What can I do? That is the question. It can create overwhelm because, really, there is so much you can do. Where do you start?
Commit.
That’s where you start. And then keep committing. As with anything you care about, it will continue to be important to you and you’ll continue to find new ways to be better, to do better.
Resources are helpful to get you started. As you work through resources and find ones to dig into please remember the importance of engaging in conversation and reviewing what you’ve taken in, unlearned, realized you never learned, heard in a new way, or were able to see in a different way. Part of the process is unpacking your stuff with someone you trust, someone who is willing to go on the journey with you and support you as you navigate it.
Sara Alvarado* is available for workshops, teachings, facilitated conversations, video viewings and talkbacks, presentations, keynote speaking, panels, and regularly offer leadership circles, and courses for Realtors, Brokerages, and Associations. Visit this link for ways to work with me.
As you seek more learning and growth opportunities, please consider these areas:
- Self-development. Learn about biases, internalized racism, how white culture and white privilege impacts ourselves and our relationships, learned beliefs, socialization and power dynamics.
- Historical context. Learn the REAL history. Take a class, read a book, listen to an in-depth podcast. Read the book, The Color of Law.
- Follow the money. Donate, contribute, where are you spending your money (Learn and support about Black Owned Businesses)? Know where your money goes.
- Question everything about business as usual. Get out of judgment and into curiosity.
Book/Reading
– The Color of Law, A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America, by Richard Rothstein
– An Indigenous People’s History of the United States, by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
– Article: A Case for Reparations by Ta-Nehisi Coates
– JPMorgan employee, investigation, This Is What Racism Sounds Like in the Banking Industry
– Article: Black Poverty Is Rooted in Real-Estate Exploitation,
– Article: Brokers Get Candid About Race in a New Study.
Podcasts/Videos
– Newsday Investigation Report – Watch the documentary – 40 minutes
– Race: The Power of Illusion The House We Live In Video (3rd video) – 1 hour
– Segregated by Design – Watch the video – 17 minutes
– NPR Code Switch: podcast
– Scene on Radio: Seeing White Podcast
Engage in Conversations
Learn and practice having more effective conversations about race. Sara Alvarado leads you through 7 guided conversations designed to help you engage in open dialogue about race-related topics in this free email series, or download the full pdf in the Free Resources section. Hire Sara and her team for a Workshop designed specifically for Talking About Race: Challenging Conversations for Realtors. This is an interactive and engaging workshop (via zoom) where participants learn, practice with partners, and leave with tools to engage in more effective conversations.
Website
– PolicyLink (Housing): a national research and action institute advancing racial and economic equity
– NAREB: The National Association of Real Estate Brokers, Inc. (NAREB) was founded in Tampa, Florida, in 1947 as an equal opportunity and civil rights advocacy organization for African American real estate professionals, consumers, and communities in America.
It may seem overwhelming but it doesn’t need to be. Commit to something every week and put it on your calendar and then make it a priority. When you have a plan, you are more likely to succeed.
It’s time to take responsibility and change the narrative.
*Sara Alvarado has worked in the real estate industry for 20+ years as a Leasing Agent, REALTOR/Salesperson, Residential Broker/Owner, Real Estate Investor, multi-unit and commercial property owner, Real Estate Trainer and Coach. Sara began working in the racial justice arena in 2014 and is the co-founder of Step Up: Equity Matters and is a trained facilitator, teacher, speaker, coach, and consultant with a way of speaking fiery passion with love.
“Sara Alvarado offers the real estate industry a wide range of knowledge and passion for real estate and social justice. Her work to deepen diversity and inclusion efforts for Realtors, Brokerages, and Associations is innovative and important work that we all need as the future of real estate continues to change. I highly recommend her insights and teachings.” ~James R. Imhoff, Jr, Chairman of First Weber Group, a Berkshire Hathaway Affiliate
