“This isn’t just about programming for us. This is about a group of people called to action on something we are very passionate about, and we felt we had no choice but to do something.” – Serena Sayani, Diversity and Inclusion Co-Chair
In the moments, days and weeks since the death of George Floyd, many of our members have felt a similar call to action. Leading this charge for our organization is the Diversity and Inclusion committee. They have put together two events: A Candid Discussion about Racial Barriers in Commercial Real Estate, on June 30, and, in partnership with the Programs Committee, our July breakfast on Race and Real Estate, on July 15. Both panels are intended to shed light on the intersections between race and real estate through discussion of the history of real estate laws across the country, and to spark thoughtful dialogue with industry leaders on how to make positive changes to alleviate racial inequities in our communities and the built environment.
We promised to educate ourselves, our members and the CRE community about the intersections of race and real estate. In addition to organizing panel discussions with key stakeholders, the Diversity and Inclusion committee has begun to populate a list of suggested content, including books, podcasts and movies, that helps provide insight into the intricate issues surrounding race that people have questions about. Topics include code-switching, unconscious bias, how race specifically impacts the built environment, and much more. The intent is to enhance the conversations industry members are having now, both in our offices and in the greater industry, and to deepen our understanding of these issues as they impact our lives and our communities. The resources are as relevant for established industry leaders as they are for graduates entering the field. This blog post is the first of several we will share over the summer that will highlight different suggestions for members to explore. We believe this content will support our ability to have honest dialogues and engagements that will ultimately allow us to confront racism in CRE.
Here’s what we’re reading, watching and listening to this summer.
Articles:
- The Racist Housing Policy That Made Your Neighborhood
- America’s Cities Were Designed to Oppress
- 97 Things White People Can Do For Racial Justice
- One Black employee’s answer to “How can I help?”
- As a Black woman, I can’t ever stop thinking about racism. It’s not a choice; it’s my reality.
Books:
- The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein
- So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Olou
- White Fragility by Robin Diangelo
Family Books:
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (ages 13+)
- One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams Garcia (ages 11+)
- Something Happened in Our Town by Ann Hazzard, Marianne Celano and Marietta Collins (ages 4+)
TV & Movies:
Podcasts:
Again, our hope is that this content will allow us to continue to do our part in extinguishing racism. If you would like to join the NAIOP D&I Committee or have suggested resources please reach out to [email protected].