"CHICAGO On a warm fall day, thousands of female construction workers joined a mile-long parade, joyously celebrating gains they've made in an industry still dominated by men. It was the marquee event of the annual Tradeswomen Build Nations conference. The women marched, sang and rang cowbells, proudly sporting their union t-shirts and carrying banners announcing their trades: plumbing, pipefitting, roofing, drywall finishing and many more. Leading the parade in fluorescent"
"vests and hardhats was a drumline made up of a dozen or so staff from the nonprofit Chicago Women in Trades. "This is amazing to see what it has grown into," says Lauren Sugerman, who worked as an elevator constructor in the 1980s before spending the bulk of her career at Chicago Women in Trades. "To see the sisterhood that has been built is so empowering." But behind the celebration"
"are grave concerns that the organization, which has been breaking down barriers for women in the construction industry since Ronald Reagan was president, could be brought down by President Trump. As Trump wages a war against diversity, equity and inclusion or DEI, Chicago Women in Trades is fighting back in court, both for its own preservation and for the movement. Trump's all-out effort to end DEI Hours after Trump took"
Thousands of female construction workers marched in a mile-long parade at the Tradeswomen Build Nations conference, celebrating gains across trades such as plumbing, pipefitting, roofing and drywall finishing. Chicago Women in Trades led the parade with a staff drumline and decades of organizing and mentorship. The organization faces legal and existential threats after presidential actions targeted diversity, equity and inclusion, including executive orders to halt DEI work and to direct government contractors and grantees to end related programs. A 1965 executive order requiring proactive anti-discrimination steps for contractors was rescinded and the administration framed changes as a shift toward merit.
Read at www.npr.org
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]