In 2021, the Kentucky REALTORS® Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee was created. It is tasked with promoting diversity and unity within KYR membership, as well as educating REALTORS® on how to be more inclusive with peers and clients alike.
Our Mission: To promote a passionate and committed organization that celebrates and embraces the uniqueness of each member within The Kentucky REALTORS.
Upcoming DEI Event:
Fair Housing Event -
Book Club at Summer Retreat -
Open Books, Open Minds Book Club in-person discussion at KYR Summer Retreat June 27-30.
___________________________________________________________________
Open Books, Open Minds Book Club
KYR Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee's book club, Open Books, Open Minds was created to encourage a healthy conversation between REALTORS® from all walks of life. As our association grows and continues to diversify, it is important that we provide open discussions on matters that have been historical taboos, uncomfortable, or simply unfamiliar.
Open Books, Open Minds Book Club meets via Zoom on the 4th Thursday of each month at noon EST. All Realtors® are welcome to join our conversations led by members of the DEI committee. If you are interested in becoming a book club member, click here to JOIN TODAY!
Upcoming Book and Discussion:
Long Island Divided (13 part series of articles)
For the next couple of months (April and May), we'll be taking on a new approach to our reading and turn our heads to a set of articles from Newsday, a news source out of Long Island and NYC. These articles cover a recent three-year investigation conducted in one of the nation's most segregated suburbs. The evidence shows widespread unequal treatment towards potential minority homeowners and minority communities on Long Island, NY.
Parts 1-7, click here.
Parts 8-13, click here
2022 Book List:
On March 24th we finished our conversation over Undaunted, by Tonya Biank. Conversation was led by REALTOR member, SSG(P) Donna Gregorich. SSG Gregorich served in the US Army for 8 years. She was recognized as Distinguished Leadership Award Recipient for both Primary Leadership Development and NonCommissioned Officer Academy. After receiving certification of the H identifier (Instructor), SSG Gregorich would take the position of Trainer of NonCommissioned Officer's with a focus on Hand to Hand Combat Proficiency. During an academic and fitness selection of 60 soldiers for Advanced Party Deployment to the Middle East, SSG Gregorich would deploy with the 82nd Airborne Division as the only female. Her deployment of 6 months would be involuntarily extended for the government's benefit an additional 8 months prior to returning to the US. During her next assignment to the Military Entrance Processing Station, she would compete for the next year for the prestigious recognition of "Soldier of the Year" - an award that she proudly accepted.
2021 Book List:
WE WANT YOUR REQUESTS. If you have any future book suggestions, please email Suzanne Reeves at sreeves@kyrealtors.com
Here are links to past meetings:
The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America: by Richard Rothstein
What If I Say the Wrong Thing?: 25 Habits for Culturally Effective People, by Verna A. Myers
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, By Isabel Wilkerson
The book of pride: LGBTQ Heroes who changed the world, by mason funk
Undaunted, by Tonya Biank
If you would like to unsubscribe to Open Books, Open Minds Book Club email notifications, click here.
______________________________________________________________
ZOOM Backgrounds: (right-click to save)
_______________________________________________________________
DEI EDUCATION
Fair Housing: Challenges and Solutions
This is a joint forum hosted by the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee of Kentucky REALTORS® (KYR) and the Kentucky chapter of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) discussing the challenges and solutions regarding Fair Housing in our communities.
On the panel were: Arthur Crosby Executive Director, Lexington Fair Housing Council Mark Alston Chairman of Public Affairs, NAREB Al Pina Chair, FMCRC / Assets & Hope HousingKentucky REALTORS® (KYR).
Fairhaven
In November 2020, NAR launched Fairhaven a new fair housing simulation training for REALTORS® that uses the power of storytelling to help members identify, prevent, and address discriminatory practices in real estate. Inspired by real stories, this innovative online experience has agents work against the clock to sell homes in the fictional town of Fairhaven while confronting discrimination in the homebuying process. Learners will also walk in the shoes of a homebuyer facing discrimination. The training provides customized feedback that learners can apply to daily business interactions.
This innovative training platform is available to all 1.4 million NAR members at no additional cost. Be an advocate for fair housing and the future of our industry. Commit to combating discrimination in real estate.
Get started by visiting fairhaven.realtor to explore the fictional town of Fairhaven and assess how well you are adhering to fair housing principles.
At Home With Diversity
The coursework for the At Home with Diversity® certification is designed to enable you to work successfully with and within a rapidly changing multicultural market. It will help you to learn diversity sensitivity, how it applies to U.S. fair housing laws in your business, and ways to develop professional guidelines for working with people in the increasingly multicultural real estate market.
You gain:
- Knowledge of the subtleties of U.S. fair housing laws
- Business etiquette for specific cultures
- An edge in expanding your business to include international clientele
- Credit towards the ABR® and CIPS designations, and as a task in the C2EX program
- Some states also give continuing education (CE) credit and GRI credit for this course
Implicit Bias
Click here to watch Bias Override: Overcoming Barriers to Fair Housing.
The mind science experts at the Perception Institute present an online workshop to help members avoid implicit bias in their daily business interactions. Drawing upon the latest evidence-based research, Perception explains how our brains’ automatic, instant association of stereotypes with particular groups can cause us to treat those who are different from us unfairly, despite our best intentions and often without our conscious awareness. Perception then applies these concepts to the everyday work of REALTORS® and offers strategies to override bias in order to convey respect, ensure fairness, and improve business relationships.
_____________________________________________________________
May 2022
Month-long observances:
- ALS Awareness Month
- Haitian Heritage Month
- Indian Heritage Month
- Jewish-American Heritage Month
- Mental Health Month
- National Asian American and South Pacific Islander Heritage Month
- Older Americans Month
- South Asian American Heritage Month
Important D&I calendar dates:
- May 3 – Eid al-Fitr (Muslim)
- May 5 – Cinco de Mayo
- May 8 – National Liberation Day (Czech)
- May 17 – International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
- May 21 – World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
- May 24 – Declaration of the Bab (Baha’i)
- May 29 – Ascension of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i)
- May 30 – Memorial Day
_____________________________________________________________________________
PAST DEI EVENTS:
Open Books, Open Minds Book Club Meeting (In-person)
KYR 2021 Summer Retreat on Tuesday, June 29th
Open Books, Open Minds DEI Welcome Reception: Featuring Woman in Real Estate
KYR 2021 Annual Convention & Expo on Monday, September 27th
