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james watts

Member since May 26, 2026

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james watts2 months ago Hello# 2My why and passion is to inspire people to do better than some. So that some do better than most.Where there is no trust. There is no relationship.Reading Material: Why Should White Guys Have All The FunMy name is James Watts, and I am a resident of Kansas City, Missouri. I was the past business owner and operated LWJ Construction Material Provider. In addition, I was certified as an MBE when the KCMO program was HRD.Throughout my years as a certified member, I believed the program functioned better under HRD, especially under Mike Bates's leadership. Mike was an exceptional director who could build coalitions between majority- and minority-owned businesses and organizations. As director of the Minority Contractors Association (MCA), I worked directly with him on many fronts—not always easy, but always improving outcomes for the KCMO community. The former director's direction was out of step with past history and led to poor decisions. He could not see the future when you have an illusion of reality, and city hall leadership supported him, and probably others did too. It helped to destroy black businesses and families' financial support.As MCA director, I had the opportunity to work directly with our city council members and the Mayor, who valued my input and creative ideas to benefit minority contractors, the urban community, and the majority community. I also worked well with the Hispanic Contractors Association. Over time, my focus shifted as I realized the value of a skilled, trained workforce. I was often challenged by unions on issues of fair play and what was best for minority contractors and business owners. It often seemed that unions wanted things their way or no way at all.One memorable experience was the licensing of the trades. Unfortunately, after winning this fight, a later council representative reversed the victory, despite knowing the history. After term limits were passed in KCMO, it seems the urban community and minority business owners have diminished, and the policies that once improved things are slowly disappearing. Part of the reason, I believe, is that those representing our best interests do not listen to the people and lack knowledge of the history—there are many documented examples.One great example is Fairness in Construction. Reviewing the present FICB made my heart cry. This board was created after the unions threatened to picket the new Bartle Hall project on Mayor Cleaver’s first day in office. The FICB was designed to bring fairness to the construction industry in KCMO, with a five-member board empowered to meet and make honest suggestions for parity in project bidding. Its only objective was fair minority participation and building healthy relationships between majority and minority groups.Origin & Purpose and history.Mayor Cleaver established the FICB to resolve major industry disputes, ease racial tensions, and prevent contractors from pitting minority and white labor groups against each other during major city projects.When he took office, Cleaver says, a $125 million expansion of the Bartle Hall convention center was "in complete disarray." A majority of the city's contractors rejected the city's demand for 16 percent minority participation. Since white contractors had the law on their side, Cleaver worked behind the scenes to create a "Fairness in Construction Board" that would represent all races. Now, Cleaver says, the expansion should be ready by November 1994, as planned. Mayor Wheeler was the first chairman.It is interesting to note that heavy contractors object to Black participation in building construction, yet they lack participation in heavy highway projects, both labor and contractors. The heavy contractors association led the charge in the Rich vs. Croson decision to eliminate MBE and WBE participation across the board. Keep in mind, these contractors build highways, not structures. How is that parity and fairness?Origin & Purpose:Mayor Cleaver established the FICB to resolve major industry disputes, ease racial tensions, and prevent contractors from pitting minority and white labor groups against each other during major city projects.When he took office, Cleaver says, a $125 million expansion of the Bartle Hall convention center was "in complete disarray." A majority of the city's contractors rejected the city's demand for 16 percent minority participation. Since white contractors had the law on their side, Cleaver worked behind the scenes to get contractors to create a "Fairness in Construction Board" that would represent all races. Now, Cleaver says, the expansion should be ready by November 1994, as planned.Interesting notes: the larger construction contracts. The less minority participation. But the smaller contracts have more minority participation.It's impossible to create a healthy minority business and construction business owner without the city, county, state, and school district investing in education and training in the Kansas City community.Black individuals currently make up about \(6.7\%\) to \(11\%\) of the construction and skilled trades workforce in the Kansas City, MO area. While Black residents make up roughly \(25\%\) of Kansas City’s general population, they remain significantly underrepresented in higher-paying, skilled trade and management positions across the region.Interesting note: the larger construction contracts. The less minority participation. But the smaller contracts have more minority participation.EEOC identified areas requiring renewed focus and action:Women and People of Color are underrepresented in the construction industry as a whole, especially in higher-skilled, higher-paid positions in trades and management. o Women constitute 47% of the overall U.S. workforce, but only 11% of construction workers, and they hold only 8.5% of construction management positions. o African Americans constitute 12.6% of the overall U.S. workforce, but only 6.7% of construction workers, and they hold only 5.3% of construction management positions. o Hispanic workers are more highly represented in construction (34.2% of workers) than in the overall workforce (18.5%), but they are significantly underrepresented in higher-paying positions.Discrimination based on sex, race, and national origin persists and contributes to the underrepresentation.Harassment is pervasive on many worksites and poses a significant barrier to improving workforce representation.Racial harassment often “takes virulent forms” and “nooses appear with chilling frequency” on jobsites across the country.Harassment in construction constitutes a workplace safety issue and a civil rights issue.Construction workers often do not know how to report violations or to whom.Retaliation remains a serious problem.Identified Causes of Continuing Underrepresentation, Discrimination, and HarassmentEEOC asserts that, historically, the best jobs in construction were reserved for white men, due to bias by both employers and unions. In addition to outright discrimination, construction jobs often went to individuals with connections to union leaders or relied heavily on connections to existing members of the workforce — both of which worked against women and minorities who did not have access to these informal networks of “friends and families.” While the EEOC believes there has been some progress in this area, it encourages employers to continue breaking down these barriers.A significant part of the Report focuses on discrimination in apprenticeship programs as a barrier to entry. As EEOC notes, these programs are a pipeline to the higher-status, higher-paying trades, but women and minorities continue to be underrepresented, even compared to their representation in the construction workforce. Further, EEOC states that women and minorities who are admitted to apprenticeship programs suffer from discrimination that results in lower apprenticeship completion rates and fewer opportunities for those who complete the programs.EEOC also cites continuing discrimination in assignments, pay, promotion, and termination as factors discouraging women and minorities from entering the construction workforce and preventing them from advancing if they do. EEOC notes that each of these problems results in women and minorities leaving the construction workforce and in employers losing skilled and trained workers who cannot be readily replaced.Recommendations: Fairness In Construction Board and Work Force Board reorganize. Fairness Construction goes back to a five-member board.Cancel the current Disparity Study, place it on pause, and review the process. One example of how the community was notified about the study?Revisit and table the present disparity study. Six months or one year.Organize a group of people to evaluate the document.Thank YouJames WattsThe road to success is always under construction.www.thirtyninegolf.orgJames L WattsThe road to success is always under construction.James L WattsJames L Watts