R.O.O.T.S. is an initiative developed by the 2025 NOMA|nw Board. What started as a theme for the year in 2025 has since become our ethos as a chapter—shaping how we design programming, engage with members, and foster a strong, connected community.
Goal: To foster an environment where members feel comfortable sharing the challenges they’re facing. We aim to provide a supportive space that serves as both a sounding board and a source of practical tools—and, at the very least, a community offering moral support as they navigate difficult situations.
Resilience: Challenges will continue to arise, and we, as an organization, will continue to overcome them and empower our community to do the same.
Opportunity: Our organization is committed to providing opportunities for our members and community at large to be included in the social, political, and economic benefits afforded to the citizens of this nation to have a seat at the table from which those benefits are created.
Goal: Creating opportunities to support the personal and professional growth of our members (ARE study groups, lecture series, research presentations, etc.)
Outreach: Commitment to be engaged with the community as a whole, including both within and outside of the AEC industry. Are we aiming to connect the community with the AEC industry?
Goal: To increase minority ownership/involvement in the community. Provide networks for support and normalize supporting each other.
Goal: To develop an active archive that memorializes the efforts and contributions of our NOMA|nw founders and key members—honoring their legacy, celebrating their achievements, and highlighting their impact for newer members to learn from and be inspired by.
Tradition: We honor those who came before us by acknowledging and understanding them, their missions, the context of the environments and situations they existed in, and how/why they navigated the world the way they did. We will protect the legacies of those who came before us by documenting them—allowing us to easily look to the past to help inform our future as an organization and a larger community.
Sustainability: Supporting the longevity of our NOMA|nw chapter through a consistent rhythm of events and intentional growth that lifts our members and strengthens our foundation year after year.
Goal: Develop a board member succession plan that empowers, prepares, and incentivizes NOMA|nw members to step into leadership—ensuring the chapter’s continued strength and sustainability.