Getting Real About Infrastructure

Our future depends on it

BY BRIAN DISABATINO

I WISH I COULD SAY the topic of race wasn’t difficult to discuss openly, it’d be disingenuous if I did. I need to begin this message by saying that I hope you will give me a chance to take a risk, to break open a conversation that is long overdue. I ask you to allow me some grace where I may not use the right words or may not share your perspective. I’m willing to take that risk because I’m not willing to give up on making this industry better.

The bottom line is that the industry has come a long way, but there are still not enough African Americans in it. There is no shortage of talent in the Black community. We are missing a vital voice and perspective that can make our projects better. I, for one, have had the generosity of family and friends paving the way for me to enter this field, so I know my view may be slightly skewed. But in the end, I hope you will add your voice so that together we can change the course—we can build that missing infrastructure.

When my grandfather would discuss the early days of our company— and the overt discrimination he experienced as an Italian during his tenure in the business—he’d also discuss the overwhelming discrimination against Delaware’s Black workers, making sure I knew their plight was incomparably worse. I think he, like many of his and other generations, felt stuck in the norm of the day and the gut that they could do better. But sadly, in his day, individuals in the industry often settled for status quo and although weren’t, they felt stuck. I think it is important to recognize that “stuckness”—albeit wrong—and challenge it so we can achieve our full potential as an industry, as a company, and as people.

When I met Frank Hanson, an African-born carpentry instructor at St. George’s Technical High School, I shared my frustration about the inability to figure out why the bright and enthusiastic Black kids I was meeting in our trade schools were not ending up in our industry and on our job sites. His response, “Brian, they can’t see themselves in this career until they see themselves in this career.”

Perhaps, with the best of intentions, many of us are not the role models kids need to see in order to project themselves into a career rich with tradition. Perhaps the key is in discovering better role models and putting them in a position to succeed.

Perhaps the key is in discovering better role models and putting them in a position to succeed.

I was fortunate enough to have the support of EDiS and the Delaware Contractors Association to begin an initiative to build The Missing Infrastructure. Identifying role models who can demonstrate to communities of color that ours is an industry filled with joy, tradition, and the opportunity to build families’ abilities to prosper is essential.

We are committed to changing the outcomes of the past, but we can’t do this alone. If you know anyone from these communities who you think would be a good role model, please share with me their name. With your help, we will recruit them to help tell their stories, identify barriers to our industry, and support them in becoming roles models for our youth. The sheer presence of their smile and joy for our industry in front of a young person could change the trajectory of our tomorrow. Let’s help these young people see themselves in this business so that they can see themselves in this business. Let’s build The Missing Infrastructure of our industry.

Brian DiSabatino is the chief executive officer of EDiS Company.