Lavon Chambers is the Community Affairs Representative for Laborers’ Local 10. Local 10 is a new union in New York City and Long Island representing workers in the residential construction and energy efficiency industries. Local 10 is committed to creating green pathways out of poverty, working with community-based organizations, and building quality affordable housing. It is an affiliate of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) – a diverse union of over half a million skilled, trained construction workers.

Lavon and Local 10 are working to ensure that residential construction creates good union jobs for communities most in need. Through community-based partnerships, Lavon recently brought dozens of men and women of color from all over New York City into Local 10′s pilot Green Job Training Program. He has been with Local 10 since its inception two years ago and with LIUNA for over 13 years. This commitment to the union, he says, is not just about creating jobs. “Local 10 gives me the opportunity to bridge the two things I love doing most – getting people good jobs and strengthening communities.”

In addition to his work with Local 10, Lavon is an executive board member of the Mason Tenders District Council PAC and the Greater New York Laborers Employers Cooperation and Education Trust. He has been on the board of Urban Agenda since 2008. “When you work with Urban Agenda and the NYC Apollo Alliance, you come in contact with important organizations that you wouldn’t otherwise meet. Because of them, we have the allies we need to do our jobs right.”