THRIVE THROUGH DESIGN: Life Takes Shape, with Environ's Lety Mimila

July 18, 2015 marked the ten-year anniversary of Environ Senior Architect Leticia Mimila. To celebrate this milestone, we sat down with the tenured employee for a conversation about what makes her tick.

It all started with shapes. As a child, Lety was chosen to attend a special program for a select group of students who were bused across Long Beach to receive an advanced curriculum. In middle school she was inspired by an exercise in 3D. The more complex the shapes became, the more excitedly she welcomed the challenge. The final assignment was the design of a house, and her path to pursuing architecture was born.

Having grown up in an impoverished neighborhood, Lety struggled to fit in with her less ambitious peers. Sometimes she even found herself hiding her scholastic achievements from friends. This, however, did not keep her from staying the course to prove to certain elders that she would overcome the stereotype of a life that often results from a low-income, single-parent home. The low expectations that some adults in her life had only made her more determined to become the successful, independent woman she is today.

Lety attributes much of her success to her mother, who often worked two jobs to support her and her brother. “We were poor,” explains Lety. “My mom did what it took to survive and always stressed the importance of an education. I was proud to have been the first in my family to graduate from college.” During her five years at Cal Poly Pomona, Lety managed to go to school and work full-time to help her family make ends meet. It was a struggle, but she was determined.

When asked how she felt about studying a male-dominated profession, Lety said it didn’t hold her back. “I was a tomboy!” she explains. “Because I was always playing sports and keeping up with the guys, I was accustomed to being in a male-dominated situation. It never intimidated me.” With female trailblazers and mentors like those before her, she believes that the imbalance of gender in the architecture/engineering field is something that is slowly changing.

While in college, Leticia studied abroad in Italy. It was there that she got to see some of her favorite buildings in person, learn the language and soak up some culture. “It was the first time in my life I was truly on my own, without the confines of helping the family survive,” she says. “I got to grow and thrive.” Lety learned a lot living abroad and can even carry on a conversation in Italian. Her favorite Italian-born architect is Filippo Brunelleschi who designed the dome of the Florence Cathedral. She is also a great admirer of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, whose quote she often uses, “Less if more.”

Lety's running group at Belmont Point.

Lety has always had a competitive spirit. First seen in her schooling and playing sports as a child and now in her determination to excel in her work. Leticia is doing everything she can to stay at the forefront of the architectural world. She earned her Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accreditation in 2009, her Architectural License in 2010, her National Council of Architectural Registration Board (NCARB) Certification in 2011, and in 2013 she became a Subject Matter Expert for the California Architects Board (CAB) and the Department of Consumer Affairs’ Office of Professional Examination Services where she assists in the development, maintenance, administration, validation and occupational analysis of the architectural licensing examination. Most recently she was asked to be on the NCARB Task Force Member on the Pace of Change in the Architecture Profession. Her involvement with the CAB and NCARB take her to Sacramento and Washington, D.C. to help in the decision-making process. Determination and dedication are two words that come to mind when thinking about all that Leticia has accomplished.

The Mimila Family.

Leticia’s motivation to excel is seen not only in her work, but also in other facets of her life. A work-life balance is something she strives for daily. She is a wife to her husband, Sam, and an active, loving mother to her son, Noah, who she often races home to see on her lunch break. Keeping family at the forefront has always been a priority. She also has a strong passion for running - running marathons to be specific. No big deal (or “NBD” as the kids are saying these days). She belongs to running groups, including A Running Experience Club (AREC), which keeps her excited and ready for her races. Her approach to training for a race can be paralleled to her approach to her work: prepare, plan, execute. This philosophy also makes Lety a great mentor. She is responsible for training all other designers at Environ - no small task - while simultaneously managing various large projects.

When asked which one of her projects she is most proud of, she chooses more than one answer: “I am proud of Belmont Point because I got to see it develop from a sketch to the final building and be a part of it each step of the way. It’s cool when you can see it take shape.” But there are other projects of which she is equally proud – whether or not they are show-stoppers visually – because they provide function for the well-being of the communities in which they reside. For example, Leticia was the Project Manager for the relocation design of the Long Beach East Division Police Substation, which will soon be housed in the historic Schroeder Hall building. Prior to Environ, she was part of a team that developed the prototype for senior housing. This experience established the footing for subsequent service-based projects such as the Long Beach Multi-Service Center and her current project, Mental Health America.

Multi-Service Center, Long Beach, CA

Belmont Point, Long Beach, CA

With ten years of her career spent at Environ, Lety has grown along with the firm, developing her skills, aesthetic and understanding of the profession. When asked what she has enjoyed most about working here, she says, “Working for a boutique firm is a great way to get to do a little bit of everything. There is a lot of problem solving that happens to get a project from start to finish. At Environ I have had the opportunity to wear a lot of hats and gain a lot of experience.”

The advice she has for those considering a career in architecture is “not do it for the prestige or glamour, because it is hard work. Do it because you care about the people who will inhabit or occupy your design. If you’re willing to work, go for it.”

This is just the attitude that has allowed Leticia Mimila to build her own la dolce vita while shaping the lives of others for the better.