Today’s Topics:
- Virtual Conference
- Networking
- Inspiration
Virtual Conference
Every year the National Organization of Minority Architects has a conference for everyone to come together.
It was supposed to be held in Oakland this year, but with COVID-19 around, it was shifted to be a virtual event.
But how can you make a virtual event any different from attending just a regular zoom class?
When I attended the conference I was very satisfied with how everything went. It was a very interactive experience full of many events to attend.
There was a master schedule where you could attend events, chats for meeting new people, and at night there were virtual party and game nights.
Networking
One of my favorite things about attending this conference was the opportunity to network and meet new people.
I had the chance to meet other students from around the country, and many design professionals at different stages in their career.
I engaged with many different people and it was great to have conversations about architecture, our shared views, and experiences.
Networking is one of the most essential parts of being a professional whether it is mentorship, job searching, or just talking about architecture.
Inspiration
Attending any NOMA conference is an empowering experience and I’m glad I was able to get the most out of a virtual experience.
One of the main things for students is the design competition. Although my school was not able to submit a project this year, I still went to the final presentations.
Seeing the level of time, effort and detail put into these projects were amazing. Students had to design a cultural center on a specific site in Oakland and the students had some amazing designs and concepts to develop this cultural center.
I also got to participate in a resume and portfolio review which was a very beneficial experience.
We were able to point out multiple areas of design strengths and weaknesses that I could improve upon. Then overall how to truly convey more than just the final product of design but the process as well.
Overall I really enjoyed my NOMA conference experience and am super excited to attend the conference and participate in the student design competition next year in Detroit.
Thanks for tuning into this week’s blog post! Feel free to leave a comment whether you want to know more or if you attended the conference as well. As always, Dream Big!
Alonzo Colon 
Awesome!