Last week Open Communities' Fair Housing team traveled to Washington DC for the National Fair Housing Alliance’s (NFHA) Conference, “Housing Equity Now: Building an Inclusive and Just Future.” Member organizations, fair housing advocates, and subject matter experts from around the U.S. met to discuss a broad range of fair housing issues. As a new team member, this was my first NFHA conference and the experience proved to be enlightening and inspiring. I’m eager to share some of the insights and takeaways from the event.
The conference began with roundtable discussions on topics like outreach and enforcement, which were excellent opportunities to engage with experts while creating a collaborative space for sharing ideas in an open dialogue with other NFHA members. The environment was very much shaped by our participation. It was reassuring to learn that many of us face similar issues despite geographical differences. For someone new to the field, it was invaluable to gain insights from experienced professionals and ask questions in a non-judgmental setting.
The most memorable moment of the conference was listening to Dr. Bernice A. King, a lawyer, minister, advocate, and the daughter of Coretta Scott King and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In her conversation with Lisa Rice, the President and CEO of NFHA, Dr. King provided profound reflections on the Civil Rights Movement, tracing its evolution from before her parents' era to the present day. She spoke about her father's significant impact on the movement – a legacy that her mother’s vision helped to cement.
Hearing from Dr. King was deeply moving and served as a powerful reminder of the ongoing importance of our work. Her message of perseverance and hope was particularly resonant, given the long and often challenging journey of the civil rights movement.
This sentiment was further reinforced by the Brooke-Mondale Fair Housing Award recipients, who shared their own compelling experiences in advancing the movement. You can read more about their stories here.
The first day of the conference concluded with updates on key fair housing cases from around the country. We were honored to see Open Communities' case on AI housing discrimination highlighted among impactful efforts across the country. Additional cases, from a challenge to the xenophobic SB264 in Florida to the resolution of an egregious sex discrimination case in Wisconsin, showed the fair housing community is hard at work holding the powerful to account. The following day was filled with fascinating presentations and panel discussions; they covered topics like Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing, building wealth through homeownership for younger generations, and Alien Land Laws (such as the aforementioned statute passed in Florida).
Many of the topics addressed during the conference involved big-picture challenges and potential ways to solve them. For example, while wealth is rising in the US, the racial wealth gap remains stubbornly static or even moving in the wrong direction. As advocates, fighting discrimination and supporting Black and Brown homeownership are two pathways we can pursue to address this deeply rooted problem. While no single answer fits all situations, the discussions provided valuable insights and ideas that will certainly help guide our ongoing efforts at Open Communities. If you’re interested in seeing what the conference offered, NFHA shared a livestream of their town hall session where experts explored the impact of a person’s zip code on their life outcomes.
Reflecting on the whirlwind of activities and discussions over the past few days, I found the experience both exhilarating and humbling.
Being in the presence of leading civil rights advocates and thought leaders stirred a complex mix of emotions – empowerment, inadequacy, pride, and more than a touch of concern, especially given the current political climate.
The most valuable aspect of these conferences is the opportunity to build relationships within the community and to connect with others who are equally dedicated to this work. It reinforced the importance of solidarity and persistence in our shared mission.
Armed with renewed motivation and a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities in fair housing, we are ready to translate these insights into action. Back to work!
~ Adelaide del Angel, Fair Housing Associate
