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GUEST PERSPECTIVE: SAMCAR Diversity Equity Inclusion / Fair Housing Committee Chair, Michelle Velez, shares a guest perspective about why DEI matters in real estate and the work the committee focuses on in order to foster inclusivity and belonging in the association and real estate industry.

During Black History Month, SAMCAR joins the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.) in commemorating African American achievements and contributions to U.S. history. We celebrate leaders and all those who worked to dismantle barriers to homeownership so everyone can achieve the American Dream. At SAMCAR, we take this opportunity to remember a remarkable Realtor member, Les Williams, a Tuskegee Airman and Congressional Gold Medal recipient. Read more to learn about Williams' impressive history and join us in taking action to support a more equitable industry and homeownership opportunities for all!

Starting this year, members of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) are required to complete fair housing training with the Code of Ethics cycle. Fairhaven 2.0, NAR's updated online simulation where you tackle real-world fair housing challenges, makes it easy to meet this requirement—at no cost.

The LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance, one of the nation's leading LGBTQ+ trade organizations with more than 2,200 members, has unveiled its second annual LGBTQ+ Real Estate Report, which found that while Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts and marketing towards the LGBTQ+ community have gained traction, unconscious bias and blatant discrimination remain all too common in the real estate industry. This includes 20.7% of surveyed Alliance members identifying real estate agents as the leading culprit in how housing discrimination occurs against the LGBTQ+ real estate home buyer.