Black A/E/C Industry Trailblazers: A Black History Month Insight in 2022
By Nicole Medina
As part of a two-part series to celebrate Black History Month, we have asked some of our colleagues to share their experiences in the A/E/C industry. This week, we interviewed a diverse group of Black trailblazers. Next week, Part 2 will feature interviews with Black marketing/business development professionals. According to an article from McKissack & McKissack, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that Black professionals are underrepresented in the A/E/C industry and currently account for only 6.4% of all construction workers and 6.1% of architecture and engineering professionals.
We hope you enjoy their stories and encourage you to share them with others in an effort to spark change.
Jared M. Green, PE, D.GE, F.ASCE
Principal / Vice President at Langan
Tell me about your personal journey into the industry – why did you choose a career in the A/E/C industry, and what led you to where you are today?
I grew up with a love for math and science because it made sense to me. I also loved drawing, because it made me happy and peaceful when I could sketch. Long before internet searches, we would ask teachers what we could do with our interests and passions. I was encouraged to study architecture, but I received a much better financial aid package for a degree in civil engineering – a college major (and career) that I never heard of. After a semester in engineering, I had no desire to change majors. I have worked as an engineer, said yes to a number of opportunities, and I have had a great time making opportunities for others to learn about how cool engineering is. I get the best of both worlds because I get the chance to work alongside architects every day!
What is one thing people should be more aware of about the African American experience in our industry?
I cannot speak for every African American – but most people want to do an excellent job and they want to grow their careers while bringing their whole self to work. Dealing with micro-aggressions is exhausting and very discouraging. No one should have to constantly prove that they belong in the A/E/C industry, especially if they have already attained the requisite academic and professional experience. Unfortunately, several people that are under-represented have to deal with this on a regular basis. If you are working alongside someone that is under-represented in your field, do not think about them as the exception to the rule… instead, think of them as someone that has worked hard and is indeed your peer. Their resilience makes for a colleague with much value to contribute to your team.
What do you see as the biggest barriers to change in this industry? How is your organization driving that change?
One of the biggest barriers to change is dealing with people in denial of the fact that change is necessary. Fortunately, the leadership at our organization has been very clear that we have room to become a more inclusive organization. To that end, we have been intentional and we have seen the fruit of our labor as we have continued the work of our on-going inclusion journey. We are actively studying our organization, engaging outside inclusion experts, and using their feedback and recommendations to evolve the culture of our firm. As we continue to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion, we see that our firm becomes an even better place to learn, grow, and prosper.
Mick Penn
Community Relations Manager at Swinerton
Tell me about your personal journey into the industry – why did you choose a career in the A/E/C industry, and what led you to where you are today?
I can say that I did not choose construction: construction chose me. I was working at a workforce development non-profit in San Francisco named Mission Hiring Hall during the great recession assisting San Franciscans find work in hospitality, retail, and other non-construction sector employment. One day my future boss came to me and said, “Mick we’re moving you to the construction department.” And my response was: “No you’re not, why would I want to do that?” My perception of the construction industry at that time was not favorable. The overriding image I had of the construction industry was a bunch of older men yelling at each other all day, and why would I want to be a part of that? 14 years later, two stints with general contractors, the non-profit, and the owner side I feel fortunate to have been on this journey. Helping people with the desire to get into the industry has become a passion of mine and changing the image and culture of construction has become a dream. I am so thankful for Rick Moore (retired Swinerton), George Bridges (OCII), and so many other mentors that have inspired me.
What is one thing people should be more aware of about the African American experience in our industry?
Speaking for construction, the number of African Americans on the admin and craft side are low based on our percentages in the metro areas. I have seen percentages between 3% to 6% across the industry. I can only speak for myself, but the quest to bring my 100% authentic self to the workplace has been a journey. I think this has been more challenging than I would admit. Last year when I participated in the Swinerton Black History panel I found myself crying afterwards because for the first time in my professional career I felt I had brought my whole self and it felt so good. I am thankful for Swinerton to provide me with that opportunity.
What do you see as the biggest barriers to change in this industry? How is your organization driving that change?
I have been doing Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) work before I knew I was doing DEI work. I think the biggest challenge to diversity and equity work is inclusion or inclusive culture. I had a colleague state that we can do diversity all day but if the companies and/or the industry are not building inclusion into their business model we will not change. I really must agree with that. If companies and/or the industry are not creating and building inclusion into what we do, my colleague and I will not be successful. I know here at Swinerton, we have multiple national initiatives and regional ones as well. From recruitment to onboarding to mentoring to training and on we are working to build a culture of inclusion. For me, one of the most impactful initiatives has been the establishment of our Black Community Business Resource Group, or what some companies call an Employee Resource Group. It includes Black employees and allies working on issues and topics important to the Black employees at Swinerton.
Sofia Hardy
Project Manager at Blach Construction
Tell me about your personal journey into the industry – why did you choose a career in the A/E/C industry, and what led you to where you are today?
My mother and stepfather both had careers tied to civil engineering. When I was growing up, science and math came easily to me, so everyone thought I would do the same. Instead, I chose to major in accounting. After two years, I realized I wasn’t interested in that type of math. I preferred problem-solving, so I switched my major to civil engineering. I really enjoyed engineering – I was engaged and loved the material – but I didn’t see myself working at my desk all day.
As a student, I remember going to a “Lunch and Learn” where a very dynamic and commanding woman, a Navy Seabee, was speaking. She shared her experience in the Middle East, where she was assigned to build a military base, and the struggles she encountered working in a culture that wasn’t used to conducting business with a woman. In fact, she had to have one of her male subordinates speak on her behalf to the local authorities because they refused to speak to her directly. She talked through her journey and everything she did to build up her reputation among the locals. To her credit, they finally acknowledged her authority and eventually became her friends.
This woman was incredibly inspiring and I remember walking away from that “Lunch and Learn” feeling extremely motivated. I wanted to be just like her. She sparked my interest in construction, so I pursued an internship with Blach Construction. As a Project Engineer Intern, I was assigned to a large project that was, ironically, managed by women. Not only was the person who showed me the ropes on my first day a woman, but the project manager overseeing the entire team was female, too. Watching them was so encouraging and gave me the confidence to believe that I could do what they were doing. So, I took the leap and haven’t looked back.
Growing up bi-racial and female, I was expected NOT to do so many things because of “cultural boundaries.” As a result, I spent a lot of my adolescent life rebelling. In a way, jumping into construction has empowered me to break the mold of what I could – or was expected to – do as a Black Asian woman.
What is one thing people should be more aware of about the Black experience in our industry?
Representation matters! I knew going into construction it was going to be a white male-dominated industry and I would face challenges. But I wasn’t going to let this prohibit me from being successful in my career. I knew I was going to go into meetings, events, everyday affairs and be the odd person out. Think about how many hours of your life you spend working. Now picture a majority of your time being the one who doesn’t quite fit in. Now imagine how motivational it would be to see someone like you in an elevated, leadership position. Actually having someone else like you tackle the hurdles, share their insight and mentor your professional development is extremely impactful no matter who you are because it truly helps pave the way. So, representation matters. And, as an industry, we still have quite a bit of work to do here.
What do you see as the biggest barriers to change in this industry? How is your organization driving that change?
As an organization, we have buy-in at the top, which I believe is crucial to impacting change. Increasing diversity and establishing a culture of inclusion is a strategic initiative in our firm and is documented in our current Strategic Plan. We have assigned goals and metrics to measure our progress and Blach has placed an emphasis on ensuring the incoming pipeline of new talent is more diverse. So, we are ensuring our interview teams and new hires/interns are more racially diverse than they have been traditionally. And it’s great to see the fruits of that labor. However, to really make a true difference, I want to see more people of color in executive leadership and decision-making roles. In my opinion, we need greater representation in those positions, and we have quite a bit of work to get there as an industry.
Nicole Medina, CPSM, works as a Strategic Pursuits Coordinator for Harris & Associates, Inc., an environmental, municipal finance, civil engineering, and construction management firm. Nicole is the Director of the Communications Committee with SMPS SFBAC.
