Strength and Sisterhood, From SF to Chicago
Tradeswomen Build Nations conference brings the solidarity, inspires our sisters
Don’t underestimate Rovelea Cabiles just because she’s a woman.
“I try to show them out,” laughed the three-year member of Sprinkler Fitters Local 483 of whenever a male counterpart thinks she’s not up to a task. “You show them what you got, and then they just got nothing to say after that.”
That determination carried Cabiles to Chicago in September for her third Tradeswomen Build Nations conference — the world’s largest gathering of women in the building trades. This year’s event drew more than 6,000 attendees over three days of speakers, workshops, and networking, all under the banner of sisterhood.
“Every year it gets better — more women in the trades, more attendees,” Cabiles said. “It’s a great experience, especially being a female in the trades.”
For Osha Ashworth, assistant business manager with IBEW Local 6, the conference is also an opportunity to learn, listen, and bring ideas back home. A 28-year member of her local, Ashworth has spent nearly a decade as a business representative and the last three years in her current leadership role.
At this year’s conference, she attended sessions on mental health and childcare. One speaker, in particular, stuck with her: a woman who had aged out of foster care and found not only a stable career but a sense of belonging through work in the trades.
“I see a lot of younger people in their careers who are out mingling and making connections — finding people to lean on when they’re having issues, people who can help and give advice,” Ashworth said. “There’s a lot of friendship and solidarity that grows out of this.”
Photo: Tradeswomen Build Nations via Facebook
The conference’s 2025 theme, “She’s Not Waiting, She’s Leading,” reflected that sense of empowerment, said Marina Zhavoronkova, executive director of TradesFutures, the nonprofit that now organizes the event.
Said Zhavoronkova: “We had a lot of really beautiful and powerful personal stories during the event this year — women from all walks of life who found a place for themselves [...] within the trades [also] found a sisterhood and other women who were able to support them. We see a lot of women who are able to create that community locally, but then they come to Tradeswomen Build Nations and they build that community nationally.”
Zhavoronkova said that one of the highlights was seeing national building trades leadership, including North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) President Sean McGarvey, address the crowd.
“It’s just really important to see not only your sisters in the room but to actually see your leadership showing up for you, and showing everyone that there’s a place and that this is very important to the building trades overall,” Zhavoronkova said. “It’s really just showing the commitment that the building trades have towards supporting members from all walks of life.”
TradeFutures is a national nonprofit organization established by NABTU and industry partners to expand access to union apprenticeships and careers.
Zhavoronkova characterized the women’s conference as a flagship event.
“If you are one of a few women on a jobsite, you don’t necessarily know that there are thousands — tens of thousands — more of you out there, and so this type of experience really shows folks that they’re not just alone,” she said. “They’re part of a movement, and they’re part of a bigger picture to really drive access to the building trades.”
For Cabiles, who joined the trades at her sister’s urging, that message resonates. She hopes to take what she’s learned back to her own local and become more active in the union community.
“I want to network,” Cabiles said. “I want to get out there. I want to be known. I want to make a difference.”