Mid-Shore Realtors hold Diversity Summit September 30

The Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) committee at Mid-Shore Board of REALTORS (MSBR) will hold an Understanding Through Diversity Summit on Saturday, September 30, 2023, at the Waterfowl Building on Harrison Street in Easton from 10am to 2pm and the public is invited to attend. There is no charge to attend or to be an exhibitor.

MSBR recognizes that Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is fundamental to today’s society. We believe that by having a better understanding of each other we can be more accepting of our diversity, noted MSBR President, Megan Rosendale. 

Uncover your biases and identify strategies to interrupt them when you hear keynote speaker Natalie Davis. 

Avoid potential missteps and engage in conversations with our three local panelists. 

There will also be time to visit the exhibitor tables of local non-profit organizations before and after the presentations. Craft Bakery and Café, out of Denton, will offer food and drinks for sale. At the conclusion of the Summit there will be a guided walking tour by Professor Dale Green of Morgan State University of Easton’s Historic Hill Community 

Shandell Green and Annie Raymond, Co-Chairs of the DEI committee encourage the community to be a part of this exciting day. “The committee spent a lot of time looking for the right speakers and topics that will be interesting and educational to the community. By bringing in national and local presenters, we hope to engage with each other and gain better appreciation and understanding.” 

MSBR President, Megan Rosendale noted that MSBR received a grant from National Association of REALTORS that allows the REALTORS to hold this Summit and not charge attendees or exhibitors to participate. 

Green and Raymond commented about the keynote speaker, saying,  we look forward to hearing Natalie Davis discuss implicit biases. She is a National Speaker and a Business Coach and is committed to inspiring others to become intentional thought leaders. Davis has a passion for leadership and service and has worked with Associations and firms to facilitate strategic and business planning. 

 

At 1pm summit attendees will hear from three local panelists: 

Derick Daly, the President, and a Trustee and a co-founder of Polaris Village Ministries, Inc. (PVM). Prior to that Daley served as the Executive Director of Building African American Minds (BAAM), Inc. Mr. Daly and his wife started a scholarship fund whose purpose is to provide funding for school supplies to assist African American male students who are furthering their education by attending a four-year college. They also started Building African American Minds, Inc. (BAAM) a non-profit organization that serves all children, but primarily African Americans in the Easton area. 

Victoria Gomez, panelist,  was born and raised in Chihuahua, Mexico and graduated from Tecnologico Espiritu Santo, Guayaquil, Ecuador with a Bank and Finance bachelor’s degree and has worked in finance and the banking industries. She also worked as a member of Talbot County Public School Education Foundation Board and is currently a board member of the Department of Social Service, East-End Neighborhood Association (EENA) and serves as a mentor with Talbot Mentors. For the past six years, she has worked with the Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center. Victoria took the Professional Interpreter Training course and is bilingual in Spanish and English.

Tina Jones, panelist, is the cofounder, inaugural chair, and current Secretary/Treasurer for Delmarva Pride Center, an LGBTQ+ led volunteer organization dedicated to educating the public and improving the lives of queer residents of Kent, Queen Anne’s, Caroline, Talbot, and Dorchester Counties. In addition, she is the founder and facilitator of Delmarva Gender Expression Movement, the first group on the Eastern Shore of Maryland dedicated to supporting those who identify as transgender, nonbinary, agender or gender queer. Tina also serves on the boards of the Maryland LGBT Chamber of Commerce and FreeState Justice, Maryland’s LGBTQIA+ advocacy organization.

 

Creating a diverse, equal, and inclusive environment is important, it can improve the talent you recruit, and diversity provides innovation, noted Rosendale. 

If you would like more information or if your organization would like to participate please connect with Mid-Shore Board of REALTORS at [email protected] or 410-822-8767 or visit the website at www.midshoreboardofrealtors.com.