Peace Alliance Network – Workforce Development – CCAC – A Collaborative Message To the Board of Trustees

Dear Members of the Board of Trustees of the Community College of Allegheny County:

We are Rashad Byrdsong of Community Empowerment Association and Edward Meeks of Renaissance III 2000, Inc.  We come to you to express grave concern about the relationship of CCAC and the Black Community.  The concerns we are about to express reflect the concerns of many people Black, White, Brown, male and female, who feel powerless to have their voices heard.

We come to you standing on the shoulders of the great trailblazers, from Pittsburgh, who fought a tireless, thankless battle against the forces of racism, sexism, anti-Semitism, ignorance, bias and exclusion.  We come invoking the names of Byrd Brown, James McCoy, Dr. Leroy Patrick, Nate Smith, Alma Speed Fox, Harvey Adams, Mrs. Frankie Pace, K. Leroy Irvis and thousands of others who joined picket lines, formed boycotts, marched, sat in and were arrested because they dared to challenge the closed society of Pittsburgh that was controlled by government, corporations, educational institutions and unions.  The names of these heroes and the names of many others are enshrined on the walls of the Civil Rights Monument at Freedom Corner in the Hill District.  The people named would be very concerned about what is going on at CCAC, regarding the proposed construction of the K. Leroy Irvis Science Center building; as well as a number of questionable practices that negatively impact the Africa American Community.

They and others worked tirelessly to help create a level playing field that would set the stage for the election of a Black man as president of the United States and a Black man as president of the Community College of Allegheny County.  None of them expected or sought preferential treatment, but we are certain that they did expect leadership that would make a positive difference in the lives of Black folks, and not undermine their cause.

It is in that vein that we come to express concern and great disappointment in what has happened to the K. Leroy Irvis Science Center on the North side campus of CCAC.  We are aware that several staff members and Board members worked long and hard to make this project a reality.  Now we have learned that the project has been, rightfully, delayed because of some alleged lack of insight on the part of those CCAC employees given the responsibility of completing the project in a fashion that reflected the importance of the Honorable K. Leroy Irvis.  We will address specific issues relative to this very important project.  We want you to know that while we are very concerned about the K. Leroy Irvis Science Building; our concerns do not stop there.  We are equally concerned about the under girding issues that led a group of women contractors to claim unfair bidding processes that excluded non-union workers.  We are concerned about an atmosphere that would allow such an important project to be headed by a team consisting of four White men to the exclusion of blacks as was pointed out by “Hop Kendrick” in his Courier column of July 21, 2010.  We read CCAC’s response to Mr. Kendrick’s concerns, but noted that CCAC neither denied nor confirmed this allegation.  Why?  Is it true?  We ask how CCAC could make such an error that showed a total lack of understanding of the high regard the Black community has for the Late Speaker of the House.

Many believe that CCAC is out of touch with the Black Community and chooses to deal only with the black upper-class, which does not represent the “average” Black person struggling to make a living.  Many wonder, aloud, if CCAC thinks that giving out a few minor diversity awards and a few parties and dinners will help Black achieve parity.  This practice reminds us of the days when major Pittsburgh firms “helped” the black Community by paying for cocktail sips for the black upper class, but barred Blacks from employment!  We have heard many people wonder why the so-called Black leaders are silent about the charges floating around about CCAC.  Have they been compromised so that they must remain silent?

If Nate Smith were in good health, I am certain he would now be picketing CCAC over the exclusion of Blacks on nearly all CCAC projects.  Furthermore, we believe that he would never allow such a farce to continue.  The fiasco about requiring 90 percent union workers on the K. Leroy Irvis building is a slap in the face of many who fought such provisions during the height of the civil Rights movement.  Anyone, with any knowledge of the Civil Rights movements would be aware of the sensitivity of this issue and would have made certain that such biased provisions would not have been adopted.  CCAC tried to defend itself by saying the measures were adopted in order to “mirror” Allegheny county provisions.  That sure did not make CCAC Look good; especially since County Representatives denied having such provisions.

There are many rumors circulating about bias at CCAC.  There are sufficient numbers, such that we think someone has to speak up for the black community to make certain we are treated fairly.  For example, CCAC personnel have picked up the misleading practices adopted by unions during the 1960’s.  This practice was to quote the “minority” numbers for a project while totally ignoring the small number of blacks actually employed.  This practice has to stop.  There are several other issues we would like to discuss.  Thus we are requesting an immediate meeting with the CCAC Board of Trustees.  We assure you; we are quite serious about this issue and are prepared to adopt whatever measures are necessary to insure that the Black Community receives the kind of positive attention they deserve. 

We do not come simply throwing stones; we come offering to help you solve some serious systemic problems.  We invite you to come to our facilities to see what we have been able to accomplish and to explore how we may work collaboratively.

Points of Discussion Concerns:

1.   Appoint a Community Advisory Group to work with the Board on Diversity Policies.

2.   Develop a report card on diversity for the last 5 years to be used as a tool for determining:

a.   Patterns that could be perceived as discriminatory practices.

b.   Patterns of Policy Violation

3.   Identify competent individuals who have done or currently do Diversity Work to be used as a resource for review of Diversity Policies.

4.   Develop aggressive outreach campaign that targets inner city neighborhoods, particularly African American Males for better access to CCAC Training Courses:  Auto, Green Industry, Construction, etc.

5.   Develop a process to interview MBE/WBE contractors who have participated in some level in the K. Leroy Irvis project and have in the past bid on other CCAC projects.

6.   Have 3 community forums in African American Communities, Hill District, Homewood/East Liberty and North side.  The purpose of the forums would be:

a.   to get a better understanding of CCAC’s Diversity Policy,

b.   Process of hiring MBE/MWE Companies for contracts with CCAC and

c.   Development of partnerships and various initiatives with the African American Communities and organizations.

7.   Provide a process whereby we are assured that all divisions involved in CCAC’s procurement operation, in the same fashion, to ensure uniform compliance with CCAC’s stated MBE WBE policy.

8.   That good faith inclusion is the practice of inviting all minorities to meet and greets to create a listing that does not lead to employment.  The good faith effort is not a measuring term.  We need to develop a better way to measure and reinforce WBE/MBC participation in CCAC projects.

9.   The bid process is not a democratic process opposed to favoritism and patriotism; it is a “good ole boys” network.  Develop a diverse taskforce on WEB/MBE bid selection process for general contractors on jobs.

10. Persistent rumors exists about CCAC not having an Affirmative Action Plan and that College leadership has, in public appearances, announced the opposition to an Affirmative Action Plan, even though it is still the law of the land as evidenced by the most recent U.S. Supreme Court Decision that has stated that factors of race can be considered in correcting past discrimination as long as race is not the only factor.  The information about the bidding process for the proposed K. Leroy Irvis Science Center building with respect to black firms allegedly getting bid information far too late to be competitive.

11. Rumors that the College awarded millions of dollars in contracts for architectural work, but none to Black firms surfaced.