On a summer evening in 2022, a group of professionals planted seeds in a Dallas commercial real estate garden. Two years later, flowers are beginning to bloom.
In August 2022, the DFW chapter of the Organization of African American Real Estate Professionals held a kickoff event at the Onyx Legacy Group headquarters. “We had over 60 people of color attend our first event,” said AAREP DFW Vice President Kameshia Freeman. “So we knew there was a desire and a need for this organization.”
Since then, it's been full steam ahead. The organization will begin accepting members in March 2023 and has grown to about 70 members. By cultivating both a network and a core of engaging and informative programs, the emerging nonprofit has established itself as a force for equity and inclusion in the local commercial real estate industry. Events have included a panel discussion on the state of southern Dallas County, a book signing by T. Dallas Smith, and a collaborative networking event with the Real Estate Council.
AAREP DFW also aims to support companies looking to diversify their workforce by serving as a platform for job advertisements.
The organization's creation comes amid discussions across the industry focused on DEI efforts: In November, BizNow reported that just 12.8% of C-suite positions at 89 of the largest commercial real estate brokerages, developers, finance companies and real estate investment trusts are held by people of color, and that by 2023, 26.7% of C-suite positions will be held by women.
AAREP is working to fill that gap. The nonprofit was founded in Washington, DC, in 1995 and has since expanded to six chapters, including Los Angeles, Atlanta, Philadelphia and most recently, Dallas-Fort Worth. “The reason we thought it was important to establish an AAREP chapter in Dallas-Fort Worth is simple,” AAREP President Brandon Bradley said in a message on the organization's website. “I wanted to provide an environment where African Americans in the local commercial real estate industry could work together and support each other as we continue to grow.”
AAREP DFW's programming includes hosting informative panels, such as one that took place in March on the 48th floor of 1601 Elm St. Discussions included Torrey Littlejohn of JLL, Karyn Martin of Interprise Design and Freeman, also of JLL. The event, moderated by D CEO Editor Christine Perez, opened up the opportunity to hear industry insights and personal lessons each speaker has learned from their careers.
“Our clients want diversity,” says Freeman, who worked for the U.S. government's General Services Administration for 15 years before joining JLL. “I was a client, and I wanted people who looked like me in the room doing business with me. And in this room, you have people who represent all aspects of commercial real estate. The benefit of an organization like AAREP is that it represents the commercial real estate industry. So companies will be looking to hire or network and they'll say, 'I can't find any diverse people to hire.' They're here.”
Martin, who is now president and CEO of Interprise Design after 25 years at the company, notes that perspective has been one of the biggest challenges in her career. “A lot of times, when we see women of color, there’s this instinctive idea in our minds that they’re not as good or can’t do as much as other people,” Martin says.
“One of the things I really love about AAREP is that we bring together experts from many disciplines who are really influential in the real estate industry. And being able to come together as a collective and showcase the work that we do and the projects that we do and that actually run through the hands of African-Americans helps change that narrative and change the perspective of whether or not we can get the job done.”
Littlejohn spoke about the impact being a Black woman has had on her career, saying she's conscious of the shoulders she stands on and the doors she opens for those around her. “My voice may not represent all people who look like me, and I'm very aware that sometimes that's an assumption,” Littlejohn said. “So I'm very conscious of what I say and what I do.”
“But at this point in my life and my career, I think I'm leaning into it. It's who I am,” she continued. “And sometimes that can be an advantage. I'm not afraid to be who I am. I'm not afraid to bring that to the table. There are also advantages to being a Black woman and the perspective that I bring to the table.”
As both AAREP DFW and DFW Commercial Real Estate move forward, Martin, Freeman and Littlejohn shared what they’re most excited about for the future.
Karin Martin
President and CEO, Interprise Design
Martin is excited about the changes she's seeing in the commercial real estate industry. “I've been in the industry for a really long time, and it's really exciting to see more diversity and organizations like this and more women, women of color, and men of color in commercial real estate,” she says. “Even if there's just one or two people in a room now who don't look like us before, that's growth. So it's really exciting to see that and I look forward to getting to know other people in the industry who are making a difference, because to me, we're in a time where it doesn't matter what you look like, it's what you produce that counts.”
Camelia Freeman
Senior Vice President, JLL, Vice President, AAREP DFW
“There's been a lot of talk about adaptive reuse, and a lot of talk about affordable housing and the need for it,” she says, “so I'm excited to hear those conversations. We're probably not going to go back to offices the way we were pre-pandemic, and I believe downtowns are going to be vibrant, but I think that's going to come in the form of adaptive reuse, turning some of those vacant buildings into housing, hopefully affordable housing.”
Tory Littlejohn
Senior Managing Director, JLL
“I'm so happy to live in Dallas,” she says. “Dallas is experiencing a growth and population explosion right now and the opportunities that come with that. Companies are going to be relocating here. I think this is going to be a great place to do business. That's where the opportunity and growth comes from, and I hope to be in a position to take advantage of that opportunity for myself, my family, my career and my community.”