The New Jersey Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects
ABOUT
NOMA was established in 1971 to champion diversity within the architecture profession and the urban community at large. Since 2010, NJNOMA has been committed to enhancing the profession of architecture by promoting diversity in practice and by maintaining an active role in the education of aspiring designers. Our organization also seeks to make an impact on urban communities through greater awareness and appreciation for architecture and design throughout New Jersey. We accomplish this in part through various programs and initiatives that provide networking, community service and mentoring opportunities to professionals and students of all cultures and backgrounds.
Our main purpose has always been to minimize the effect of racism in our profession. By building a strong organization, we develop a showcase for the excellence and creativity of minority designers which have been ignored for so long. Through our events, mentorship programs, volunteering and charity work, we are able to inform the world that minority professionals have the talent and capabilities to perform in design and construction with any other group.
Our goals are to increase the level of participation in the social, political and economic benefits afforded the citizens of this nation and to tear down the barriers that make full participation unattainable.
MISSION
Rooted in a rich legacy of activism, NJNOMA’s mission is to foster communication and fellowship among minority Architects, to educate and promote the profession of Architecture in the community and to advocate against discrimination of minority architects within the profession.
GOALS
Foster communications and fellowship among minority architects
Create and maintain relationships with other professionals and technicians
Fight Discrimination and other selection policies being used by public and private sector clients to unfairly restrict minority architects’ participation in design and construction
Speak with a common voice on public policies
Act as a clearing house for information and maintain a roster on practitioners
Work with local, state, and national governments on issues affecting the physical development of neighborhoods and communities
Executive Board
President
Taylor Iman Latimer
Taylor Latimer is a Junior Architect at OCA Architects in Newark, New Jersey. Taylor has various experience working in New Jersey and New York architecture firms. She has worked on projects throughout the U.S. including mixed use, education, residential, hospitality, industrial and urban landscape design. She enjoys mentoring and advising the youth. Her goals are to open more young minds to the idea that they have the power to shape the world they live in.
Vice-President
Kirk Mitchell
Kirk P Mitchell is an ambitious professional from Bergen County, NJ with a tremendous drive and work ethic that has led him to many facets of the building industry including Architecture, Construction, Real Estate Investment and Development.
Kirk's profound experience in residential and commercial design led him to open a boutique, full service Architectural firm who's core belief is that good Architectural design is the key to unlocking value and exploiting a projects full potential.
COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR/ PROJECT PIPELINE COORDINATOR
Baïna-Lyssa Jean
Baïna-Lyssa Jean was born and raised in Port-au-Prince, Haïti. She was displaced by a 7.0 Mw magnitude earthquake, and moved to New Jersey, USA. The two months navigating the world as a refugee opened Jean’s eye to sustainability, urbanism and architecture. Jean decided to pursue an architectural education and received a Bachelor of Architecture from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Since graduating, Jean has been working for an architectural firm in New Jersey, where she is exposed to planning, design, sustainability and construction administration in the educational sector. Jean is also studying to complete the ARE and obtain licensure while currently pursuing a graduate level education.
Historian
Jennifer Richardson
Jennifer graduated from NJIT in 1985 with a bachelor's in architecture. She has been working for 33 years at the Port Authority of New York and New jersey as a Supervising Engineer for the Aviation Department. Managing all New Jersey Airports Tenant Alteration Construction projects..
Advisor
William A. Moses
William Moses has over a decade of work experience as a Project Architect, Project Designer, and Construction Administration. He has completed numerous healthcare designs for firms like Jeffery Berman Architect and workspace designs for Gensler. He is also a mentor and advisor to young architectural students and future leaders.
Mentoring and extensive work within the community is a primary focus outside of his work projects. As a founding member and the president of the New Jersey NOMA Chapter, Mr. Moses has volunteered for the NAACP Act-So (Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics) Programs, American Heart Association, and welcomes opportunities to lecture for the American Institute of Architecture. His most recent lectures investigate the solutions of - Building Information Modeling used in Health Care Design & Collaboration.
OPEN BOARD POSITIONS
SECRETARY
PARLIAMENTARIAN
MEMBERSHIP CHAIR
STUDENT LIASON
Next board elections are scheduled for November 2020. Learn more about our board positions
If your interest in any of our open board postitions, please email us at newjerseynoma@gmail.com
Please note: Applicants must be a NJNOMA member to be considered.