Given his line of work, Daronte Rollins understands that the key to long-term success is building a strong foundation. With support from the Virigina Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) Pathways to Careers (Pathways) program, he’s done exactly that—for not only buildings, but also his own career.
Currently, Daronte is a Construction Project Manager at Maggie Walker Community Land Trust (MWCLT) in Richmond, Virginia, which develops and stewards affordable homeownership opportunities for low-income families using the Community Land Trust model. In support of this mission, Daronte oversees day-to-day operations for both new builds and renovations, working closely with MWCLT’s general contractors to ensure everything is built to expected standards, on time and within budget. On any given day, he might be in the office or meeting on project sites with builders or other contractors. He also meets frequently with colleagues on MWCLT’s home ownership team to discuss homebuyers’ needs.
“I’m still learning the role, but basically it’s about relationship building and being able to communicate with the many different stakeholders involved in the whole process,” he says. “Whether it’s contractors, homebuyers or community members, if they have questions about our projects, I talk to them.”
Daronte joined the MWCLT team in November 2023. Prior to that, he was a Program Specialist with the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), a job he obtained with the assistance of DARS, which provides a wide range of vocational rehabilitation services to Virginians with disabilities. Daronte, who sustained a spinal cord injury in a motor vehicle accident in 2014, has paraplegia and uses a wheelchair for mobility.
When, after a period of time working for DHCD, Daronte wanted to explore opportunities for advancement, he again got in touch with DARS, which identified him as a candidate for its Pathways to Careers (Pathways) program. Funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Pathways helps Virginians with disabilities prepare for and succeed in meaningful careers with potential for increased earnings and advancement over the long term. Among other sectors, the program focuses on state government employment, leveraging Virginia’s innovative Alternative Hiring Process (AHP). While involved in this process, the job opening with MWCLT came up, however, and Daronte jumped at the opportunity.
“I was looking for a more robust role, with more room for growth and opportunities to build my resume,” he says. “I’ve always been in affordable housing and construction, and based on my prior jobs, I was aware of the organization’s mission and how it would allow me to combine the two. It worked out well. I was very interested in the role they had open, and they were interested in what I had to offer as well.”
Once on the job, DARS’ Pathways staff continued to support Daronte, for example, by helping him obtain needed vehicle modifications and portable ramps to use on construction sites, where people are sometimes surprised to find themselves working with someone who uses a wheelchair, he says. Currently, Pathways is also helping him learn to use drone technology to view and inspect spaces not accessible to him. This technology will also help others he works with—whether they have a disability or not—by facilitating access to rooftops and other high places. “It’ll be a game changer,” he says.
These supports exemplify the benefits of working with the Pathways team, Daronte says. “It’s about creativity. I’ve worked with skilled individuals [at DARS] who really put themselves in my shoes to help me accomplish my goals, identifying different processes and technologies so I can do my job well,” he says. “I encourage anybody to work in partnership with this program to identify their strengths and what they can accomplish. I want to be held to the same expectations as everyone else, and they’ve helped me maximize my potential for success, both short and long term.”
Indeed, what Daronte likes best about his job is the opportunity to have a positive impact on individuals and families, now and for years to come. “I’m very passionate about homeownership and affordable housing and how the two intersect, and I want to be in this sector long term, building affordable and accessible housing for the communities we work in and serve,” he says, noting that when it comes to accessibility, he brings both professional and personal perspective that benefits MWCLT’s homebuyers.