Construction Inclusion Week was a time to acknowledge our commitment to building awareness around the need to improve diversity and inclusion in the construction industry.  Our member firms were a part of the movement to create change, and celebrated the week by hosting a number of inclusion events, including diversity stand downs.
To conclude the week, AGC MA celebrated with an engaging event that supported STEM curriculum (science, technology, education, and math) and introduced students to careers in the construction field.  
 
In a lively and educational session, AGC MA established a partnership with Mattahunt Elementary School in Mattapan and adopted all of the school’s 5th graders. Volunteers from close to 20 AGC MA member firms, including Columbia, Erland Construction, BOND Building Construction, Consigli Construction Co., Inc., Turner Construction Company, Siena Construction, Gaston Electrical, Commodore Builders, Elaine Construction, Walsh Brothers, Incorporated, and Dimeo Construction Company each sat with small groups of students, answering questions, providing information about careers in the industry and their own specific career paths, and leading engaging activities that emphasized project management and engineering skills.

Students also read donated copies of the book Celeste Saves the City by Courtney Kelly, an African-American woman who was a child in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit that city. Celeste Saves the City tells the story of a young girl who, like Kelly, evacuated her home as Katrina approached. Horrified by the devastation that ensued, Celeste is determined to become a civil engineer and ensure that her city will be protected in the future. In a surprise for students, Kelly, who today works as a civil engineer in Texas, joined them to share her story personally.
 
The successful event, which concluded with a shared lunch provided by AGC MA, is just the beginning. Throughout this school year and in the years ahead, construction professionals will continue to visit with these students to lead them in grade-appropriate activities and continue to promote the many pathways to professional opportunities in today’s construction sector.