Civil rights training for state highway and transportation officials and professionals June 5-8

Civil rights professionals, transportation officials and industry representatives from across the country are gathering in Alexandria this week for the annual meeting of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) National Civil Rights Training Symposium.

“Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) play an important role in transportation projects across the commonwealth and the country, and this event helps grow their successes, which in turn strengthens transportation initiatives,” Virginia Secretary of Transportation Aubrey Layne was quoted as saying in a press release.

During the four-day event hosted by AASHTO in partnership with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), attendees will have the opportunity to build beneficial relationships, highlight successes and share best practices through the symposium’s theme: Civil Rights: Bridging Access, Equity, and Equality through Multimodal Transportation.

“The symposium is an opportunity to enhance skills and increase knowledge, and it will be a rewarding learning experience as we move toward the goal of accessibility, equity, and equality in all modes of transportation,”  Deputy Secretary of Transportation Grindly Johnson was quoted as saying.

Grindley also serves as the chairwoman of the AASHTO Subcommittee on Civil Rights.

The symposium will feature a variety of topics, including civil rights basics for newcomers, the DBE Academy, developing effective affirmative action plans, implementing best practices and all the tools needed to run successful DBE programs.

Governor Terry McAuliffe, Deputy Secretary Johnson and Irene Rico, Federal Highway Administration Acting Associate Administrator for Civil Rights, were to have made remarks at the conference at the Westin Hotel, 400 Courthouse Square in Alexandria, this morning, June 6, beginning at 8:30 a.m.