Thank you to everyone from ULI Washington who has participated in the 2021 Summer Equity Challenge. As we head into the Fall, I would like to share our closing sentiments on what has been an impactful, educational – and sometimes emotional – journey.

I’m grateful to have seen members raising their voices to advocate for racial justice and racial equity. It fills me with hope! More than anything, I am encouraged that we will carry this same passion forward to support our upcoming efforts. Together, we can make meaningful change. Through our work we can continue to address the racist land use and real estate practices that have diminished the quality of life and served as economic barriers for communities of color in the Washington, DC metro area.

A Moment To Reflect

Thinking a back on the challenge, I think it’s important that we use this as an opportunity for self-reflection. We need to ask ourselves to define the changes we are committed to achieving.

As you think about what you’ve learned from this challenge, ask yourself…

• How will you use this newfound knowledge to make your workplace a safer, more equitable space for people of color and other disadvantaged groups?
• Have you used this challenge to reflect on your own behavior and/or the practices or policies of your organization?
• What changes have you made to become a more inclusive supporter of racial equity?
• Have you made “room at the table” as you are making business decisions to include diverse voices and opinions?
• What will you do next to continue your journey toward building a more just, equitable Washington, DC region?

Over this last year, it has been made more apparent the heavy burden that communities of color face when addressing racial injustices. This includes racial stereotypes, microaggressions, or racial discrimination in our day-to-day lives. As we in ULI Washington continue to carry our efforts forward, I am urging EVERYONE to step up and raise your voices.

TOGETHER, we must continue this work long after closing out the Equity Challenge by supporting racial, ethnic, and gender-diverse hiring practices. By ensuring that equitable development practices are employed from the project conceptualization through to implementation. By calling people out on their microaggressions and racist behaviors. By calling people in to change those behaviors. By being a resolutely outspoken anti-racist in your personal and professional lives. We are leaders. Our work impacts communities and individual lives, and we must endeavor to set a positive example.

This year’s June, July, and August resources will remain available on our website for free. Hopefully, this will serve as a reminder to our ULI Washington membership that we must continue to advocate for racial justice and racial equity every day of the year. We have made significant progress, and we can continue to do so much more by working together.

What Comes Next

In closing out the inaugural Equity Challenge, I would like to give a public standing ovation to Anta Miranda, Perkins Eastman DC and Koray Aysin, Perkins Eastman for creating this educational opportunity. It was their passion, their dedication, and dogged search for resources to fit our membership’s needs that brought the 2021 Summer Equity Challenge to life.

Finally, my sincere thanks to the ULI Washington staff that kept the momentum of this challenge moving forward! With their support, our resources have reached a combined 8,000+ impressions on social media, raising awareness of racial injustice and advancing solutions for racial equity. This tremendous engagement is a testament to the commitment of our members to educate themselves on issues of racial equity and to advance solutions.

By sharing these multi-media resources, we moved the needle incrementally along the scale toward a more just, equitable community. Our committee is excited about the programming that we have planned for the upcoming year, and we look forward to partnering with the membership in each and every aspect of ULI Washington to continue bring an equity lens to how we do business. Thank you in advance for your partnership on this journey.

Sonja Ewing

Assistant Chief, Land Acquisition and Park Planning Program

M-NCPPC, Prince George’s County, Dept. of Parks and Recreation

ULI Washington

DEI Steering Committee Chair

Management Committee Member

Prince George’s Local Product Council Member