A recent award from the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) strongly suggests diversity is being taken seriously in the state of Oregon. WTS, which states it’s mission is to “advance both the transportation industry and the professional women who lead it,” gave its 2022 Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) Urban Mobility Office for their work on the I-5 Rose Quarter Project.
The Resource Scholars show website (www.resourcescholarsshow.com) has been following the project in a blog to watch the developments; particularly as it relates to business, wealth and historic Black communities. The Portland Medium has also published articles about the Raimore Construction company’s involvement in the project as a prime contractor.
It is reported that ODOT has a history that is not favorable towards minorities in general and African Americans specifically. Their approach to this project has been historical and positively noteworthy.
Many in the city have heard local radio Sunday talk show host Angela Jenkins on KBMS radio (1480AM) bring on Blacks and women associated with the billion dollar highway improvement project. Women are front and center from, advisers, engineers and bookkeepers to event planners and laborers. The WTS took notice and wrote:
I am writing with congratulations – the WTS Portland Chapter selected ODOT’s Urban Mobility Office as our 2022 Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award winner. The Rosa Parks Leadership Diversity Award recognizes an organization, project or individual that contributes significantly to promoting diversity, inclusion and multicultural awareness within their organization, the transportation industry, or in a project or activity that supports the goals and mission of WTS. Our Board and awards committee were impressed by the group’s determination to address past harms born upon Black Portlanders by previous government policies and investments and approaches to lead with equity in your programs. Of note was the description of the I-5 Rose Quarter Improvement Project and how your team is using the project to help grow minority businesses, create new civic capacity and deliver a project based upon the vision of the community.
The WTS board and awards committee sent out information stating that it’s members were impressed by ODOT’s determination to address past harms born upon Black Portlanders by previous government policies and investments and approaches to lead with equity in it’s programs… which are “connecting the community” and providing millions of dollars in high-paying jobs.
ODOT did well to bring on visionary leader and founder of the Raimore Construction company Jeff Moreland to shore up it’s promise of providing two million labor hours with up to $150 million in payroll and benefits with a goal of up to 22% of the total project contract value to be awarded to Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs, which must include at least 51% minority ownership). The Rose Quarter Improvement Project has become talk in some circles that are focused on Black economic wealth and the construction trades.
