Over the years, I’ve always enjoyed meeting the keynote speakers at the countless industry events I’ve had the good fortune to attend. This one will always stand out.
I had the pleasure of meeting Charlie Kirk at Win The Storm in August – just three weeks before his horrific and very public assassination. I wrote my first recap of his keynote remarks to the hundreds of roofing contractors in attendance, focusing on his wit, his words of inspiration, and overwhelming support for the skilled trades.
His death has weighed heavily on me ever since. And now, reflecting on being at what was one of his final public appearances, I keep going back to one moment. Ironically, during the Q&A portion of Kirk’s presentation, a contractor stood up and said, “First and foremost, I want to pray for God’s blessing and protection on you. You’re putting yourself in harm’s way sometimes.” Those words have been hard to shake.
No matter what your beliefs are or political affiliation, no one should be assassinated – murdered in cold blood. Ever.
I’ll be honest, I didn’t fully realize who Charlie was until Josey Parks confirmed him as the keynote at Win the Storm. It turns out my teenage daughter is a super fan of Kirk’s podcast, but it wasn’t until then that I dug in, researched, and watched countless clips of his public speaking that I began to understand why he captured the hearts and minds of so many young people.
Like many in roofing and construction, he did not go to college and became very successful. He never forgot that while mobilizing students at university campuses across the country. When Josey introduced us backstage in Dallas, he couldn’t have been more pleasant, and humble for that matter — sharing a hearty laugh with me upon learning that there indeed is a Roofing Contractor Magazine that’s served the industry for more than four decades.
Charlie reminded us of the value of wisdom found in everyday work. Saying he would “trust the wisdom of a roofer over a Ph.D. from Harvard.” That line hit home because in our industry, experience and grit will always matter more than titles.
Preaching Patience
But the part of his talk that stayed with me most was his perspective on illegal immigration. He admitted that he’s realizing our country doesn’t have the stomach for mass deportations. And yet, this was exactly what President Donald Trump promised during his campaign. Charlie didn’t shy away from asking the crowd the hard question either: “Are you hiring illegal immigrants?” The silence in the room was telling. Then, with his sharp wit, he added: “Can I assume everyone in here is committing a felony?” The tension broke, and a huge laugh and applause spread across the audience.
He pressed the issue further, suggesting, “Maybe we can agree that if you came here in the last four years, you need to go. But we here in the U.S. have immigration laws that nobody else has — we are a very generous country. A lot of us came here the right way, but I think we can agree this generosity has been taken advantage of.”
Charlie called this upcoming period of increased immigration enforcement a “season of change.” His ask was simple: give it a season — 12 months — to run this deportation program, and then revisit the conversation. I’ve read media reports of ICE raids, and yes, they are scary. But as an industry, should we be willing to adopt Charlie’s idea and give it some time? Perhaps, a year?
More importantly, how can we take the ideas and communication style Kirk used to create a movement across this country with our youth, and implement them to draw the next generation into our industry? We need to keep talking about our issues in construction. I’ve heard Charlie say many times: when people stop talking, things fall apart.
Just as every roof takes time, skill, and patience to build the right way, so does navigating challenges like these. As contractors, your perspective, patience, and persistence will be just as important in shaping how we respond, both within our workforce and in the conversations that drive our industry forward.
Charlie, we thank you for addressing the roofing industry and challenging our thinking. You will be missed!
