DCNOMA Celebrates a Night of Impact, Leadership, and Community at 2025 Awards & Leadership Celebration
Washington, DC — The Washington, DC Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects (DCNOMA) gathered with nearly 60 members and supporters for an unforgettable evening celebrating excellence, service, and the future of the profession. The event marked a powerful close to another year of impact, honoring award recipients, awarding licensure scholarships, showcasing student work, and officially introducing DCNOMA’s 2026–2027 Executive Board and Committee Leadership.
Held on December 18 at SOST (1901 9th Street NW, Washington, D.C.), DCNOMA’s annual End of Year Social & LVG Awards brought together members in a setting rooted in culture, creativity, and community. SOST—an immersive venue where the Black and African Diaspora thrive—offered three distinct spaces for the evening, including its restaurant, café, and intimate speakeasy, setting the tone for a celebration that was both vibrant and meaningful.
At the heart of the evening was the presentation of DCNOMA’s annual awards, which recognize members whose leadership and service continue to elevate the architecture and design community:
Architect of the Year: Kathryn Prigmore
Professor of the Year: Yiselle Santos Rivera, AIA, ACSA, NOMA, SHRM-SCP
Student of the Year: Joshua Cato
Community Involvement Person of the Year: Anna McCorvey, RA
In true DCNOMA fashion, award recipients were not notified in advance—making each recognition a genuine and powerful moment of surprise and celebration.
The evening also reinforced DCNOMA’s commitment to professional growth and licensure. Two $1,000 Architect Registration Examination (ARE) Scholarships, generously sponsored by MG2 Design and AMAR Group, LLC, were awarded to Taylor Harris, Assoc. AIA, NOMA, LEED® Green Associate, and Ruth Wondimu in recognition of their dedication to licensure, active testing, and consistent engagement in DCNOMA ARE study groups.
Adding to the celebration, attendees had the opportunity to win a special door prize—a copy of Greatness by Pascale Sablan, FAIA, NOMAC, LEED AP—underscoring the evening’s focus on inspiration, leadership, and legacy.
The event also served as a moment to reflect on DCNOMA’s broader accomplishments, including being named a 5-Star Chapter once again at the most recent NOMA National Conference, celebrating continued membership growth, and officially welcoming the Incoming Executive Board for the 2026–2027 term.
As one of the nation’s earliest NOMA chapters, founded in 1971, DCNOMA continues to build on more than five decades of advocacy, mentorship, and design excellence. With a milestone 55th Anniversary on the horizon in 2026, the energy and engagement of this year’s End of Year Social made clear that the chapter’s momentum—and impact—are only growing.
DCNOMA is a volunteer-led organization, and thanks to the dedication of its members, sponsors, and partners, the chapter has grown to more than 200 members, making it one of the largest and most impactful NOMA chapters in the country. With a renewed leadership team and a milestone anniversary ahead, DCNOMA looks forward to building on its legacy of advocacy, mentorship, and design excellence.
We’re just getting started.