This week’s Community Corner spotlight features the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Nashville Chapter!
In this episode, Brother Love speaks with Tiffany Woodrow, Brittany Buck, and Lauren Barber. Tiffany Woodrow is President of C&R Services and President of the NAWIC Nashville Chapter. Brittany Buck is a General Contractor and Board Member at Crew Collaborative, and Board Member of NAWIC Nashville. Lauren Barber is an Environmental Scientist at Goodwyn Mills Cawood and a member of NAWIC. Brother Love gains insight from each of these women to see how their journeys led them to careers involving construction. Through sharing their experiences, it becomes clear that there are many opportunities for women in the construction industry. These women describe the construction industry as having virtually “no glass ceiling” with the lowest pay wage gap between men and women ($0.99 for every $1.00). Many of the issues women face in the construction industry currently involve age-related issues of inexperience rather than gender-related issues.
NAWIC was started in 1955 by 13 women in Texas. These women came together as they noticed they were the only women in the meetings they were attending. They wanted to promote sisterhood, community, and educational opportunities for fellow women in construction. Since then, NAWIC has expanded and has even recently become an international organization. NAWIC has grown to over 8000 members across all of America with more than 120 chapters. The Nashville Chapter alone has grown from 35 members to 180 in the past five years! This year marks the 66th year for Nashville’s NAWIC Chapter. NAWIC Nashville serves as a networking group for women in construction. The organization offers a community where women in construction and allies can experience comradery and understand each other’s experiences. NAWIC allows for the creation of symbiotic relationships between younger and older women in construction where both sides can learn.
Additionally, March 2nd-8th is Women in Construction (WIC) Week! WIC Week focuses on the visibility of the impact of women in the construction industry. The women involved form a community that strives to create a positive impact through charitable outreach. Brittany Buck has served as the Chair of the WIC Committee for the past three years. She explains that this year the Nashville chapter is partnering with local organizations that impact women’s issues, aid local women, and work with other skilled labor forces. This includes an event with Sleep in Heavenly Peace to build beds for young children, a virtual event with the American Heart Association regarding women’s health, and supporting Pathway Kitchen to help at-risk youth populations gain culinary training. Additionally, NAWIC will be running a period product drive to support local high school girls at risk of period poverty. If you would like to learn more about WIC Week or NAWIC Nashville, make sure to check out their website for more information!
You can also learn more about NAWIC by listening below!
