At Little, we believe that lasting change in the architecture and design industry starts with presence. It begins with showing up, not only when a spotlight is shining or when recognition is easy, but during the long stretches of collaborative work, program building, and community investment that truly shape an equitable future.
Our strategic partnership with the North Carolina Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NCNOMA) is founded on this belief. The partnership reflects a commitment not just to supporting diversity in architecture, but to helping build and sustain the infrastructure that brings diverse talent into the profession and, more importantly, supports it through the journey to licensure and leadership.
For us, this work is not secondary. It is integral to who we are and the kind of industry we want to help build. By serving on the chapter board, volunteering, investing in scholarships, developing programs, and supporting NOMA National initiatives, we are working together to strengthen pathways, open doors, and build inclusive spaces where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
LEADERSHIP THROUGH SERVICE: SHOWING UP WHERE IT MATTERS
Little’s partnership with NCNOMA is strengthened by the employees who serve on the chapter’s board and committees. Their roles are not ceremonial; they are hands-on, shaping decisions, informing strategy, and helping guide the chapter’s growth. Serving on the NCNOMA board is both a privilege and a responsibility. One that requires time, leadership, and an understanding of the professional and cultural landscape emerging designers navigate.
Board service enables Little team members to contribute directly to initiatives that improve representation, expand outreach, and build community support systems. It also reinforces accountability. When we hold positions of influence, we have a responsibility to demonstrate through our actions that equity is not an abstract ideal. It’s a daily practice.
But board service also creates something less tangible and equally vital: visibility. When emerging designers see people in leadership who share their experiences, backgrounds, and aspirations, it signals a sense of possibility. It communicates that leadership is attainable and that the profession is actively making room for new voices.
My involvement in this leadership helped advance Little’s visibility and, most importantly, contributed to the progression of Nautica Edge. Nautica is a talented emerging professional who recently joined our firm and has been elected to board leadership with NCNOMA.
“I’ve been a part of NOMA since grad school. Being heard and supported by the organization and those that supported their work was something that kept me grounded in my pursuit of the profession,” says Nautica. “Now that I’m an emerging professional, making the decision to be a member and an officer on the board of NCNOMA was my way of making sure other voices that need to be heard are heard, just like they did for me. Partnering with other organizations like Little has increased our strength in our pursuit of architecture.”
CREATING IMPACT THROUGH YEAR-ROUND VOLUNTEERISM
While board service drives strategy, it is the year-round volunteer efforts of Little employees that bring our partnership with NCNOMA to life. Whether reviewing student portfolios, participating in career days, supporting K–12 outreach programs, helping coordinate community events, or mentoring emerging professionals, our volunteers play a critical role in building inclusive spaces.
Volunteering is more than an act of service—it is a form of presence. It sends a message to students and young designers that the industry sees them, values them, and is invested in their journey.
These moments, though sometimes small, accumulate into something powerful: a professional culture that is more accessible, more nurturing, and more equitable.
One Project Pipeline volunteer described it this way: “I realized early on that when I show up at these events, the students are watching everything—how I listen, how I talk about the profession, how I respond to their questions. It matters. It tells them whether they belong.”
Showing up consistently builds trust. It builds relationships. And over time, it builds the confidence emerging designers need to pursue licensure, leadership, and longevity in the profession.
That confidence is something we aim to strengthen through our collaborative work with educational institutions like North Carolina Central University (NCCU), a partnership with the potential to create profound and lasting change in the architectural landscape.
BUILDING THE FUTURE: PARTNERING WITH NCCU TO ESTABLISH A NEW ARCHITECTURE PROGRAM
In collaboration with NCNOMA and other community partners, Little is working to support NCCU as the institution explores the establishment of a new architecture program. This initiative has transformative potential for the industry. As well as, for generations of students who may have never considered architecture as an accessible career path.
HBCUs play an essential role in shaping Black leadership. By supporting an architecture program at NCCU, we have the opportunity to expand educational access in a way that directly aligns with our intentions to increase representation within the design professions. Our involvement includes participating to offer industry insights, identifying practice-ready competencies, and collaborating on potential pathways to licensure and professional development.
If realized, the new NCCU architecture program could:
- Increase enrollment of underrepresented students in architectural education
- Carve out new pipelines for internship and licensure support
- Expand local community impact and empowerment
Architecture shapes communities just as communities shape architects. Supporting NCCU creates space for students whose lived experiences reflect the realities of the places we design for. It enriches the profession with perspectives that have long been missing. Our commitment doesn’t stop at education. It extends into the financial and professional support needed to help students complete their journeys.
INVESTING IN THE NEXT GENERATION: SCHOLARSHIP AND LICENSURE SUPPORT
The road to becoming a licensed architect is long. The financial strain can be a barrier for many emerging professionals. Exam fees, study materials, coursework, travel for conferences, and the unpredictable timeline that often accompanies early-career transitions can all take a toll.
Little partnered with NCNOMA to establish a scholarship program that supports design professionals of color pursuing architectural licensure. The program aims to reduce some of the financial burdens that disproportionately affect minority candidates. The scholarship efforts are grounded in the belief that supporting emerging professionals is both an ethical commitment and a strategic investment in the future of the profession. Architects with diverse experiences and perspectives create more innovative, responsive, and culturally informed work. When we invest in these designers, we invest in the strength and relevance of our industry.
But financial support is only part of the equation. Mentorship, visibility, and industry exposure are equally important. That’s where our collaboration with NOMA National plays a critical role.
SUPPORTING NOMA NATIONAL: ELEVATING HBCU AND EMERGING PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS
Little has been participating in two signature initiatives designed to uplift students and early-career professionals: the HBCU Professional Development Program and the NOMA Future Faces Fellowship. These programs extend the reach of our local partnership to the national stage. This, in turn, allows us to contribute to broader systemic change across the design industry.
HBCU Professional Development Program (HBCU PDP)
The HBCU PDP offers mentorship, portfolio development support, interview coaching, exposure to professional practice, and connections to firms nationwide to students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Through workshops, virtual sessions, and one-on-one coaching, professionals from Little help students strengthen the skills that will carry them into the workforce. As one of NOMA’s most impactful programs, its influence is evident in the career journey of many, including program alumna Amaya Cameron.
“I remember what it felt like to present my portfolio as a student not too long ago,” shares Amaya, who now works at Little. “Now, working in K–12 education as a junior designer and designing schools from the ground up, I see firsthand how spaces can shape learning and growth. Getting to sit on the other side of the table, encouraging, guiding, and affirming students, feels like a true full-circle moment. I am deeply grateful to help shape the next generation of professionals in the way mine was once shaped.”
NOMA Future Faces Fellowship
The NOMA Future Faces Fellowship provides emerging architects with exposure to national leadership opportunities, mentorship, licensing support, and immersive experiences in professional practice.
By supporting the fellowship, Little helps uplift early-career designers during a pivotal time in their development. The fellowship strengthens confidence, builds networks, and helps participants develop the leadership skills needed to shape the future of the profession. The design research done through each fellowship has informed and developed our continued pursuit of design excellence.
THE POWER OF SHOWING UP
Across every initiative local and national, educational and professional, strategic and hands-on, one principle remains constant: the impact of presence.
Showing up is more than attending meetings or lending our name to programs. It is about being present in meaningful ways:
- Showing up for students who are still discovering what architecture can be
- Showing up for emerging professionals navigating their first jobs
- Showing up for colleagues who want a more inclusive workplace
- Showing up for communities whose voices deserve to shape the environments around them
- Showing up for the profession we believe can be more equitable, more diverse, and more reflective of the world it serves
Our partnership with NCNOMA is rooted in collaboration, accountability, and a shared vision for a more inclusive future. As we continue to support scholarship programs, educational initiatives, mentorship efforts, and national NOMA programming, we remain committed to building pathways that empower the next generation of designers for individuals like Amaya and Nautica, and countless others whose stories are still unfolding.
The work is ongoing. The commitment is long-term. But every step forward brings us closer to a profession where everyone can see themselves reflected. Not as a possibility, but as a promise. And we will continue to show up today, tomorrow, and for the future we’re building together.
