We fight for
ecnomic inclusion,
jobs and justice
in St. Louis.
"Power and money make strange bedfellows. Getting our people on the job is one fight, getting them paid is another." --Makal Ali
ABOUT AABCA
The African American Business & Contractors Association (AABCA) is committed to creating new opportunities for Black businesses and contractors in the St. Louis area.
Founded in 2001, by brothers Makal Ali and Larry Muhammad Ali in response to the rampant disparities, bias and racism in contracting opportunities Blacks contractors. Though Larry joined the ancestors before the organization could take flight, Makal made a commitment to his brother to carry on the mission and AABCA began tackling the systemic racism by confronting those in power and calling out the contradictions.
AABCA is a fearless voice for inclusion and fairness. It fully supports a Black workforce by connecting people with contract opportunities in both the public and private sector.
Many projects fail to meet participation goals, which has a devastating impact on Black-owned businesses, contractors and suppliers. AABCA aims to address this gap by advocating for greater inclusion and providing access to projects that help drive economic growth in our community.
Our primary focus is to support the Black workforce by connecting contractors with job opportunities, ensuring that they can thrive and succeed in the construction industry. In addition, AABCA has a robust community outreach presence throughout the city of St. Louis, which includes food, clothing and toy giveaways, as well as youth development and job training programs.
LEADERSHIP
President & Co-Founder
MJ Painting, LLC
Email: MAli@aabcastl.org
Vice President
JW Masonary Specialties, Ltd.
Email: JWhite@aabcastl.org
Spokesperson
DLJ Construction Services LLC
Email: DJackson@aabcastl.org
We build wealth
for our people,
we fight for our
community.
WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO
The African American Business & Contractors Association (AABCA) has established a Watchlist to ensure sufficient participation from African American businesses and contractors. We are deeply concerned about the historical lack of compliance by the St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) in ensuring the city's inclusivity goals are met.
As a result, AABCA is committed to holding those responsible for a decline in Black participation accountable. Despite the significant incentives these projects receive, African American businesses and contractors continue to be overlooked, even though there are many highly qualified individuals and companies that can meet or exceed the minimal participation goals. We can no longer accept merely "good faith efforts.”
AABCA will continue to push for economic justice on all projects and provide regular updates on the progress they are achieving. Our work will persist until meaningful change is achieved.