Construyendo Tulsa Workshop
Construyendo Tulsa (Building Tulsa) is an initiative developed in 2022 in response to the Hispanic contractor community in Tulsa, OK. Construction business owners approached a local Hispanic serving nonprofit, Avanzando Juntos, about difficulties with city registration, permitting, insurance, and building a project pipeline. Key challenges included communication barriers, technical hurdles, and digital obstacles. In response, Avanzando Juntos engaged Vamos to develop a Permit Guide in Spanish and assess the local Contractor Registration and Permitting system. Galera Consulting supported stakeholder engagement. During this process, additional areas impacting construction businesses were identified.
A 1-Day Interactive Workshop in Spanish was designed to serve as a Pilot Program, offering education on permits & inspections, operations and management practices, training on design standards and blueprint reading, and an intro to residential development for project or site ownership. 1:1 technical assistance to identify opportunities to scale, and resources for pathways to capital were also provided, including an overview of the Mi Gente Loan offered by Avanzando Juntos and presented by its Executive Director. Sessions were offered by active Hispanic industry professionals: Construction CEO, Project Manager, Planner, CPA, and Insurance-Bond Agent. Many of whom were women, offering a strong representation to the 40% of women participants in attendance who had roles in business development, estimating, management, planning, and architectural design. This Workshop took place 6/21/23 and received a positive response by participants, Hispanic service providers, and the construction community at large. Established general contractors with high project volume shared their interest in finding a solution to support their subcontractors with technical skills, as they have had a shortage of firms that are equipped to undertake various project phases.
Participants reported they felt equipped to pursue projects and operate a profitable small business, however expressed the need for ongoing training and guidance to overcome roadblocks that have hindered their growth and stability. To address these needs and bolster Hispanic business resiliency with capacity building and more inclusive economic mobility programs, Avanzando Juntos and Vamos seek to launch a Cohort Program for Construyendo Tulsa in 2024.
Avanzando Juntos will soon become the 2nd Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) in Tulsa, and the first to target Latinos. Onelia is a recent graduate of NALCAB’s 2023 Latino Executive Advancement & Development (LEAD) Fellowship.
The Construyendo Tulsa Workshop was possible thanks to support from TEDC Creative Capital.
