10-18-2019
FXCollaborative Sponsors and Participates in the 2019 NOMA Conference
FXCollaborative was proud to be a sponsor of the 47th Annual National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) Conference and Exposition. Held October 16 to 20, 2019, in Brooklyn, New York, this year's theme was "Believe the Hype: A Global Collective of Industry Change Agents." This one of a kind annual conference brought together building industry thought leaders, future architects, and shining stars of the design, real estate, planning, and construction industries under one roof to experience all that Brooklyn has to offer.
In addition to our sponsorship of the conference, FXCollaborative presented in two panels and participated in a third on Thursday, October 17, and led a tour of 1 Willoughby Square. Participants from FXCollaborative included: Jack Robbins, Partner and Director of Urban Design; Shannon Rodriguez, Human Resources Director; Shalini Abeyaratne, Senior Associate; Teyana Chin, Senior Associate, Office Manager; Sara Ngan, Senior Associate; Ted Lampa, Associate; Nina Rivas, Associate; Rajas Karnik, Associate; Gavet Douangvichit, and Aditya Ghosh. FXCollaborative Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) represented include FXWomen (Women ERG), FXOne (LGBTQ+ ERG), and FXMosaic (Diversity ERG).
In Conscious Inclusion—Actions towards Diversity, FXCollaborative's Human Resources Director, Office Manager, and Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) examined the idea of "conscious inclusion" to counteract "unconscious bias"—to amplify the voices of minorities in the workplace and account for structural inequalities that dictate opportunities related to recruiting, the pipeline, and leadership.
To start the conversation, the firm shared demographic data related to staff gender and ethnicity, and the need for transparency and an open forum to have difficult conversations. Panelists traced the growth of FXCollaborative's three current ERGs—FXWomen, FXOne, and FXMosaic—and examined means and methods from creation through sustained action, and office support of these groups. Focusing on the need for perseverance and finding allies, "Conscious Inclusion" concluded with initiatives by the firm and its individual groups with other organizations and with the greater public. There is still much work to do, but firms of all sizes will be able to take our successes and lessons learned to establish next steps to ensure that we, as a society, do not just proclaim equal treatment, but set ourselves up to be a truly equitable profession.
Let's Talk Identities addressed the evolution of LGBTQIA+ terminology, including the differences between sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. As LGBTQIA+ individuals have started coming out in the AEC industry, there are new challenges that they face in the workplace. Besides social injustice, a lot of these challenges are due to the fact that most people—including allies—do not thoroughly understand the differentiation between the three or of the LGBTQIA+ alphabet and its different evolving facets. The panel consisted of individuals identifying as Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, and Non-Binary, who shared their personal stories—their disappointments, frustrations, successes, and supports—and how these labels help define them in the workplace both within and outside the building industry.
Jack Robbins joined members of the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) on the panel D.I.A.L.O.G.U.E: Equitable Placemaking and Building Strong Neighborhoods, which focused on how design can be used as a tool to advance equity in process and outcome. This included ideating around design values that integrate diverse new arrival communities, as well as discussing projects outside of the public sector that have achieved equity goals through design.
FXCollaborative led an exclusive tour of 1 Willoughby Square for NOMA members and conference attendees. The tour offered 12 architects from around the country a first look at the building's architecture and interiors fit-out of FXCollaborative's new offices. Led by architects Rajas Karnik and Sara Ngan, the tour also offered insight into FXCollaborative's collaborative design process and creative approaches to challenges during various stages of the project, showing how the firm incorporated opportunities for collaboration and design-focused conversations within the future office space.
The National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) mission is to champion diversity within the design professions by promoting the excellence, community engagement, and professional development of its members
