Not only are we here today with a message of peace, we are here today clearly opposed to racism and discrimination in all its forms as a direct expression of that love. We acknowledge the effects of systemic racism against the Black community in every respect. Not only do we stand in solidarity, we stand for change.
As Realtors we cannot allow our neighborhood boundaries to signify the dividing line between prosperity and death. Our history as a trade is tainted with discrimination through redlining, steering, and other tactics designed to exclude the Black community from the upsides, practices still widely documented to be taking place today.
We are committed to working towards racial equality by demanding more from our public servants and challenging the inherent biases in all of us. In our slice of the world that means educating our Realtors about the past while designing an equitable path to the future. It means listening to our colleagues, friends, and neighbors and then creating meaningful change.
Additional Resources
140+ Black Owned Businesses to Support in Denver
303 Magazine | Jun 1, 2020
As the protests against police brutality continue on, it’s more important than ever to look at ways Denver can support its Black community. 303 Magazine compiled a list of every black-owned business they could find in the city limits of Denver, but this is in no way definitive and will be updated regularly.
100+ Black Owned Businesses to Support in Oklahoma
Oklahoma Black Business Directory
Research has found that if higher-income Black consumers spent at least $1 out of every $10 with Black-owned businesses, it would generate one million jobs for African Americans. The Oklahoma Black Business Directory wants to first make an effort to provide visibility into the plethora of options available in our community. Our goal is to be an easily accessible place to find Black owned businesses that offer products and services you need.
What It’s Like To Be Black In America Right Now
Colorado Public Radio | Jun 2, 2020
Five black Coloradans from different walks of life share their experience in America right now: Elisabeth Epps of the Colorado Freedom Fund; State Representative Leslie Herod; Adrian Miller, head of the Colorado Council of Churches; Murphy Robinson, director of the Denver Department of Public Safety, which oversees the city’s police, sheriff & fire departments; and poet and speaker Theo Wilson. They reflect on the protests, both peaceful and destructive, that have followed the death of George Floyd.
The Tangled Knot of Race, Class, Education, & Real Estate
Genuine Hustle Tacoma | Nov 10, 2016
Nate Bowling was honored as Washington's Teacher of the Year and as a finalist for National Teacher of The Year in 2016. He’s used his publicity to discuss education, policy, race and segregation, politics, and much more. At the Genuine Hustle Conference in Tacoma he speaks to agents about their role.
Long Island Divided: Undercover investigation reveals unequal treatment
Newsday | Nov 17, 2019
In one of the most concentrated investigations of discrimination by real estate agents in the half century since enactment of America’s landmark fair housing law, Newsday found evidence of widespread separate and unequal treatment of minority potential homebuyers and minority communities on Long Island.
Mapping Inequality: Redlining in New Deal America
Digital Scholarship Lab | University of Richmond
A set of maps that illustrate the discriminatory New Deal-era housing policies that fueled generations of urban inequality. The lines they helped draw, based in large part on the belief that the presence of blacks and other minorities would undermine property values, altered what would happen in these communities for years to come.
Tulsa Race Massacre: Black Wall Street
Tulsa Society and History Museum | Oklahoma
The 1921 Attack on Greenwood was one of the most significant events in Tulsa’s history. Following World War I, Tulsa was recognized nationally for its affluent African American community known as the Greenwood District. This thriving business district and surrounding residential area was referred to as “Black Wall Street.” In June 1921, a series of events nearly destroyed the entire Greenwood area.
The Time For Polite Conversations is Over – Black Lives Matter
Team Diva Blog | Jun 2, 2020
”Team Diva stands with the protestors who are fighting for justice in the BIPOC community over the global pandemic, soaring unemployment, and anger about other recent killings, especially George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. We’ve seen widespread civil disobedience over the last week. This time it is clear that people of all walks have officially HAD IT with police violence and the inequity inflicted on the Black/Brown Community.”
How to Be an Ethical Agent in an Age of Rampant Housing Discrimination
Inman News | Dec 5, 2019
Chavi Hohm is a real estate broker and activist deeply passionate about Seattle, politics, her community, and Team Diva.
“In the wake of the 'Newsday' findings, Realtor leadership has shown that change won’t come from the top down. It’s up to individuals to make change. Realtors risk being obsolete by not changing to address racism and discrimination in our industry.”
When We Are Silent, We Are Complicit: Doing nothing isn’t an option
Inman News | Jun 1, 2020
Teresa Boardman is a broker and owner of Boardman Realty in St. Paul, Minn. She writes at StPaulRealEstateBlog.com and she is an avid photographer (her photo below).
“We created an unjust system. It took a few centuries, and now we have to fix it. If we don’t, things are going to get a whole lot worse. Doing nothing isn’t an option. Quoting Martin Luther King Jr. isn’t enough. Taking a knee and protesting doesn’t seem to be working either. I think all of us have some hard work ahead of us. We can start now.”
