Roofing as a “dream facilitator”: Inspiring the roofers of tomorrow

By Jenny Yu. 

Learn how the world’s first museum dedicated to roofing is instilling excitement in youth about the roofing industry. 

When Donavan (Don) Morgan was a kid, he wanted to be a firefighter. He didn’t think he would end up in roofing like his dad, and he never thought he would open a museum. But after finding himself in the industry, he realized how roofing was the perfect way for him to combine his creativity and competitive spirit to achieve his dreams, building his own company, Roofs by Don.  

Now, Don wants to share the benefits of working in the roofing industry with the youth in the Atlanta, Georgia community by opening The Roof Museum, the world’s first museum dedicated to roofing. 

“When you grow up, no one wants to be a roofer,” Don shared in an episode of Roofing Road Trips®. “You think the old guy, dirty construction boots. People want to be police officers or firefighters, but you never hear someone say they want to be a roofer. I wanted to change that.” 

Don created The Roof Museum to raise awareness of the importance of the skilled trades and roofing industry. Some ways The Roof Museum engages the local youth is through community events like their annual Roofer Block Party, which initially hosted 50 people and is expecting 500 at the one upcoming. Complete with bounce houses and the Home Depot Kids Workshop, this event excites kids about careers in roofing. “The kids are all out there, and at the end of it they say, ‘I want to be a roofer,’” Don expressed.  

In creating the world’s first roofing museum and hosting community events, Don is infusing excitement and energy into the industry, attracting more young people to the trades. 

“The most common misconception about roofing is that roofing is a dream killer. Roofing is not a dream killer; it's a dream facilitator,” Don stated. “It can help you gain financial freedom, so then you can do what you want to do. For instance, I like music. I can make songs every single day because roofing is helping me facilitate what I like to do.” 

Read the transcript, Listen to the full episode or Watch the whole recording to learn more about how Roofs by Don and the Roof Museum are changing the roofing landscape to inspire the youth.