You could sense the tension in the classroom. We had been informed that we were going to be discussing It after the break. An uncomfortable atmosphere hovered over the participants in the smallish classroom in which a group of real estate agents had gathered to continue their education.
The mandatory 3 hours of Civil Rights Instruction was the elephant in the room. Now, why did I feel that in an oddly peculiar way that this was about me? Being the only black participant in the class, I sensed that everyone was poised to be careful, ...very, very careful in how they responded to this provocative topic. Or perhaps, they were watching to see how I would respond.
The instructor wasn't about to make this easy. No Way! This was not to be a polite discussion about the history of civil right laws & all the great progress that had been made in West Michigan. After a hilarious (if it wasn't so serious) video, sporting a fellow in yellow polyester suit demonstrated how racism works in real estate through steering & other forms of discrimination, the instructor opened up the floor for discussion.
The first few questions were tepid, somewhat timid. I sensed that to most of my classmates, I was one-dimensional as though my color defined all that was important to know about me. How could I explain that there is no such thing as the "typical" black person. This figment of their imagination that they were trying so desperately to avoid offending by airing their opinions & perceived grievances. People are people, there is no typical anything when it comes to the business of being human! At some point, they seemed to forget that I was in the room. Fear & vulnerability began to surface.
Several individuals admitted they felt intimidated when dealing with individuals with whom they had very little experience or contact . Others expressed the fear of being tested...the dreaded exercise in which undercover agents employed by the government would randomly test brokers by sending out people from different ethnic backgrounds to determine if everyone received the same level of professional attention and service. Advise designed to supposedly protect oneself from being "burned " ranged from "just treat others like you would like to be treated" to "make sure you offer everyone a cup of coffee." This, taken to a ridiculous degree, resulted in real estate agents offering every single solitary client they met in the office, Coffee even if it was 100 degrees & sweltering heat outside. This was considered proof positive you had treated everyone the same!
The dirty, not so secret reality in real estate, is that historically our industry has not treated everyone the same.
Lola Audu, is the Designated Broker & Owner of Audu Real Estate. Our company specializes in helping people buy and sell homes in the greater Grand Rapids, West Michigan area. We've had the privilege of helping hundreds of clients succeed in their goals of purchasing and selling property including demonstrated success in the negotiation of Short Sale Transactions. You can contact us via e-mail @ info@auduhomes.com or by phone at 616-791-0511.
Lola:
Thank you for a great insight into the complex world we live in. You got my star.
Hi Ann, Thank you for reading & expressing your thoughts. Although this was not a post about human sexuality, I am struck by the fact that our differences cause many people to feel marginalized. We miss so much of the richness of the human experience when we choose to exclude others rather than accept them for who they are...
It is a complex world -- and I see that racism has sort of gone underground -- it's still there, but everyone "pretends" that it doesn't exist any longer. In some ways it was better when things were out in the open -- now it is more difficult to deal with when it occurs. I had some clients from India -- we all knew the builder was quoting outrageous prices because he didn't want to build a home for these folks.
Hi Joan, Thanks for reading & commenting. Darkness always allows the fetid to fester! This business of racism & other forms of discrimination has never failed to deliver what was hoped for...the desire to triumph and regard with disdain & contempt another human being.
It has always succeeded in one thing though...Regardless of the context of the discrimination it succeeds in ultimately dehumanizing those who practise it whether underground or above the surface. The builder had more at stake than the money to be made in building the house...he was in the process of loosing his soul!
Lola: Complexity and diversity is what brings beauty to the world. I love your direct yet approachable style of writing...
Tony
I may sound like a wierdo here - but we are different??? Hmmmm - news to me. I thought we were all created in His image. I must make it a point to double check that. Apparently there is still a faction of this world that wants to keep derision and division among us. Shame on them!
People are people - we all breathe, eat, drink, sleep. We will all bleed if cut, cry when sad. I'm not seeing differences. Maybe it's just me - but I don't have time for labeling and stereotyping. It's counterproductive and mean.
Carry on.
Thanks, Lola, for this most interesting post. I think you are a beautifully intelligent woman and am proud and pleased to be able to share your thoughts.
Peggy, Thank you for reading and commenting.
Carol, Thank you for your comment. People are far more alike than they are different...yet the differences are the crux of the matter, because they inherently have the power to compound pain through hatred, prejudice & other forms of marginalization or to exponentially increase the joy of discovery & enlightenment.
Lola -
How wise you are to keep this in the forefront with "racial profiling" so on the forefront these days. Saginaw, Michigan is the home to many doctors of Middle Eastern descent. They are brilliant people and brilliant specialists/surgeons. Imagine how they felt after 9/11 when every staff member in the hospital, every family member of a sick loved one looked at them with the thought "are you one of them?" Sadly, our society does not know how to blend - even though we are a melting pot of ethnicities - our culture sadly forgets that the "blend" is what makes us great.
Did you ever notice lasagna always tastes better the second time around? After it has had time to sit in the fridge and the spices "marry"? That is how I see our society -- we all need to blend to take the best of what each has to offer and make it better.
Lola~
Here is the first page of your novel...and another example of why I am a proud subscriber to your BLOG!
Hi Gary, Thanks for stopping by to read & comment. The truth is that we all have ideas & prejudices which remain hidden until there is an opportunity for them to be exposed. Malcolm Galdwell's book "Blink" really deals with this in a very insightful way.
Authentic Integrity is the process of looking clearly at the truth, accepting the role we have allowed the "lie" to play/manipulate in our lives and then determine to do our best to correct in appropriate thinking patterns. Perhaps, this was part of your journey that you described in the move from Sault Ste. Marie to Detroit.
Hi Mary, Thanks for your comment! The "blend" as you stated in your comment is what makes us great! It's how America has received its greatest ideas and garnered it's extraordinary prosperity. The "blend" has also presented America with one of its most significant on-going challenges.
When a "blend" is created absent of attentitive care, the result is ugly & chaotic. We see this in the area of certain types of inter-personal issues such as race/cultural relations.
We each need to take our part of responsibility in examining these areas professionally & personally...not from judgment, so much as to gain an awareness of who we really are & what informs the choices we make. It's scary to venture out in this way...but it may prove to be far more frightening to live life uninformed; marginalized by infantile & mis-guided fears & ideas.