In our desire to develop thriving communities through the power of real estate and land-use practices, ULI Baltimore acknowledges there are ideologies and processes that we need to incorporate into our standard operations. Sustainable land use development requires many different skills, backgrounds, voices, and experiences to create a space accessible to everyone. We start with the knowledge that these lands once belonged to the local nations of the Piscataway, Nentego, and Susquehannock. We acknowledge the history and trauma associated with the original acquisition of the land and support its continued development in a manner respectful of those who came before us and those who still exist on or around it.

At ULI Baltimore, we recognize that we must shift our definition of success beyond revenues and profit margins to incorporate processes that focus on human capital investments and community development for our work to be equitable. This is the type of thinking we want to foster in downtown urban environments especially those like Baltimore where red-lining and poverty attributors have inhibited balanced development across our city. We understand it is a monumental undertaking to redirect an entire industry’s mission, but we embrace these challenges and are committed to identifying solutions.

The world has reached a pivotal moment, a reawakening to systematic issues that affect every facet of our lives. The significance of the recent events around racial inequity, civil justice, and hyper-nationalism is not lost on ULI or our core mission. To that end, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (DEI) has convened to facilitate the hard work of establishing how equity plays a starring role in all ULI Baltimore efforts daily while also contributing to ULI’s work across the region, the nation, and the globe. As a committee, we will provide guidance to our fellow membership, committees, and leadership on best practices and policies to achieve our commitment to creating “an environment where everyone is valued, welcomed to learn, connect, and grow professionally.”

In addition to creating a space where members can show up and engage with one another as their authentic selves, we are developing strategies that can be applied across the industry by redefining the current normative through education, setting equitable standards, and creating measurable opportunities.

Our new norms are defined by:

• Our acknowledgment that all land has a history that must be recognized;
• Our acknowledgment of intrinsic human dignity;
• Our acknowledgment that we are more effective together than divided;
• Our recognition that we never stop learning;
• Our passion for supporting and improving communities virtuously;
• Our desire for authentic relationships with our colleagues.

If you would like to join us in putting equity into action, please contact Lisa Norris, Executive Director, [email protected].

Listen to the latest podcast episode by ULI Baltimore’s DEI Committee: