I在我在年轻的土木工程师中，我在建筑工地上的第一份工作，我的老板认为，同盟旗将桌子后面的墙壁悬挂在他的桌子后面是一个问题。系统性种族主义和无意识的偏见在1980年代在建筑，工程和建设中很普遍。尽管他的观点卑鄙，但我还是真的很高兴。他将我与我们的项目中的黑色手工艺品工人不同，我的前老板将其视为二等公民。18luck官网他会为他们谴责他们，好像他们很懒惰，因为他们在午餐休息时小睡。实际上，他们中的许多人也在上夜校时努力平衡艰难的工作日。

Years later we can’t deny that racism persists. In 2018, the Associated General Contractors founded the Culture of Care project in Seattle after two Black workers discovered a noose in their work area and their foreman and supervisor made light of it. Threatening incidents are still too common; sexism is a problem, too. I know contractors that have had to pay damages for hostile jobsite environments.

毫无奇怪的是，根据联邦统计数据，建筑工人中有88％和84％的建筑和工程专业人士是白人，只有10％的建筑工人和26％的建筑和工程专业人士是女性。更多的少数民族和妇女将有助于终结敌对的工作环境及其带来的诉讼。他们可能会通过增加工作岗位的工人之间的信任和合作来帮助使建筑更加安全，每个人都需要互相寻找。消除紧张局势也使团队合作也更快，并提高生产力和盈利能力的好处。

另一个问题是如何刺激对STEM职业的少数群体的兴趣，这是有充分理由引起了很多关注的。我的双胞胎姐姐谢丽尔（Cheryl）很幸运能在建筑行业长大。我们的父亲威廉·德伯里·麦克基萨克（William Deberry McKissack）是一名建筑师，当我们六岁时，我们会带我们与他一起工作，使我们在他的绘图板上支撑我们，并教我们如何绘制细节，执行时间表，使用Leroy字母，使传奇等。我们的母亲Leatice教了数学。

不t all minority children have that advantage. Math scores still lag for minorities on standardized tests, although Hispanic students are showing improvement. Diversity and inclusion collaborations with colleges and accrediting boards, minority scholarships, ACE Mentor programs and apprenticeships all have exposed minorities to the potential for STEM study and careers. But that’s just the start.

雇用少数民族和妇女拥有的承包商总是对企业有利的，现在，在一年的社会动荡中，越来越多的公司意识到这种做法与其企业社会责任目标保持一致。不幸的是，少数族裔和妇女拥有的商业企业面临系统的障碍，这将使这些目标更加努力。大多数MWBEs资本不足且小。30年前，我以1,000美元的价格和300个前景的冷门名单创办了我的设计和建筑管理公司。

如今，冠状病毒大流行使少数群体拥有的公司遭受了新的重大打击：41％的黑人企业主，32％的西班牙裔所有者和26％的亚裔美国人在2月和4月之间关闭了大门。

To compete in the capital-intensive construction business, they must do more than stay on their feet. But it’s hard for these firms to establish trust, and harder still to grow beyond constrained subcontracting roles and win work as prime contractors in large programs dominated by old-guard companies. Although the public-works sector certifies MWBE vendors, helps them learn the ropes and bid for contracts where they prove their value, the firms compete head to head. Meanwhile, mergers and consolidations solidify the edge for incumbent majority contractors.

A majority-minority workforce is not far away, however, and the new generation won’t take disparities linked to racism in stride. Minorities and women already make up nearly 70% of the population. Job recruits shouldn’t face the cool reception that women and minorities of my generation encountered. If we care enough to build a better workplace for them now, they will help us build an enduring future for the industry.

Deryl McKissackis CEO of McKissack & McKissack, an architecture, engineering and construction management firm based in Washington, D.C. She can be reached atderyl.mckissack@mckinc.com.