Leadership Can’t Wait: Building Belonging, Agency, and Impact at YAF 2026

Photo Credit: Kiara Gilmore, AIA

The 2026 Young Architects Forum (YAF) Annual Meeting brought together a community united by conviction and energized by purpose. I had heard of the YAF many years prior, but to finally be a member of this group felt like a mouse amongst giants. Now in its 34th year, the YAF has become one of the AIA’s most influential platforms cultivating leadership, amplifying emerging voices, and shaping discourse through its expansive reach. Held in Washington D.C., this gathering brought together some of the brightest, boldest young leaders in the country. It was a clear demonstration of the power, ambition, and agency of a generation determined to redefine the future of architectural practice. 

My imposter syndrome resurfaced as I stepped foot in the brand-new AIA Global Campus for Architecture & Design, an immigrant who navigated chasms of cultural differences surrounded by state-delegated emerging leaders. Reflecting on our shared Young Architect purpose of advancing the work of more than 20,000 architects within their first decade of licensure underscored that we are not a monolith, but a representation of different paths exploring the profession. Our 2026 YAF priorities of Navigating Career Evolution, Shaping the Future, and Cultivating Well Being speak directly to the realities of emerging professionals who have rebuilt careers across borders, disciplines, and systems. These themes are the lived experiences of a cohort redefining what it means to practice architecture today.

AIA’s Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, Carole Wedge, FAIA, opened the meeting with a call to design our careers with intention. Drawing on her experience founding the Women’s Leadership Summit, she recognized the need for networks and leadership pathways that do not rely on traditional or exclusionary norms and created a phenomenon that addressed the inequities while uplifting the profession. She emphasized the importance of architects articulating and negotiating their value, advocating for equitable environments, and remaining curious enough to kindly ask why when systems resist change. Her reminder, “It’s your career, you get to design it” resonated deeply with those of us whose paths have been anything but linear.

The Focus Group work sessions revealed the depth of talent and passion across the YAF network. YAF continues to strengthen its impact through several flagship programs:

• Align Mentorship Program – A formal, year long mentorship initiative pairing Young Architects with AIA Fellows, fostering intergenerational leadership development and long term professional relationships.

• YAF + LFRT Future Forward Grant – A competitive grant supporting research, innovation, and forward looking projects led by early career architects.

• YAF Connection – A quarterly digital journal featuring thought leadership, project highlights, and resources created by and for Young Architects, produced in collaboration with the College of Fellows.

• Young Architect Representatives (YARs) – A national network of 53 representatives who serve as the voice of Young Architects within their states, regions, and AIA International, ensuring broad engagement and leadership pathways.

For 2026 our work was organized across six advisory focus groups: Communications, Community, Advocacy, Knowledge, Strategy, and Special Projects, each advancing initiatives aligned with AIA’s broader strategic plan. I was thrilled to find myself in the Community Focus Group, where our mission of strengthening connections across YAF and the broader design community is executed through the flagship Align Mentorship Program, Open Mic Nights, Toolkits and Resources. As someone who had to reestablish community in a new country, I understood the impact of developing strong mentorship relationships and providing toolkits to help navigate uncharted territory. For me, this focus reflects a broader shift in the profession toward inclusivity, transparency, and recognition of global experience.

AIA National President Illya Azaroff, FAIA, closed the meeting by reaffirming YAF’s legacy as a catalyst for positive disruption. He underscored that “leadership can’t wait,” and challenged us to embrace disruption not as conflict, but as principled action rooted in values. He spoke of architects as connectors and healers, uniquely positioned to bridge divides among owners, contractors, consultants, and communities. His charge was unmistakable, YAF must continue expanding their agency within the Institute and the profession at large. This keynote framed a powerful vision: Young Architects are not just the future, we are the energy behind present leadership.

As the 2026 YAF Annual Meeting concluded it was clear that the Young Architects Forum goes beyond a constituency within the Institute. With a 34‑year legacy of leadership development, a global communications platform and publications that reaches tens of thousands across 32 countries, YAF continues to expand its influence and redefine emerging leadership. And while initially I questioned the value of my contribution, the three days of leadership development, strategic planning, and community building reinforced that I represent a diverse and growing demographic that prioritizes advocacy, impact, and global collaboration. 

This year’s gathering underscored the critical role of Young Architects and how much influence and responsibility we carry as we help shape the next century of practice. With renewed clarity and purpose, I affirmed that I belong in this story, and I am committed to helping write its next chapter.

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