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Tune in to hear Carlos share about his career journey on the MAC & Bleu podcast where he opens up about lessons learned along his path to Leadership. Carlos is not only the current AIA Phoenix Metro President, but also a founding member and former President of...

Diversity in architecture enriches communities by incorporating varied perspectives, cultures, and experiences into built environments. By embracing diverse architectural practices, communities foster inclusivity, social cohesion, and resilience! In an article by Taz...

Original article by AIA Arizona
Omar Bailey, AIA, NOMA, Senior Architect, Associate at Shepley Bulfinch in Phoenix, has begun a two-year term as the 2024-2025 president of the Arizona chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA). He succeeds Maurita Harris, AIA, NOMA, who is now Past President. Bailey has been with Shepley Bulfinch in Phoenix for nearly five years after extensive experience in practice in both Chicago and San Francisco. A native of Brooklyn, Omar earned his Bachelor of Architecture degree from Virginia Tech. In this interview, Bailey describes his early inspiration, his current work, his outlook on leading NOMA Arizona, and describes the influence of his mentors.

Growing up in the Florida panhandle, Smith experienced racism in ways that reverberate with him to this day.
By the grace of God, his family survived through difficult times, Smith said, adding that culturally, “we’ve seen changes but there’s still a lot of work to do.”