The Construction Record: Episode 109 – Black Excellence in Construction

In this week’s episode of the Construction Record podcast, Daily Commercial News and Journal of Commerce national managing editor Vince Versace welcomes Carpenters’ District Council of Ontario equity and diversity representative Chris Campbell and drywaller and Interior Finishings Systems training center political director Ivan Dawns for a special episode about Black excellence in the construction industry.

Both Campbell and Dawns spoke about their journeys through an industry that was and remains predominantly white and where they found opportunity but also animosity and ignorance.

Campbell also explained how he and others in the labour movement highlighted the contributions of Black men in the construction industry going back t the 1960s and 70s. Dawns stressed the importance of seeing Black people in the industry not only in terms of the skilled trades but also in positions of leadership.

If you’d like to listen to more content related to Black History Month, make sure to check out episode 108 of the Construction Record, where Don Wall talks about the recent Urban Land Institute webinar on “Redressing Black Displacement in Canada.”