Meet the Black Woman From Detroit Making History in Heavy Demolition and Construction

Nationwide — Meet Lauren Davis, a proud African American woman from Detroit, Michigan, who’s defying stereotypes as a heavy equipment operator, making her the first woman in her company to do so.

“You might come across a few men who might say, ‘Hey, you should be at home with the kids cooking and cleaning,’ but hey, I want to make money too; I have to pay bills and take care of my kids,” Davis told Click on Detroit.

As a little girl, Davis was inspired by her father’s work in construction. Since then, it has been her childhood dream to take on the job.

“It was just something embedded in me as a little girl, and I just said I’m going to be in that machine one day,” she said.

Moreover, Davis’ dream came true when she got a job as an excavator at Gayanga Co., a company contracted for demolitions across Detroit.