NAMC Continues the Fight to End Racial & Economic Inequality in the United States

WASHINGTON, DC — We at the National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC) are heartbroken by the senseless deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rashard Brooks, and too many others who have died as a result of the systemic racism that continues to plague our country.

Citizens in all 50 states and around the world have called for immediate change. The time for action and accountability is now.

NAMC was founded in 1969 at the peak of the civil rights movement. As the oldest minority construction trade association in the United States, we promote and advocate for equality in the construction industry. Black lives matter and black economic progress is key to protecting black lives. Equal economic opportunities for black people lead to better education, wealth creation, and the overall betterment of the black family.

For the past twenty years there has been an assault on Minority/Women-owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) programs designed to build minority contracting businesses. Through legal means and political pressure, various interests have been successful in dismantling affirmative action and socio- economic programs. Yet disparity studies across the U.S. continue to show minority businesses are disproportionately left out of government contracting opportunities. NAMC demands that federal, state, and local governments take the necessary measures to enact MWBE programs and strengthen existing programs.

“We have come a long way as a race from an historical perspective. But recent events such as the murder of George Floyd and too many others to name, coupled with the impact of COVID – 19, suggest we have a long road ahead of us. More than ever, NAMC is committed to addressing past wrongs against all minorities and minority construction contractors. NAMC will work to educate and increase awareness surrounding social inequalities in general, and contracting and economic opportunities specifically. BLACK LIVES MATTER.” – Dan Moncrief, III, NAMC National President

NAMC is committed to continuing the fight it started 50 years ago. Change will come when we not only demand it, but actively seek it.

###Founded in Oakland, California in 1969 by Ray Dones and Joseph Debro, NAMC is the oldest minority construction trade association in the United States. Members include more than 50 Hall of Fame members and Legacy Contractor Builders and a combined annual project capacity of over a billion dollars nationally. The association represents the interests of millions of skilled minority workers across the country. Through a network of local chapters and in collaboration with strategic and corporate partnerships, NAMC assists members with building capacity by providing access to opportunity, advocacy, and contractor development training.