𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝘁. 𝗔𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁 𝗕𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗿

By Neter Kamani, Procurement Lead Advisor

On Thursday, July 30, I had the privilege of attending the Annual Mt. Ararat Church Job Fair in Brownsville, Brooklyn, on behalf of QuNet Construction Services.

The event was co-hosted by a distinguished roster of public officials, including Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Representative Yvette D. Clarke, NY State Senator Zellnor Myrie, Assemblywoman Latrice Walker, Assemblywoman Monique Chandler-Waterman, and NYC Council Member Darlene Mealy. It was inspiring to see key decision-makers at the federal, state, and local levels uniting right in the heart of the community to address economic development, living costs, and job creation.

During her remarks, Representative Yvette D. Clarke spoke directly about the affordability crisis impacting working families, from groceries and rent to energy expenses. She expressed her deep gratitude to the participating organizations and urged attendees to leverage the fair to connect with hiring partners right where they live. As I walked the fair and networked on-site, I was proud to see strong representation from key trade, labor, and economic empowerment organizations, including the New York State Police, the New York City & Vicinity District Council of Carpenters, the Carpenter Contractor Alliance of Metropolitan New York, and the Central Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation.

House Leader Hakeem Jeffries also took the stage to recognize Mt. Ararat’s Pastor Carter for his vision and leadership in bringing crucial resources directly to Ocean Hill-Brownsville. Leader Jeffries highlighted how impactful this annual event has been over the years in creating life-changing job opportunities, while reaffirming his ongoing commitment to expanding healthcare access and driving down the cost of living.

Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Representative Yvette D. Clarke, Council Member Darlene Mealy, Assemblywoman Monique Chandler-Waterman, and Assemblywoman Latrice Walker took the stage together to address attendees, afterwards each representative took time out for photo's and introductions. I requested a meeting with each of the politicians, and they warmly invited me to schedule follow-up discussions.

Beyond our presence at the community job fair, QuNet is actively preparing to present our political allies with a strategic policy agenda centered on promoting Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs). Under current state and federal laws that govern development projects, statutory mandates require that 22.5% of work be allocated to certified MWBE firms, but there is no legal requirement for MWBE owners or developers to hire residents from the specific local neighborhoods where projects take place. Moving forward, QuNet is urging our elected representatives to ensure a CBA is put in place for all proposed development projects during collective bargaining negotiations. A mandatory CBA directly bridges that gap by legally binding developers, prime contractors, and trade unions to hire, train, and retain workforce talent directly from the zip codes where the building is happening.

Seeing this grassroots momentum firsthand reinforces why our work at QuNet Construction Services is so vital. Through the QuNet Trade Partner Network, we actively build the ecosystem independent trade contractors need to scale and create local jobs. Our network offers contractors real, free value-add resources, including:

• Direct Pipeline & Capital Access: Prime contractor introductions, subcontractor match opportunities, strategic joint ventures, and face-to-face connections with construction lenders and surety professionals.

• Hands-on Business Development: Masterclasses and workshops on business scaling, compliance, accounting, safety, and navigating agency programs (such as the SCA, NYCHA, SBS, and SBA).

• Exclusive Member Networking: Invitation-only events connecting trade partners directly with top decision-makers, agency leaders, and developers to win larger contract tiers.

We bring the agencies, lenders, developers, and opportunities into one room so independent contractors can focus on building. Join the QuNet Trade Partner Network today to scale your business and help drive economic growth directly within our communities.