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Although Black people accounted for a large portion of the New York population, according to the United Census Bureau, for far too long, they have been left out of the ins and outs of a place rooted in our culture. It’s no secret that the Big Apple is known for its skyscrapers. Yet, not a single one that makes up the renowned New York City skyline has been constructed with a majority Black team — that is, until now. EBONY reports that for the first time ever, real estate developers have plans in motion to build the city’s first skyscraper with a majority Black-led team. “This is an opportunity to really create a paradigm shift and to start to build a Black economy that Black companies actually participate in and flourish,” said Craig Livingston, managing partner at Exact Capital. “On our side, as owners of a project, we can decide to spend a billion dollars with Black and Brown companies and for the economics to be shared and to be dissipated throughout specific communities.”
The architecture industry is not the easiest field to enter, especially when it comes to Black people. According to the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards’ annual report in 2018 , nonwhite architecture professionals are 25 percent more likely to stop pursuing licensure with a nonwhite professional that represents 45 percent of the participants in the Architectural Experience Program. Black women make up the smaller margin when it comes to diversity in the sector, but Deryl McKissack, owner of McKissack & McKissack , took a leap of faith, using her savings to start her career. “Architecture was in my blood,” the president and CEO told Black Enterprise . “I’m the fifth generation in our family to go into the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) business.” She also opens up about not being represented in the space and why it has always been so important for her to change that. “It is definitely a double-whammy, so the challenges have been many and...