DeAlmeida and Harmon attend ABC’s National Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Summit

ABC-NJ and AACCNJ bring diversity to NJ workforce through training and jobs in registered apprenticeship program

WASHINGTON—Samantha DeAlmeida, president of Associated Builders and Contractors’ New Jersey Chapter, and John E. Harmon, Sr., IOM, Founder, President, and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey{AACCNJ}. attended the national 2022 Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Summit, “Building Bridges: Inclusion, Diversity and Equity in a Changing Construction Landscape,” in Washington, D.C. ABC’s IDE Summit focused on meaningful, thought-provoking discussions and solutions-based recommendations for building diverse workplaces and supplier networks. ABC began hosting the summit in 2015.

“ABC values inclusion, diversity and equity as an empowering competitive advantage. We believe in creating—and championing—conditions where individuals and organizations are limited only by their own potential and desire. This is the driving force behind the merit shop philosophy and ABC’s inclusion, diversity and equity initiatives,” said Samantha DeAlmeida, president of ABC-NJ. “In New Jersey, we are working to change the landscape of our construction industry by bringing more jobs and opportunities through our Apprenticeship Education Training program to underserved and low-income communities.”

“The African American Chamber of Commerce New Jersey is thrilled to partner with ABC-NJ in bringing diversity to New Jersey’s construction workforce. Together we are working to promote their registered Apprenticeship Training program, particularly in cities and neighborhoods where this type of training program has not yet existed,” said John Harmon, president of AACCNJ.  “Today’s summit is an important reminder that a diverse workforce doesn’t happen by accident. You must build it from the ground up with intentionality by providing training, well-paying jobs and out of the box thinking in underperforming communities in our state.”

The 2022 Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Summit is a one-day event consisting of sessions, keynotes, table topics and discussions that bring together industry leaders and key stakeholders who understand the value of diversity in construction and whose goal is to help promote the association’s mission within diverse groups. The summit is held in conjunction with ABC Legislative Week 2022.

According to ABC, the construction industry is changing in profound ways, but one constant remains: the need to bridge gaps in advancing inclusion, diversity and equity. From the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and diverse hiring practices to community engagement and everything in between, building bridges has never been more important.

About Associated Builders and Contractors: ABC is a national association representing 21,000 merit shop construction and construction-related firms in 69 chapters across the United States. ABC-NJ’s membership represents all specialties within the construction industry and is comprised primarily of firms that perform work in the industrial and commercial sectors. ABC is the industry’s liaison to federal, state and local governments and the public at large. ABC-NJ is the largest ABC chapter with over 1,100 members. For more information, please visit our website at abcnjc.org.

About the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey: Founded in 2007, the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey (AACCNJ) is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to economically empowering and sustaining African-American communities through entrepreneurship and capitalistic activities within the state of New Jersey and via interaction with the National Black Chamber of Commerce, Inc. The AACCNJ serves 800+ members and has 10,000+ contacts in its database. Among its many goals, the AACCNJ seeks to enhance its ability to be a critical source of information, inspiration, knowledge, and resources for the 80,000+ African-American businesses and the more than 1.2 million Black residents throughout New Jersey. The AACCNJ joins the top three percent of all chambers nationwide that are accredited by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The AACCNJ is the only accredited chamber in New Jersey and the only African-American chamber in the United States to hold this distinction. The AACCNJ’s reach extends statewide and nationally via radio, television, and social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram). Its weekly radio show, Empowerment Hour, has more than 2,000 listeners. Its monthly television show, Pathway to Success, airs on NJTV and NJTVonline.org, garnering 1.6 million viewers, and on PBS.org, attracting an audience of more than 28 million viewers. For more information, please visit aaccnj.com.