10/08/2026
Today we are taking a moment to recognize our team members Justice Barnes, Areej Ali, AIA, LEED GA, and Mario Pacheco for their unwavering dedication to further advancing local community and progress.
National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA)'s mission, rooted in a rich legacy of activism, is to empower our local chapters and membership to foster justice and equity in communities of color through outreach, community advocacy, professional development and design excellence. Below, a few words about the importance and effects of NOMA chapters from Justice Barnes,
"For years, Arkansas lacked a professional NOMA chapter, a gap many of us felt deeply after graduating from NOMAS programs and losing the community that helped shape us. What began as recognizing that gap grew into a statewide effort to build a place where mentorship, representation, advocacy, and belonging could continue beyond school. Through persistence, partnership, and a shared belief that representation matters, our founding team Areej Ali, AIA, LEED GA; Mario Pacheco; Laura Ramirez; and myself — helped transform an idea into a movement. In the article, the story explores how early conversations evolved into structured planning sessions, how interest expanded across firms and universities, and how community support propelled the official process of forming NOMA Arkansas."
We are proud to support the incredible work that these individuals do as we strive to cultivate a community that welcomes all backgrounds.