WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) kicks off its 2nd annual Building Black Wealth Tour with a virtual rally on February 11. Civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton and NAREB President Dr. Courtney Johnson Rose engage in a fireside chat on issues, including the attack on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and the upcoming NAREB Black Wealth Tour.
“To close the racial wealth gap, families must learn how to become homeowners and build wealth,” said Dr. Rose. “It’s disappointing that discriminatory government policies and practices denied Blacks economic opportunities. The Building Black Wealth Tour is helping African Americans find pathways to building wealth.”
At each stop, the Wealth Tour brings experts in multiple fields, such as real estate, inheritance, investing, and personal finance, offering counseling, valuable insights, and practical advice to Black families nationwide. By focusing on economic empowerment, the Building Black Wealth Tour aims to significantly reduce the wealth gap, increase homeownership, and promote family economic security. In its inaugural year, the Wealth Tour held events in more than 100 cities, with more than 25,000 individuals participating in National Building Black Wealth Day.
This year, National Building Black Wealth Day will be held on Saturday, April 12, with events around the country, including in St. Louis, Mo. Virtual sessions will also be available. On Feb. 22, an event will be held in Miramar, Fla., and on July 26, an event will be held in Compton, Calif.
The rally with Rev. Sharpton will build momentum for the 2025 Building Black Wealth Tour. Dr. Rose will ask Rev. Sharpton about his boycott of companies that bow to the pressure to abandon DEI programs. They will also discuss homeownership, real estate’s role in building wealth, and Rev. Sharpton’s relationship with legendary soul singer James Brown. Courtney Jones, NAREB’s 2nd vice president, will moderate the event. Other speakers will include St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones; Phi Beta Sigma International President Chris Rey; NAREB executive director C. Renee Wilson; and Bishop Craig Worsham, NAREB’s director of Faith-Based and Community Engagement.
The virtual event begins at noon on February 11. It can be seen on Zoom at <nareb.zoom.us/meeting/register/ tZUrceCprD4rHNE_FWMVgjP7_zT5tHl4WpH9> with Meeting ID: 816 6912 5165 and Passcode: 548216. It will also be available on NAREB’s Facebook platform at <www.facebook.com/REALTISTNAREB/>.
“The event will excite families and individuals about the Wealth Tour and how it can improve the quality of life in our communities,” Dr. Rose said.
Dr. Rose underscored the urgent need for the Wealth Tour to address the country’s ‘intolerable’ racial wealth gap. She noted that NAREB’s State of Housing in Black America Report revealed that the 400 wealthiest Americans control the same wealth as all 48 million Blacks in the United States. The Federal Reserve acknowledges that, on average, Black families own about 24 cents for every $1 of White family wealth. And Brookings, the widely respected think-tank, says Whites have a median family wealth of $171,000, compared to $17,600 for Blacks.
“We need the Building Black Wealth Tour to help address these wealth disparities,” Dr. Rose said. “Closing the racial wealth gap is essential for achieving true racial equality and positively affects American society. With greater economic equality, studies show lower crime levels, better health outcomes, higher social trust, and less divisiveness. Building Black wealth can contribute to a more equitable society, promote upward mobility and social equality, and foster economic stability and growth. “
Sessions at Wealth Tour events include:
- What to do with Big Momma’s House?
- ABCs of Home buying
- Real Estate Investing
- Down Payment Assistance
- Explore Careers in Real Estate
- Free Career Fair
- Free Health Screenings
- One On Ones with Real Estate Attorneys
- One On Ones with Housing Counselors
NAREB has partnership agreements with organizations that play critical roles in presenting Wealth Days, including the African American Mayors Association, Inc.; Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity; Church of God in Christ, Inc.; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority; National Bar Association; Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity; and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.
“We are bringing wealth-building knowledge into communities, where families and individuals can use the information to chart new futures, build intergenerational wealth and benefits from homeownership,” Dr. Rose said. “The NAREB Building Black Wealth Tour is more than a series of events. We catalyze change. For too long, Black communities have lacked the resources and intergenerational wealth of other communities. NAREB seeks to end these disparities and help Black communities thrive.”
