ebruary heralds the celebration of Black History Month calling into focus the incredible accomplishments of African American men and women who broke the mold, surged forward past the most daunting odds to bring hope, peace, voice, and advancement to our nation.
Also in February we celebrate the relationships we have and those who stand beside us in our struggles and successes.
We celebrate athletes and teams who have faced many battles to get to the Olympic games and the superbowl.
When asked to give the inspiration for tonight’s meeting I`d like to add to our ongoing celebrations.
I’d like to celebrate the strength of our construction industry associations and organizations, the resources and relationships we have at our right hand as members of NAWIC and ASPE, and the future that will come from NAWIC and ASPE’s long term commitment to supporting construction professionals, encouraging those new to the industry and supporting their efforts in seeking education, mentoring and community involvement.
While our associations and its members are seeing struggles of various influences whether it be pandemic related, industry related, or, personal, I remember the words of Maya Angelou
Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise.
The words of Michael Jordan, six-time NBA champion and five-time MVP
“Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” –..
Peyton Manning, two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback
“The most valuable player is the one that makes the most players valuable.” —
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
“It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret.” ―
And finally Tommy Lasorda (USA Baseball Manager, Olympic gold medalist)
“In baseball and in business, there are three types of people. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen, and those who wonder what happened.” –
May you reignite your relationships with those around you, and your commitment to rise, make others valuable, and make things happen.