Freedom Construction’s Post

🎉 Recognizing Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom and Reflection for the Construction Industry 🎉 Today, we honor Juneteenth—a pivotal moment in American history that marks the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, bringing the news of freedom to enslaved African Americans over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. Juneteenth is not just a day of celebration but a reminder of the ongoing journey toward equality and justice. Historical Perspective: Juneteenth is a testament to resilience and the relentless pursuit of freedom. It symbolizes the struggles and triumphs of African Americans and underscores the importance of recognizing and addressing systemic inequalities that still exist today. Impact on the Construction Industry: The construction industry, like many others, has a diverse workforce. Recognizing Juneteenth provides an opportunity to reflect on our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Here's how this impacts us: 1. Fostering Inclusive Work Environments: It is crucial to create workplaces where all employees feel valued and respected. This includes acknowledging and celebrating significant cultural and historical milestones in our workforce. 2. Promoting Workforce Diversity: Embracing diversity leads to stronger, more innovative teams. By actively recruiting and supporting underrepresented groups, we can build a workforce that reflects the communities we serve. Supporting Career Growth: Providing equal opportunities for training, advancement, and leadership development ensures that everyone, regardless of background, can thrive and contribute to the industry's growth. 3. Our Role in Addressing Systemic Inequalities: The construction industry has a significant role in creating a more inclusive society. By engaging with local communities, supporting minority-owned businesses, and participating in social justice initiatives, we can actively contribute to dismantling systemic inequalities. As we commemorate Juneteenth, let's not just celebrate the past, but also commit to shaping a more equitable future for our industry. By making meaningful changes and placing equity and inclusion at the forefront of everything we do, we can honor the spirit of Juneteenth in the construction industry. #Juneteenth #ConstructionIndustry #Diversity #Inclusion #Equity #WorkforceDevelopment

WONDER WOMEN: Women in Construction and Family Business... can be challenging and filled with opportunities! 💜 📸 My son and I, I was on a work trip in the early 2000s while in my family business - Donald A Gardner Architects. Metal Construction News article: Wonder Women ~ Three women who excel at the family business. https://lnkd.in/eGwhBiGM If you are a woman in construction working in your family business, you will love this article. Also, for others, they list out eight WOMEN's Organizations that you can get involved in. #wicorganizations AWMI - Association Of Women In The Metal Industries - International CAWIC - Canadian Association of Women in Construction The National Association of Black Women In Construction National Association of Women in Construction Professional Women In Construction - Philadelphia Chapter Women Builders Council National WCOE Women Construction Owners and Executives USA Women in Residential + Commercial Construction - or start your group. ☺️ The three women they highlight: Monica Mittel Sherri Miles Grace McGregor Kramer Few things they share: (I understand completely) 👷🏻♀️ Proving themselves 👷🏻♀️ It's more than a job - getting involved in associations and community 👷🏻♀️ Share advice for the next generation ~ "Be thankful. Be excited. Be ready." Miles. "Construction is a tremendous industry for women." McGregor Kramer. "Barriers are meant to be broken." Murphy-Mittel Family Business stats: Fortune ✔️ 87% of American Biz are Family-owned or controlled. ✔️ They represent 54% of the US GDP & 59% of employment. More facts: Cornell SC Johnson College of Business 40% of US Family biz transfer to 2nd generation, 13% are passed down to 3rd and only 3% to 4th generation. (This topic is for another day but is critical stat). I can't find a stat on how many of the construction sector businesses are considered family-owned and/or controlled. If you know, please share. 👇🏻 📝 Written by Marcy Marro 🗺️ Christi Powell (my peer) Knows how much I love family business topics, and she forwarded this article to me. Let's ALL continue to collaborate and do our part to feel valued and worthy at our workplace. 🎉 #familybusiness #constructionlife #familyowned #familylegacy Hill Electric Company, Inc Women Talk Construction Donald A Gardner Architects

The Invert Chicago: Building a Brighter Future More than just development: - 800+ Construction Jobs during the build process. - 3,000+ Permanent Jobs fueling the local economy. - $11 Billion Economic Impact - a boom for Chicago. - $600 Million in Tax Revenue to reinvest in our communities. ️ Building a skilled workforce: Partnering with Hispanic American Construction Industry Association (HACIA) and Black Contractors Owners and Executives (BCOE) to ensure local residents benefit from these opportunities. Community First: We're committed to including the residents of the 10th Ward in every step of this journey. ️ #TheInvertChicago #SustainableDevelopment #CommunityEmpowerment

Today, Monday, July 22nd from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. join the California High-Speed Rail Authority for a discussion about women in construction at the California State Fair Expo Center, Hall 5. Only 10% of the construction industry are women. Looking at specific labor trades, like laborers and ironworkers, that percentage decreases even more, with some trades as low as 1% or 2% women. The High-Speed Rail Authority will welcome six prominent women in the construction industry for a panel discussion, including SVP of United Contractors and Authority Board Member, Emily Cohen, four women working in construction trades, and a traveling photographer who captures construction sites statewide. These women, all working on High-Speed Rail, are the few stomping into the male-dominated industry, and they're ready to get more women to join them in these high-paying, career-defining jobs.

Join our Consultant, Kevin Redman, at UK Construction Week! On May 7th, Kevin will be discussing the significance of workforce inclusion, drawing from his personal journey and sharing insights into how organisations can enhance their approach. If you're interested in joining, visit the link in our comments to secure your free ticket. ________________________________ #UKConstructionWeek #Construction #Inclusion

Women in Construction Week. As a career shifter, I chuckled when I first heard about it. I worked in education before construction. Where women outnumber men 3 to 1. My professional career began and prospered because of amazing, dedicated, and skilled women. As a first-year teacher, ALL of my lesson plans originally came from a stellar mentor. I can remember countless days sitting in her room, ↳ Dialoging on best practices ↳ Obtaining countless resources ↳ Learning how to deal with students & parents (mostly parents) I’m the son of a mother that went from, -doctor -to minister -to stay-at-home mother -to cancer researcher I’m the brother of a sister that, by herself, -bought a home -became a state-accoladed educator -traveled the world while getting her masters I’ve been surrounded by kind, strong-willed, brilliant women my entire life. When I came into construction, most of the people who taught me and the people I initially went to with questions, WERE women. ↳ Reading Drawings ↳ Doing Takeoffs ↳ Subcontracts ↳ Submittals ↳ Billing I owe so much of my initial growth and success to people like, Wendy De La O, Kelly Shaffer, Krystyn Elmore, Janelle Stewart, Kim Biche, and Raquel Del Cid. Normalize women's value and necessity in this industry by practicing DAILY -humility -appreciation -collaboration And providing -leadership -mentorship -menteeship This needs to be THE standard. ↳ There is a demand for 500,000 new construction workers in 2024 alone. ↳ Over 1/3 of the current construction force will retire within 10 years. ↳ Women make up only 10-15% of the industry’s workforce. They are a HUGE part of the answer to the labor shortage. And we don't get there by just an annual acknowledgment. We get there by putting our money where our mouth is. P.S. 📸 From winning our 3rd Subcontractor of the Year award in the last 4 years from Associated Builders and Contractors of Metro Washington ----- #business #businessdevelopment #construction #labor #womeninconstruction #womeninconstructionweek

Congratulations to the companies who signed the Million Women in Construction Community Pledge to adopt the CHIPS Women in Construction Framework! 👏🏼 Baker Construction 👏🏼 Gilbane Building Company 👏🏼 McKissack & McKissack 👏🏼 Mortenson 👏🏼 Power Design, Inc. 👏🏼 Shawmut Design and Construction 👏🏼 Suffolk Construction “There is a critical need to attract more talent and diversify our workforce to ensure we have the resources to build our cities and grow our economy.” ~John Fish, CEO of Suffolk Construction Companies that adopt the Framework will collaborate with contractors, trades unions, and other community and workforce partners in their efforts to implement the following practices: ✅ Set goals and monitor progress towards increasing the participation of women on CHIPS-funded construction projects. ✅ Build community partnerships with community organizations with a track record of increasing women and economically disadvantaged individuals’ exposure to and recruitment into the construction industry. ✅ Develop training pathways such as training investments, apprentice utilization goals, or apprentice readiness program partnerships that serve women and economically disadvantaged individuals. ✅ Provide access to supportive services such as child care or transportation that will increase retention of women and economically disadvantaged individuals in the workforce. ✅ Maintain healthy, safe, and respectful workplaces and prevent and address harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and violence through workplace training, policy and practice. . . . #WomenInConstruction #CHIPS #ConstructionIndustry #WomenInTrades #WomenInAEC #MillionWomenInConstruction #MillionWomen https://lnkd.in/ef8gX9bt

I'm resharing this wonderful initiative just in case you missed it. In May, Secretary Raimondo announced the Million Women in Construction Community Pledge with an initial seven signatories pledging their support of the initiative and a commitment to supporting women in construction. Three of the seven signatories are AEC Unites members; McKissack & McKissack, Mortenson and Shawmut Design and Construction. The Million Women in Construction initiative is a nationwide call to action for the construction industry – construction contractors, trade unions, and training institutions – to commit to bold steps that will ensure a robust and diverse workforce in the years ahead. It will be necessary to recruit, train, hire, and retain thousands of new and non-traditional workers – the next generation of skilled laborers and leaders who are prepared to rebuild U.S. infrastructure and supply chains and complement Federal government investments. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/esQ3RfgS

We are honored to be featured in Les Hiscoe's article on the A-E-C industry's worker shortage and the necessity of fostering young talent. Our organization shares Shawmut Design and Construction's commitment to community impact and the industry's future. At ACE GNY, diversity is central to our mission, aligning with Les' assertion that "diversity of people and thought, and creating an inclusive work environment, are what drive individual, company, and industry growth." Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/d3bwRXyU.

A woman everyone in Chicago (and beyond!) should know, Claudette Soto, LEED AP is the definition of IYKYK. Below is my story on the architect and structural engineer for Hispanic Executive. Here's to more women at the top in the field of construction!