91视频

Molly Washington has deep experience expanding equity at City Hall and in a major Portland law firm鈥檚 construction practice. Now she will put that experience to work directly on behalf of minority-owned contractors.

Washington will join the National Association of Minority Contractors鈥� Oregon chapter as chief operating officer, beginning Jan. 19. She will work with Executive Director Nate McCoy.

Washington previously served for four and a half years, until May 2020, as Portland deputy city attorney, working with commissioners and bureaus on construction and equity issues. She later served as 鈥渙f counsel鈥� for the construction and real estate group at Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt, where she also worked on equity issues.

Washington comes to NAMC-Oregon at a time when racial justice is at the forefront. The construction industry, rarely on the vanguard of social change, is racing to diversify the workforce and eliminate racism in its ranks.

鈥淐ertainly we have a long way to go and we should be further along than we are,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 urgency to the work and I think there鈥檚 desire to do better.鈥�

Racist incidents have alarmed construction executives, including in May 2020, when a noose was found at the site of the 4th and Montgomery project at Portland State University. Construction executives have launched an effort, Safe From Hate, that seeks to boost diversity and prevent future racist incidents.

NAMC-Oregon is looking to continue growing at the same time as long-planned public projects near fruition. The Interstate 5-Rose Quarter Improvement Project, the Interstate Bridge replacement project, the Burnside Bridge replacement project and other major infrastructure work will have equity targets that include preference policies for qualified minority-owned contractors.

Washington said she鈥檚 ready to pursue that work.

鈥淚 think you start by building relationships and looking intentionally at each project and the needs of each project and figuring out how to include people of color,鈥� she said.

Construction has benefited from being one of the few industries deemed essential during the COVID-19 pandemic, and NAMC-Oregon is looking to continue to grow along with the industry.

鈥�(NAMC) is an organization whose purpose is to support its membership in access and opportunity,鈥� Washington said. 鈥淲e have to be looking at what those services are to help meet those needs.鈥�

Washington is closely familiar with the city of Portland鈥檚 contracting processes. As deputy city attorney, she focused on construction and equity issues, working regularly with commissioners and the city鈥檚 infrastructure bureaus.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a great background to have,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 have great relationships with folks over at the city.鈥�

Much of Washington鈥檚 work has involved equity analysis, including analyzing rules or programs that are ostensibly neutral, but have an unequal impact on people of color and other marginalized groups.

鈥淚t鈥檚 about looking at the impacts of the decisions we make, whether it鈥檚 a policy decision, a program, a practice,鈥� she said.

Washington, 40, earned a law degree at Lewis & Clark Law School after receiving a bachelor鈥檚 degree from the University of Northern Iowa. She grew up in Waterloo, Iowa, and moved to Portland in 2004.

Washington said she identifies as having Mexican-American, Apache (Ndee) and white heritage.

鈥淟ike many people鈥檚 identity, it鈥檚 complicated,鈥� she said.

Her husband, Rakeem Washington, is director of access and re-entry at Portland Community College.

NAMC-Oregon has been holding weekly listening sessions on Zoom to hear contractors鈥� stories. Washington said she鈥檚 eager to work with contractors on equity and opportunity.

鈥淚t鈥檚 impactful for me, and I have a lot of passion for it,鈥� she said.