Los Angeles City Councilman Curren Price (Ninth District) has announced that 76 percent of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art’s construction workers live in L.A. County, more than double the project’s local hire goals.
On Sept. 16 from 10 – 11:30 a.m., Price along with the Lucas Museum and Hathaway Dinwiddie, will host their next public job fair at USC’s Galen Center, 3400 S. Figueroa St.
Since breaking ground on the museum’s 11-acre campus in Exposition Park in March 2018, the privately-funded project has employed 1,477 construction workers throughout various phases of construction. In addition to hiring local workers, the Lucas Museum has shown commitment to increasing the pipeline of small businesses and businesses owned by women, minorities, and veterans for consideration at various levels of construction and professional services.
To reach these goals, the museum and contractor Hathaway Dinwiddie have hosted and participated in community construction outreach events in partnership with Price’s office.
“I applaud the Lucas Museum’s investment in our community and their creation of opportunities for local workers and businesses to be part of this project,” said Price, whose Ninth District includes the Lucas Museum. “My office works to make sure new projects in Council District 9 include meaningful investments in the community, including local hiring. Not only do these major projects provide job growth, but they have a tremendous economic development impact within the district. This project is a model not just for Los Angeles, but for the country.”
“We are committed to ensuring construction opportunities are accessible to qualified businesses that have historically been underrepresented in the construction field—from women to minorities and veterans,” said Germonique Ulmer, managing director of external affairs at the Lucas Museum. “Consistent with the values of the museum and our founders, the Lucas Museum seeks to inspire positive change in how institutions engage and partner in communities starting with construction and throughout the establishment of the museum.”
“This is an excellent beginning to what will be one of the most significant projects in L.A. history,” said Ron Miller, executive secretary at the Los Angeles and Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council.
The Lucas Museum, Hathaway Dinwiddie, and Price’s office have engaged in robust community outreach efforts to expand the pool of local and diverse candidates and businesses. The project has participated in numerous community events and has hosted four outreach events which were attended by local businesses and more than 1,000 job-seekers, many of whom were new to construction or not yet part of a union. The project has partnered on recruitment efforts with community partners including Slate Z, L.A. Trade-Tech, the City of L.A., local unions, and other workforce development nonprofits.
“We attended the Lucas Museum’s outreach event last year,” said Jennifer Wiltz, president of SMS Transportation Services, a South L.A. transportation subcontractor. “It’s incredible to be working on this major project in our backyard. We’ve had eight staff working for the museum construction site for more than 6,000 hours over the past year and a half and can’t wait to bring our team and their families to the museum when it opens.”
In addition to booths from the project’s general contractor and subcontractors, the hiring fair will feature a presentation by museum staff and a presentation by union representatives on how to access union jobs. Job-seekers will have the opportunity after the presentations to talk with museum staff, representatives from Hathaway Dinwiddie, and subcontractors. This event is free and open to all those interested in a career in construction.
Founded by philanthropist and filmmaker George Lucas and his wife, Mellody Hobson, co-CEO and president of Ariel Investments, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art will inspire current and future generations through the universal art of visual storytelling. The museum will present permanent collection and rotating exhibitions for diverse public audiences which will feature illustrations, paintings, comic art, photography, and an in-depth exploration of the arts of filmmaking (including storyboards, costumes, animation, visual effects, and more). Extensive education programming designed for all ages will explore innovative ways for visitors to engage with narrative art. Designed by renowned architect Ma Yansong of MAD Architects with architect of record Stantec and under construction in Los Angeles’ Exposition Park, the museum will feature new public green space, state-of-the-art cinematic theaters, a research library, numerous spaces for onsite education, restaurants, retail, and event spaces.
For more details and to RSVP for the job fair, visit https://bit.ly/2m7zb1I.
