Community Canvas: Creating Thriving Connections

Join us on June 25th for the Community Canvas: Creating Thriving Connections workshop. This transformative event is designed to broaden your network and empower you with the tools and insights necessary to foster inclusive environments within the REALTOR® community. 

We are thrilled to announce our keynote speaker, Leah Rothstein, author of Just Action: How to Challenge Segregation Enacted Under the Color of Law. The event also features two interactive panels. The first panel will address accessibility issues and provide strategies to improve your skills when working with clients who have different physical or neurological abilities. The second panel will delve into real-life experiences and challenges faced by the REALTOR® community, offering attendees the opportunity to discuss best practices for tackling tough topics.  

The event will conclude with a casual networking reception, where participants can engage in deeper, more personal conversations over drinks and snacks. Free books will be available for attendees while supplies last!

Event Details

Location

The Merriweather Lakehouse Hotel

10209 Wincopin Circle 
Columbia MD 21044 

Free parking is available on site. 

Agenda

10:00 AM Registration Opens 

10:30 AM Welcome Remarks

Chuck Kasky, CEO, Maryland REALTORS®

Robin Abney Spivey, Chair, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Advisory Group

10:45 AM Keynote: Leah Rothstein, author, Just Action: How to Challenge Segregation Enacted Under the Color of Law 

Leah Rothstein, co-author of Just Action, joins Maryland REALTORS® to examine the strategies outlined in her book for addressing and redressing residential segregation. Rothstein will discuss the importance of local community actions and provide practical examples of initiatives that can be undertaken to combat segregation and promote equality.

11:45 AM Buffet Lunch

12:45 PM Inclusive by Design: Real Estate Strategies for Serving Clients with Different Abilities

This session will explore the challenges faced by clients with different physical or neurological abilities in the homebuying or rental process. Panelists will discuss common barriers, misconceptions held by real estate professionals, and share impactful real-world experiences that highlight the importance of inclusive services.

Moderator: Tamika Thompson

Panelists: Terez Dorsey, Tiffany Matthews, Rachel Oslund, John Young

1:45 PM Break

2:00 PM Building Bridges: Combating Discrimination in the Real Estate Industry

This session will examine the various forms of bias and how they manifest in real estate practices. Members of this panel will discuss firsthand accounts from realtors who have faced discrimination and learn about their strategies for overcoming these challenges as well as discover effective approaches and policies that can foster a more inclusive and equitable environment for all stakeholders.

Moderator: Colette Massengale, Senior Policy Representative, Fair Housing, National Association of REALTORS®

Panelists: Jackie Garber, Jane Huelle, Iris McCollum

3:00 PM Closing Remarks – The One Thing

Robin Abney Spivey, Chair, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Advisory Group

3:30 PM Networking Event 

Catch up with old friends and meet new ones while discussing the day’s takeaways in a beautiful outdoor setting.

Thank You to Our Partners!

Brought to you by the Maryland REALTORS®’ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Group, this all-day event offers a dynamic platform for professionals seeking to enhance their understanding and implementation of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) principles in both their professional and personal lives, and to advance the building of more inclusive communities.