Last weekend, I joined the EMPIRE Board of Realtists here in Atlanta to celebrate their 65th anniversary. They were kind enough to honor me with an award for leadership and impact, but throughout the night, I was reminded of something important: awards don’t change the world. People do. Communities do. Movements do.
Realtists have been part of such a movement for generations.
For 65 years, the Empire Board, part of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB), the oldest Black real estate trade organization in America, has stood on the front lines of what they call “democracy in housing.” Long before it was popular, and long before policymakers caught up, Realtists were fighting to make homeownership possible for families who were told, directly or indirectly, that the American Dream wasn’t meant for them.
What struck me was just how deep and wide this work is, and it’s a constant reminder of why this work matters.
Homeownership is still the first rung of the economic ladder.
For many families, the first real asset they ever hold is a mortgage. That one decision, to own instead of rent, often determines whether a family merely survives… or begins to build wealth that can be passed down. You have to understand that for most, a home is more than just a home. It becomes, in a very real sense, stability. Or dignity. Or a seed for a better future for a family born or yet to be born.
But that’s only possible if people have access, information, and fairness.
That’s where Realtists come in, and for more than 30 years, that’s where Operation HOPE comes in. And that’s where our missions intersect.
Financial literacy is the gateway to economic mobility.
I’ve said it many times: In America, the color that matters most isn’t Black or white. It’s green.
But you can’t get to green if no one teaches you how money or credit works, or how to think through and navigate the most complicated purchase of your life.
Realtists don’t just sell homes; they translate and demystify systems. They advocate and bring families into rooms where, historically, their names were never called.
In that way, they are cousins to our work at Operation HOPE. We’re all trying to close the same gap: the gap between what people dream and what they can access.
A standing ovation is nice. A standing commitment is better.
As the room rose in applause, I didn’t see it as a celebration of me. I saw it as validation of a shared blueprint:
-
Pair financial coaching with fair housing.
-
Pair aspiration with access.
-
Pair dignity with opportunity.
-
Turn keys into catalysts for hope.
The American Dream was never meant to be the exclusive property of anyone. It was intended to be public domain.
The work continues. And we must continue together.
Suppose we want a stronger America, one where families thrive, communities stabilize, and wealth is built instead of wished for. In that case, we must double down on the basics of financial literacy, fair housing, and an unwavering belief that everyone deserves a chance to rise.
So to the EMPIRE Realtists and the entire NAREB family: thank you for the honor. But more importantly, thank you for the work. Thank you for making sure that “democracy in housing” isn’t just a slogan, but a standard.
We have more to build, more historical inequities to address, and more opportunities to unlock for millions of Americans. And we’re just getting started. So join us.
Visit www.operationhope.org to join us in our campaign to transform America through financial literacy and opportunity.
