Education

by Lisa Gunderson, Bristol Development

I won’t bore you with a list of the plethora of courses you can take from an assortment of industry partners. I will espouse and encourage that in addition to formal class work, you engage in non-traditional opportunities to learn new skills and educate yourself about the positions you want to pursue. How do you do that, you ask? Reading, searching for information on the internet, and joining groups on social media that revolve around our profession. Find opportunities to attend sessions/seminars/conferences to meet new people, engage with them, ask questions, and learn from their experiences. NMHC has a free podcast: Code 53. This year NAA provided an opportunity for credential holders to win a free scholarship to attend the annual Apartmentalize conference in June. Create space to learn new things!

Interview with NAA Diversity Leadership Program Candidate Regina Jones Cruz

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Regina Jones Cruz. I am the Training and Development Specialist for Freeman Webb Company.

How excited are you to be a part of NAA’s Diversity Leadership program Class of 2023?

I’m so very excited! I feel extremely blessed and grateful for the opportunity.

What is your main motive for applying to the program?

My main motive for applying to the program was to gain knowledge of how to better engage in conversations about diversity in the workplace.

What do look forward to the most about the program?

Growth

What does diversity, equity, and inclusion mean to you?

DEI to me means everyone is seen, has a voice, their voice is heard, and they have fair opportunities.

Why is it significant to have diversity in the multifamily industry?

It’s important to have diversity In the multifamily industry because we have diversity in multifamily housing.

How do you promote diversity in your interaction with others?

The way I promote diversity in my interactions with others Is by welcoming and encouraging others’ opinions and perspectives. As individuals we won’t always see things the same way. When we have different upbringings by different cultures/ backgrounds we won’t necessarily share the same views and THAT IS OKAY!

Tell me when you experienced discrimination due to your race/gender/ sexual orientation/disability.

Being a black woman in leadership, I’ve experienced discrimination, bias and even harassment. There’s not one experience to pinpoint as there have been many.

Why should we as a whole care about diversity?

I can sum this up with a quote by William Sloan Coffin Jr.: “Diversity may be the hardest thing for society to live with, and perhaps the most dangerous thing for society to live without.”