Executive Director Jayne Vellinga accepted the award on behalf of CWIT. In her remarks, Jayne underscored the urgent challenges facing diversity initiatives in the construction industry today and CWIT’s ongoing commitment to creating opportunities for women in the trades:

What an honor it is to receive this recognition from Landmarks Illinois. Especially given the threats that diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and Chicago Women in Trades as an organization are currently facing.

One of the first acts of the new administration was the revocation of Executive Order 11246, the regulation that required federal contractors to make good faith efforts toward a diverse construction workforce, including a goal for women at 6.9%. Two days later, we received communication from five federal grant programs that our grants were under review and that if found to be in conflict with the new anti-DEI executive orders, they would be canceled. That the federal government is taking such pains to erase decades of progress in leveling the playing field for women in the trades, who still make up less than 5% of the construction workforce, is alarming, and I want to use my remaining 30 seconds to flex my influencer muscle.

In truth, the real power to change the culture of the construction industry resides not with the federal government but right here, in this room. If you are an owner, a developer, a contractor, or a union that believes that a person’s potential should not be limited by their race or gender and understands what a more diverse workforce brings to the table, we need you to act with intention to recruit and retain women in your workforce.

Diversity, equity and inclusion are not illegal or immoral, they are the values we need to create a just society where all Americans can thrive. If even half of you embrace this vision of the future, we can have more impact than any government regulation on the lives of Chicago tradeswomen. CWIT has lots of ideas and resources for you and we hope to hear from you soon!