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It is led by BSID (Black Students in Design) and UHNOMAS.

What is "the black mindset."? is the question around the exhibition.

prompt: What does Black Culture look like through your eyes?

The purpose behind the lowercase is to lean into simplicity. The complexities of the exhibition itself will reveal just how powerful that question and "mindset" really is. We have a collective of students through the architecture building and music college expressing their creative mindset through many forms of mediums. Photography, music, paintings, and architectural representation. 

Panelist include Melvalean McLemore-Catina, Fallon Barrett, Camille EJ Lewis, and Isabelle Ndoumy-Kouakou.

Melvalean McLemore, AIA, NOMA, is a Director at Abstract Group and a licensed architect with over 16 years of experience working on mixed use, commercial, residential, K-12, higher education, and transportation projects. 

She is among the first 500 licensed Black women architects in the United States and the 16th in Texas. Melvalean is a Past President of AIA Houston and has also been active in leadership roles with AIA, TxA, and NOMA.

Melvalean is passionate about mentorship and helping emerging professionals navigate the path to licensure, including co-founding the NOMA National HBCU Professional Development Program, which connects architecture firms with students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Through her work and service, she champions equity and continually advocates for greater access, support, and visibility for women and underrepresented professionals in architecture.

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Isabelle Ndoumy-Kouakou is an architectural designer in the Education Studio at Corgan in Houston, Texas. She holds a Master of Architecture from Rice University and is the founder and curator of Contextualizing Africa, a traveling exhibition and research initiative highlighting contemporary architecture across the African continent. Born in Côte d’Ivoire and raised between West Africa and the United States, her work explores questions of context, culture, and the future of the built environment in rapidly growing cities. 

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Fallon Marie Barrett, Assoc. AIA, NOMA, is a native Houstonian, wife, and mother of four whose work sits at the intersection of architecture, advocacy, and community uplift. She holds a Master of Architecture from Lawrence Technological University, a Bachelor of Architecture and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design from the University of Houston, and a Bachelor of Arts in English Language Arts from Texas State University. Combined she possesses an academic foundation that blends technical rigor with the power of storytelling.

Professionally, Fallon serves as an Assistant Project Manager in the City of Houston’s General Services Department–Design and Construction. In this role, she oversees complex, multi‑phase construction and renovation projects across municipal facilities. Fallon is Currently in the process of taking her ARE licensing exams and plans to be licensed in 2026.

Fallon’s commitment to service is reflected in her leadership within the architectural and broader Houston community. She serves as Secretary of the Houston Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects (HNOMA) and sits on the Board of AIA Houston, where she advances diversity, equity, and representation in the profession. She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated serving as chapter historian, and Top Ladies of Distinction serving as Community Partnership Chair, a former chair of the TxA Educational Outreach Committee and a current member of the Kids + Architecture Committee for AIA Houston.

Grounded by her family and driven by a desire to be a role model for her children, Fallon uses architecture, mentorship, and storytelling as tools to expand what is possible for her community, her profession, and the next generation of designers and leaders.

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Camille is a licensed architect in the states of North Carolina and Texas and a member of Houston NOMA, where she has served on the Board of Directors as the Professional Development Chair and on the Scholarship Committee, further reinforcing her commitment to education, equity, and mentorship.

Camille’s passion for education is grounded in her belief that access to knowledge and mentorship directly strengthens the architectural profession. She views education not only as formal instruction, but as an ongoing exchange that empowers professionals to advocate for themselves, navigate complex systems, and contribute meaningfully to the built environment.

Licensure plays a central role in Camille’s professional journey. Coming from a family of educators and with a background rooted in teaching and mentorship, she approaches the licensure process as both a personal milestone and a shared responsibility. Her educator mindset propelled her through the licensure process and continues to shape how she supports others by sharing strategies, resources, and encouragement that help demystify licensure and build confidence.

Moderators are Amber Gaines and Edes Imoyera.

Amber Gaines, RA, PMP, LEED GA, is a Houston native who attended Prairie View A&M University, where she earned a B.S. in Architecture and Construction Science as well as a Master of Architecture. The majority of her professional experience has been in project management for civic projects. She currently serves as a Project Design Manager at Live Nation’s Blueprint Studio, where she executes development initiatives for indoor music venues and amphitheaters across the country, helping bring world-class live entertainment experiences to fans.

Amber is a wife and mother of three young children and enjoys live entertainment, health and wellness, and slow mornings on beautiful weather days.

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Edes Ikhuoria Imoyera is a Project Coordinator and Associate at Kirksey Architecture, Houston TX. She is a NOMA Board member and co-chair of the Professional Development Committee. She is also an AIA Christopher Kelley Leadership and Development Program (CKLDP) alumni, and currently serves as the Sponsorship Chair under its current leadership. Her passion lies in fostering sustainability, education advocacy and art. As someone who has been a beneficiary of NOMA’s initiatives and is experiencing the journey of an alternative path to licensure, she is passionate about mentoring and advocating for the next set of built environment professionals.

With a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science, both in Architecture as well as a Master of Science in Construction Management, she has co-authored academically published papers notably, “Exploring the Use of Marker-based Augmented Reality for Design Communication in Electrical Communications” and “Drivers and Barriers in Implementing Verified Carbon-Neutral Building Products”.