Bmore NOMA at Future Unfolding: 2025 NOMA National Conference in Kansas City Recap

The 2025 NOMA Conference in Kansas City, MO brought together designers, leaders, and students from across the country to celebrate community, equity, and excellence in design. This year’s theme — Future Unfolding — reminded us why we build, connect, and advocate for diverse communities here in Baltimore!

Keynotes

We were inspired by the resilience and dedication of Cal Brown and Michael Brown Sr. in a powerful conversation with NOMA President Bryan Lee about the vital role that community center’s play in our cities. Ruha Benjamin’s keynote, “Race to the Future? From Artificial Intelligence to Abundant Imagination,” argues that technology is not neutral but reflects the biases and values of those who create it, often reinforcing inequality under the guise of progress. She called for cultivating “ancestral intelligence” and “abundant imagination” to design more just, community-driven futures that resist technological colonization and center collective humanity.

Sessions & Workshops

Members engaged in conversations on affordable housing, sustainability, design justice, and leadership development, including sessions about the rebuild efforts led by SoCal NOMA following the fires of Altadena and the modern use of Feng Shei in sustainable architecture.

Tours & Networking

Conference-goers explored the local sites like the 18th & Paseo redevelopment centered around the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and connected with peers from NOMA chapters nationwide.

Barbara G. Laurie Student Design Competition

Teams from over 40 schools showcased their creativity in this year’s competition — congratulations to our Morgan State NOMAS Chapter for making it to the Round 2 presentations in Kansas City!

Bmore NOMA REPRESENTATION

Our chapter showed up strong with 18 members in attendance!

Highlights include:

• Jordan Rhodes presented an update on the 2024 Legacy Project for the Cherry Hill community.

• Dina Elawad and Alonzo Colon were recognized during the annual pinning ceremony to celebrate newly licensed architects! Congratulations!

• Stephanie Paul participated in this year’s Legacy Project, the creation of a community gathering space along Kansas City’s Central Avenue.

We’re thrilled to share that Bmore NOMA was recognized as one of NOMA’s 2025 Five Star Chapters! This honor celebrates chapters that truly embody NOMA’s mission and values. We’re deeply grateful to our members — your commitment and support made this achievement possible!

The conversations and energy from Kansas City will carry forward as we continue our local work in Baltimore. Join us as we translate inspiration into action!

Thank You to Our Members & Sponsors

Your support made our presence at the 2025 NOMA Conference possible. Together, we’re expanding opportunities and visibility for diverse architects and designers in Baltimore and beyond.

We’re already looking ahead to next year’s NOMA Conference in Miami — and we can’t wait to represent Bmore NOMA again on the national stage!

2026 Membership Dues

NOMA National has announced a membership dues increase for 2026. This update reflects the expanding value, programming, and opportunities that NOMA provides to both students and professionals. 

Updated Membership Rates

Student: $45 → $60

Emerging Professional (0-3 years): $140 → $188

Associate (3+ years ): $175 → $235

Licensed Professional / Allied Professional: $250 → $336

We want to inform you that Bmore NOMA will also be increasing local membership dues for 2026. Our membership dues have remained unchanged since our chapter’s founding in 2017, and this increase will support the expansion of our programming and member benefits as the chapter continues to grow.  

2026 Bmore NOMA Membership Dues

Student: $10 → $12

Emerging Professional (0-3 years): $35 → $40

Associate (3+ years): $35 → $45

Licensed Professional/Allied Professional: $60 → $70