Cheryl, thanks for being on the program.
With us. Governments like Texas have
banned DEI on Allstate payrolls. Here.
Are these type of programs history do
you think or is there a place for them
in private industry and elsewhere?
I hope it's not that they are history.
I mean, we have fought many,
many years to put these programs in place.
They've been extremely effective
in opening up doors for all people
in America, just not for a few.
And I think that's important for
innovation and creativity and all that
we need as a nation going forward.
Is there a political Ave.
to try to get some of these
reinstated, do you think?
Well, yeah, I think that we will
have to generate a political Ave.
get these programs reinstated.
Definitely think that the American
people would like to see that.
The majority of the American
people would like to see that.
So is anything else that we've had to
fight for in this country yet again,
we'll do, we'll do that again.
We'll fight for the freedom for
all people to participate at
all levels in American Society.
Considering what we're watching,
I'm curious what you think this
apparent backlash to hiring based on
race is going to mean to minority and
and women owned business enterprises.
Well, I think it's going to.
I think that's the next step.
You know, first is the colleges and
universities, as far as you know,
the number of students or slots that
have been allotted for people of color.
I think the next step will go
straight to the heart of the
economics around people of color,
meaning the MWBE programs,
the DBE programs,
the small business programs,
I believe all are at risk at this
point with the the latest developments
that's happened in the states.
I know nationally there are several
organizations who have come together
who have hired constitutional
attorneys to help advise on what
the next step should be to protect
a number of these programs that are
currently in place that provide,
quite frankly,
economic empowerment and equality
to firms that are owned by people
of color and women.
You
say at risk there.
Do you think that the legislatures
across the US may go after and try to
abolish these hiring practices of,
you know, giving priority to MWBE,
minority and women business owned companies?
I think it's some states that's at risk.
Absolutely. Yes. I mean,
there's some states that do not have
minority women on business programs.
So definitely I think it's at risk.
I know the National Association of
Minority Contractors that is the number
one item on our agenda that we discussed
lately or just in the past few years or what
in the last, in the last year or so.
Just that concern that it may be at risk.
Yes, absolutely.
There'll be people watching this,
Cheryl, who say that, listen,
you know, DEI programs,
affirmative action, all this is,
is just reverse discrimination.
How do you respond to those folks?
Well, I respond by looking at the statistics.
You know, there's $69 trillion worth of
venture capital in the United States
and less than 2% go to firms of color.
But yet the United States population in
terms of color is much greater than that.
So if there was reverse discrimination,
then you know those numbers as far
as venture capitalist numbers would
not be as skewed as much as they are.
Clearly they're guided towards firms that
are white and usually owned by white males.
About separate from venture capital though,
because you know the the the
abolishment of the DEI programs
affects right now state payrolls,
universities, etcetera.
Though is there an argument that could
be made that that this is reverse
discrimination in some other way?
Well, I don't have enough knowledge
around colleges and universities.
I can talk about MWBE,
which is minority womenowned business
companies and the percentage
of the business that those
companies get in various states,
even progressive states like New York City,
NY state does not equal their
population in those states.
And in those cities.
Cheryl, you have encouraged more women,
especially women of color,
to get into the construction
industry as a viable career,
at least consider it as a viable career.
A lot of folks,
and again this may be stereotypical,
just don't put women in
construction together.
What kind of reaction response have
you had for that over the years?
Well, I think people look at construction
as construction boots, bricks and mortar,
you know, out mixing concrete and,
you know, putting up steel beams.
But construction is much more sophisticated.
There is a whole consulting service
side to the business construction.
It's probably one of the largest industries
in America and there is there, there's
soft skills that are required as well.
Not to say that we don't have women on the
construction sites actually as electricians
and carpenters we do and laborers.
But there's also a need for project managers,
superintendents.
And so there's a various number of of jobs
that women quite frankly are very good
at doing, paying attention to detail.
And I'd like to see more women in
this role because quite frankly,
Jason, it bills wealth and wealth
is what's important for,
you know families today,
especially when you have both the
both members of the family.
If it's, you know,
husband and wife or you know,
two partners,
it requires the income for
both to raise a family today.
Cheryl,
congratulations on your successes
too. We appreciate the time.
Thank you. It's a pleasure speaking with you.