From Reflection to Recognition: Leadership and Belonging at AIA26 San Diego

Some conferences leave you with notes and business cards. Others leave you with something harder to define: perspective shifts, emotional clarity, and a renewed sense of purpose. AIA26 in San Diego was the latter for us. As members of the AIA Next to Lead cohort and the Immigrant Architects Coalition (IAC), we arrived ready to learn, connect and grow. We left with a renewed sense of purpose and a deeper understanding that leadership in architecture is shaped by ideas, expertise, community, recognition and shared human experience.

A Profession in Motion

San Diego, a city shaped by borders and cultural exchange, set the tone for a conference centered on urgency and transformation. From the opening sessions, conversations reflected architecture’s expanding responsibility towards housing affordability, permitting challenges, binational collaboration with Tijuana, and the need for more responsive, equitable cities. Carole Wedge, FAIA opened the conference by reflecting on where the profession is headed, reminding us that leadership today requires both clarity and care. Moments like Illya Azaroff FAIA’s recognition of Shigeru Ban Hon. FAIA reinforced the importance of architecture grounded in service, dignity, and long-term human impact.

Hearing Shigeru Ban speak about designing through purpose and necessity was especially inspiring. His perspective reinforced that meaningful architecture begins with human need and thoughtful intent. These moments collectively highlighted leadership as a commitment to responsibility.

Next to Lead: Recognition, Emotion, and Collective Growth

One of the most defining experiences of AIA26 was the recognition of the Next to Lead cohort during the keynote, in front of nearly 650 attendees. Standing together in that moment and being acknowledged publicly felt overwhelming in a way that is difficult to fully articulate. It was not simply recognition of a program, but of journeys often carried quietly through challenges such as immigration, licensure challenges, cultural transitions, and moments of professional uncertainty.

At the Capstone Celebration, receiving our pins and certificates became more than a symbolic gesture. It felt grounding, affirming how far we had come both individually and collectively. For many of us, this cohort became a space where ambition did not need justification but could be shared openly. Our sounding board group, in particular, grew incredibly close over the course of the program. What began as a space for honest conversations and professional support, evolved into meaningful relationships built on trust, empathy, and shared experiences. We connected not only through our careers and leadership journeys, but also on a deeply personal level. This became a space where vulnerability and strength coexisted, and where authentic connection made growth possible. There were tears, laughter, and quiet moments of reflection where gratitude said more than words ever could.

Personally, thanking Allison Read and Andrea Milo became one of the most emotional moments of the experience. Their support didn’t merely shape a program but helped create a space where emerging leaders could see themselves reflected in the future of the profession.

IAC at AIA26: Immigrant Voices at the Center

AIA26 also marked a significant moment for the Immigrant Architects Coalition. Seeing IAC City Shapers Vol. II comes to life, and witnessing a completely sold-out book signing was a powerful reminder that immigrant narratives are not peripheral to architecture; they are actively shaping its discourse. The most meaningful part, however, was meeting many of the co-authors in person.

Architects from across continents, cultures, and career stages came together in one space. The experience felt like communal recognition of each other’s work and individual journeys.

We may come from different geographies, but we share a common language of resilience, adaptation, and persistence. Across panels and sessions, it was also inspiring to see IAC members leading conversations on equity, women in leadership, work-life balance, and volunteer engagement, reinforcing that immigrant voices are actively present and shaping the profession.

Leadership, Technology, and the Future of Practice

Charlene Li’s keynote reframed AI as a leadership challenge rather than a mere technological shift. Her perspective created language for conversations many of us are already having in practice about how to integrate emerging tools without losing design intent, professional judgment, and humanity.

This idea extended into discussions on AI in architecture, self-advocacy, and professional development and further reinforced that adaptability is now an essential leadership skill. At the same time, sessions on regenerative communities and sustainability underscored architecture’s long-term responsibility.

Sameh Wahba’s keynote reminded us that architects are not only designers of space but catalysts for systemic change, shaping healthier, more resilient communities. Together, these ideas expanded our understanding of leadership as both technical and ethical.

Beyond the Conference: Learning in Connection

Some of the most meaningful learning at AIA26 happened outside formal sessions.

Through connections within the AIA mentorship network, we joined an informal visit to the Salk Institute in La Jolla, alongside members of the Next to Lead cohort, students, and fellow architects. Walking through such an iconic space together created a different, slower, more reflective kind of learning. Conversations moved beyond design into lived experience: career paths, cultural identity, uncertainty, and aspiration. These moments reminded us that mentorship is not limited to structured programs. It happens in shared space, curiosity, and openness.

Designing with Purpose, Leading with Empathy

Another memorable reflection came from Padma Lakshmi’s conversation with Yiselle Santos Rivera, AIA, where she spoke about navigating identity across cultures and embracing life’s unpredictability.

Her words resonated deeply, especially in the context of immigrant experience, where identity is often shaped between cultures, languages, and expectations. Across all sessions, whether AI, sustainability, or equity, a consistent theme emerged: Leadership is about empathy, awareness, and presence. And the future of architecture depends on how well we listen, adapt, and include.

Final Reflection: What We Carry Forward

AIA26 was not just a conference we attended; it was a moment of recognition, reflection, and reconnection. We left San Diego with new ideas, but more importantly, with a renewed understanding of belonging. Leadership in architecture grows through conversations, in cohorts, in immigrant communities, and in collective acts of mentorship and care.

For immigrant architects especially, this conference reaffirmed one essential belief Our perspectives are not supplementary to the profession. They are shaping it. We belong in these rooms. We contribute to these conversations. And we are building the future of architecture. Together.

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