volunteering event at North Pole Studio!

Saturday, Aug 31
1-4 PM
2516 NW 29th Ave Suite 8

North Pole Studio is a professional arts studio for artists with autism and intellectual/developmental disabilities. Come visit the studio, have some snacks and bevs, maybe get a tour of the Northwest Marine Art Works area, learn about their programming and community, and make art with the team! We will be creating large-scale multimedia flower puppets with paint, papier-mâché, fabric, paper, and more, to decorate for the annual winter gala. Sounds like a super fun activity for a bunch of architects.
🌻🌺🪻🌹🌼

Please grab a ticket here so we can confirm the number of volunteers: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/crafting-with-north-pole-studio-noma-pdx-tickets-995662381987 and if you end up not being able to make it, we ask that you cancel your ticket, as well. You are welcome to invite your friends!

NOMA PDX is developing a Mentorship Program for BIPOC professionals in support of the NOMA PDX Call-To-Action Foundation Commitment #2. The intent of the Mentorship Program is to elevate BIPOC professionals in the industry, and it is open to professionals and students in the field of architecture and design in the Portland area.

NOMA membership or participation in the NOMA PDX Call-to-Action is not required to participate. The intended format of the Mentorship Program is a “laddership”, in which groups are formed with professionals at different levels of experience. However, we may adjust the format depending on the responses we receive from the survey, noted below.

If you are interested in participating, please respond to the survey, here.
Please respond to this survey by Friday July 26, 2024. (Note that your responses to these questions are editable until the noted deadline if you are using a gmail account only.)


This in-person Kick-Off Session on August 7th at 5:30pm after the survey deadline is intended to provide an opportunity for Mentorship Program participants to meet prior to beginning the program.

Please provide responses to the survey
questions, and we will do our best to incorporate your requests into the Mentorship Program. If you plan on attending the Kick-Off Session, please get your ticket no

Additional information & FAQ about the Mentorship Program can be found, here.

Please share this information with your firm and with any other colleagues in the architecture and design field in the Portland area who might be interested in participating.

If you have any other questions/concerns about the Mentorship Program, please reach out to the NOMA PDX CTA Committee (nomapdxcta@gmail.com)

Thank you!

t's summer, let's get outside together! This is a level, leisurely walk to the Sandy River on a nice wide path so we can chat amongst ourselves.

Thousand Acres is also referred to colloquially a Dog Heaven so please do bring your well-behaved pups to play! If you plan on bringing kids just know dogs will be wildin.

Please bring water for yourself and dogs! You are responsible for your own sunscreen and safety.

Carpooling is encouraged - you can use the Discord to coordinate!

Parking is $5 in the lot and supports our lovely regional parks.

Delicious Sugar Pine Drive-In nearby is a great spot for lunch afterward.

It's summerrrrrrrrrrrr! 🌞✌

AND WE HAVE A CHANGE OF PLANS!! We will be having a combo event for our Summer Social - AIA will host at LRS Architects at their lovely rooftop. Snacks and beverages will be provided! This is a great opportunity to rep NOMA and network with other folks in the architecture community.

You must RSVP for this event! See here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/3v4tw8b

AIA Oregon and NOMA PDX welcome you to the 2024 Portland Section Summer Social event! Join us at LRS for an evening of gathering on their rooftop space.  This is a great opportunity to connect with the local design community, meet new people, and catch up with old friends, provide input on future programming, mingle with PDX and committee leadership.

Join us for some drinks, snacks, and other treats.  There will be also be some fun ways for us to interact, including games hosted by our AIAO committees.

We can't wait to celebrate the season with you.

A small group of NOMA members will get to tour the PDX Airport before it officially opens! Registration was by first-come first-served basis - you should have seen an email from NOMA PDX recently to sign up.

We've got another Coffee Talk for you! Coffee Talks are casual conversations about difficult topics.

Join us at this attractive Black-owned business to drink coffee, eat snacks, and talk about speaking up at work. Aren't sure how to correct someone who has mispronounced your name or used the wrong pronouns? Would you like to know how other people gather the courage to challenge their boss about the direction a project is taking? Want to be more vocal about equity issues? Are you struggling to feel confident sharing your design ideas? We can talk about and and all of this!

Let us know if you have any particular topics you'd like to bring up - you can share wit

Sort of a Coffee Talk on being queer in architecture, sort of a Pride event! 

Come out to Crush Bar on a Thursday to celebrate being the Ls, Gs, Bs, Ts, Qs, Is, As, and 2Ss (and +) of NOMA PDX! 

We'll have some discussion about being QTBIPOC in the architecture field, but mostly we want to have a good time and build community amongst our queer NOMA peers in a fun queer space. NOMAS welcome!

Attended by hundreds of designers, engineers, product representatives, and project owners. Industry Forum provides an informative and stimulating look at what’s innovative in the industry!

https://www.portlandcsi.org/events/industryforum2024

NOMA PDX members get FREE admission to this event! Please contact us at the nomaportland gmail to get your code to register for free.

We are excited to invite you to our second ever Coffee Talk, where we create a space to chat about challenging topics. In May we are talking about AREs and other NCARB challenges! We hope that you can use this pace to gripe/vent, celebrate, find resources and potential study buddies, learn from each other and share your experiences with NCARB and testing so that we can better diversify the architecture profession! 

This chat is open to folks who are curious about testing, midway, or finished! We know that you all have different info to share and questions to ask. 

Joel will facilitate this conversation. If you have particular questions/topics you'd like to address during the session, please email Joel

We are happy to be hosted by L'Atelier Yaffe on MLK. Parking can be difficult in this area but there is a Biketown hub across the street and transit access.

You can purchase your own snacks, drinks, and dinner while here. Menu here: https://www.atelieryaffe.com/menu

Register and claim your FREE ticket here if you’re attending in person!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/may-meet-up-tickets-886023649587?aff=oddtdtcreator

Happy Financial Literacy Month!

Join us and our cohost: Cecilia Gutierrez our local money expert, she's a 1st gen corporate professional in her Mexican American family. She's a PSU alumni who studied Finance, and has 7 years of professional experience advising individuals on their financial portfolios.

In this event we'll go over the fundamentals of financial literacy so attendees can leave with a pocket knife worth of information on how to navigate the adult world. All welcome.