Sklarek became the first African American woman licensed as an architect in California after relocating to Los Angeles.
After moving to Los Angeles and joining the firm Gruen Associates, Norma Merrick Sklarek became, in 1966, the first African American woman to be licensed as an architect in the state of California. This made her one of the very few individuals in the nation to hold architectural licenses in two different states, a rare achievement in itself.
Her arrival in California marked a new chapter in her career, as she quickly rose through the ranks at Gruen Associates, eventually becoming the firm's director of architecture—the first Black woman to hold such a title at a major American firm. Her licensure in California, following her earlier New York credential, reinforced her position as a singular figure breaking down racial and gender barriers on a national scale within the architecture profession.
This achievement is frequently cited alongside her New York licensure as evidence of her pioneering role, and it enabled her to take on larger leadership responsibilities on major California projects, including the Pacific Design Center and terminal buildings at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Her dual licensures remain a benchmark referenced in discussions of diversity and access in American architecture.