CHICAGO CRUSADER: Chicago, IL–Omar Shareef, president and founder of the African American Contractors Association (AACA), is hosting its 31st annual membership gala Wednesday, March 26, 2025, from 5 p.m.-9 p.m. at the South Shore Cultural Center, 7059 S. South Shore Drive, featuring City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin as the keynote speaker.
Rev. Jesse. L. Jackson, Sr., who will be a special guest of AACA, will also be present. He has been a mentor of Shareef for decades and taught him how to fight for social justice including the art of negotiating for African American inclusion on the city’s numerous construction sites.
“Rev. Jackson understands what it means to even the playing field, and we are the epitome of that,” said Shareef. ‘We have been fighting for African American men and women and the minority to makes sure we get our fair share and to make sure that the playing field is even when we come to contracting for professional services and goods in our communities. “
These are the reasons why AACA is holding this event in “Women’s History Month,” where he is also honoring young men. “Women have been in the forefront in making sure we are getting our fair share of contracts in the city, state and the United States.”
AACA’s 2025 membership theme represents one of unity and inclusion, “We Must Continue to Fight for our Seat at the Table.”
And that has been the mission of Shareef who through partnering with prominent construction companies, has been able to place African American construction workers on numerous projects throughout the city of Chicago.
While Shareef established the AACA IN 1989, it was just a few years ago the presence of Black construction workers was minimal. That was unacceptable to Shareef who has since increased his advocacy for jobs, contracts and business development in the African American community.
He also continues his mission to remove the walls of division from corporations and municipalities that were often barriers to African American construction employment, and he is creating even more bridges of opportunity.
And that is why Shareef invited Treasurer Conyears-Ervin to keynote this year’s event. She is the first elected City Treasurer in Chicago in more than 20 years. Her predecessors were appointed to the office.
She oversees a budget of more than $10 billion and also serves as an ex-officio trustee for the four City Pension funds—Laborers’ & Retirement Annuity and Benefit Fund; Firemen’s Annuity & Benefit Fund; Chicago Policemen’s Annuity & Benefit Fund and the Municipal employees’ Annuity & Benefit Fund.
Conyears-Ervin is a former Illinois State Representative where she sponsored legislation providing $221 million to fund the Chicago Public. Schools.
Content courtesy of Crusader Staff
