Port releases “Taking Actions on Race
Dynamics” as a blueprint for change
The 25-Point report was created by management and employee collaboration
The Port Authority of New
York and New Jersey has released
Continue on page 8
AIRPORT VOICE, APRIL 2021 3
a comprehensive report
outlining 25 actions and
recommendations to be implemented
as the agency continues
working toward new
standards of excellence in
achieving racial and cultural
diversity in the workplace.
The plan, “Taking Action
on Race Dynamics,” is
the product of an extensive
eight-month review of race
dynamics at the agency including
several dozen extensive
employee listening sessions
and group interactions.
A 10-person leadership steering
committee of senior Port
Authority executives led the
development of the plan in the
wake of the horrific killing of
George Floyd last May and the
local and national demonstrations
for racial justice that followed.
“The Port Authority’s commitment
to implement the
25 initiatives recommended
by the Leadership Steering
Committee on Race Dynamics,
which we presented to the
Board, represents the agency’s
fulfillment of its pledge
to vigorously address race dynamics
within the Port Authority,”
said Port Authority
Chairman Kevin O’Toole.
“We want all of our employees
to feel empowered and be
supported so that they can
be their authentic selves in
the workplace.” proclaimed
Michael Massiah. who was
named as the agency’s first
Chief Diversity and Inclusion
Officer in December of 2017.
He commended the “Action
Teams,” the groups of employee
volunteers who contributed
to the review and facilitated
the development of the
initiatives, saying it “demonstrated
the value and strength
of diverse work teams and leveraged
the agency’s dynamic
and multicultural workforce
to lead efforts, collaborate,
elevate honest feedback and
shape thought-provoking programs.”
“This report sends an important
message to current
Port Authority employees,
our future workforce, and the
community, that diversity, equity
and inclusion are part of
the agency’s core values and
integral to our success,” said
Port Authority Commissioner
Leecia Eve.
The working groups identified
immediate, short- and
long-term recommendations
and initiatives in six key focus
areas that can lead to real
change:
Evolving Port Authority
culture; 2) Manager and employee
development; 3) Transparency
regarding Human
Resources practices and functions;
4) Police diversity and
enhanced best practices; 5)
The Port Authority as a good
community neighbor; and 6)
Demonstrating a commitment
through policy.
Some of the key initiatives
therein include the following:
Agency management training
courses and leadership development
programs will have
new course content to train
managers to mitigate unconscious
bias, practice non-discriminatory
behaviors and
manage diverse teams to affirmatively
cultivate, recognize
and celebrate a welcoming
and respectful work environment.
Mandatory anti-racism
training for all represented
and non-represented employees.
Complete overhaul of all
Port Authority recruitment
programs to ensure highly
qualified, diverse pools of applicants
for positions ranging
from entry-level, operations
and maintenance,
technical professionals, and
executives.
Port Authority Police Department
(PAPD) will implement
the use of body cameras
by PAPD officers, a policy generally
consistent with the approaches
taken by the New
Jersey and New York State
Police departments. Additionally,
PAPD will implement
best practice policies in policing,
including an updated
PAPD use of force policy and
new policies setting standards
for providing medical assistance
to arrestees. In addition,
the agency will also overhaul
and upgrade its recruitment
programs to strengthen diversity
in the police academy.
Three new initiatives to
promote diversity and upward
mobility in career professions,
such as administrative
Robert St. C Gaskin
Architect profile in diversity
Robert St. C Gaskin and his Architectural,
Interior Design and
Consulting Team, have been a tight
group for 25 years. Ironically, he had
an early passion for flying, but ended
not pursuing flying in permanent
profession, but doing a lot of work in
the Aviation Design Arena out of his
Office in Queens, which is nearby to
all three major NY Airports.
He had always wanted to pursue a
permanent career as a Pilot, but his
father, a very wise man, advised him
to have a back-up plan; “in case the
flying thing didn’t work out”; so, he
applied to Pratt Institute to pursue a
degree in Architecture. Gaskin continued
with flight school in New Jersey,
while at the same time studying
at Pratt and graduated in 1982 with a
BA in Architecture.
In 1986 he worked for Skidmore
Owings & Merrill in the Aviation
Design Studio, thereafter, joining
the Firm of ACB Architects, before
founding the Firm RCGA Architects
in 1996.
He relocated the firm from Manhattan
to Jamaica, Queens in 1998;
where he felt he could better provide
elevated professional service to the
many clients at the airports.
Gaskin credits the 35 year working
relationship and friendship that
has developed with the Firm’s Lead
and Senior Architects Ms. Martine
Duphrezin and Mr. Domenico Notarnicola
in playing the key ingredient
in navigate and elevating the Firm to
becoming versed in all aspects of Aviation
Architectural Master Planning
and Design. Gaskin’s passion for Aviation
made Airport Architecture a
natural transition and the Firm has
successfully completed numerous
Feasibility Studies, Design Programming,
Architectural and Interior Designs
and Construction Supervision
for a number of Projects throughout
the United States, Europe, and the
Caribbean. RCGA Architects has
successfully completed several Aviation
related Projects as “Architect of
Record” for Delta Air Lines, JFKIA,
American Airlines, El Al Airlines,
Alaska Airlines and Skywest Airlines
to name a few; and over 130 Retail
Stores and Airport Concessions
throughout the United States.
In Addition, RCGA Architects
was selected as Sub-Consultant to
STV, Inc on the design of the JFK
AirTrain System, and has completed
numerous projects as they relate to
cargo facilities, mixed-use residential,
hotel / restaurants / retail, academic
/ educational, airport developments
and houses of worship.
Gaskin has always ensured the
RCGA Architects Design Team is
fully diverse and inclusive; and furthermore,
they have always made it
a standard to include fellow M/WBE
Design Firms and also specify wherever
possible, local Queens based
Professional Consultants, Manufacturing
and Supply Companies
within every Project that they design
and successfully deliver. Gaskin
meets with hopeful business members
of the Queens Community who
wish to understand the process on
how to get certified for opportunities
at the Port Authority through
many local events, online seminars
and now virtual workshops; and he
has steered many local companies in
recommendation to pursue their M/
WBE and ACDBE Certification with
the Port Authority.
Gaskin has also expressed humble
credit to the Port Authority Office
of Diversity and Inclusion, Affirmative
Action Office, ASDO, JFK Chamber
of Commerce, GJDC, AMENY
and the JFK Rotary for the many
wonderful community outreach seminars
and networking events that
have been planned and hosted over
the years; as they have been a focal
point of one being able to meet the
many Stakeholders, Tenants and
Businesses with-in the Airport and
Queens Community.
RCGA Architects has made a distinct
point to “Pay It Forward”; and
this has been achieved over the years
in assisting High School Students
and Young Adults through direct
Community Internship, Mentor Programs
and the Dr. Robert Gaskin
Scholarship Foundation.