Long Beach nonprofit hosts 'Signing Day' to draw women of color into construction careers

LONG BEACH, Calif. — A Long Beach-based nonprofit is working to push more women of color into architecture, construction and engineering careers, where female representation has remained stubbornly low even as women make up nearly half of the broader U.S. labor force.

DemoChicks, founded by environmental and safety consultant Robin Thorne, will host a "Women in STEM Signing Day" at Long Beach City College on May 30. The event is modeled on the high-profile signing ceremonies used by collegiate athletic programs, aiming to generate the same level of recognition and excitement for young women entering technical fields.

Thorne also runs CTI Environmental, a multimillion-dollar consulting firm that was contracted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to handle debris removal after the recent Los Angeles wildfires. She said women still account for fewer than one in four workers across architecture, construction and engineering, and women of color make up a far smaller share. That gap stands out against the broader workforce, where roughly 47 percent of U.S. workers are women.

She described continuing to encounter bias on job sites despite nearly two decades running her own company. In some meetings, she said, contractors initially avoid eye contact with her and direct questions to male colleagues until those colleagues defer back to her as the lead.

Thorne, who grew up in Philadelphia and worked through periods as a single mother on public assistance, said her own path informed the program's emphasis on early exposure and visible role models. DemoChicks runs hands-on workshops, mentorship sessions and employer-connection events designed to give young women of color direct contact with construction and engineering employers before they make career decisions.

The May 30 event at Long Beach City College is free and open to participants from across Southern California.