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Rashèedah Brown, affectionately known as “RB, the Realtor,” always tells people that she started her career with just two dollars.

Now a licensed realtor, investor, property manager, and secretary of the executive board of the Harlem Greater Real Estate Board, RB’s journey began from her own experience in becoming a homeowner. “I started as a homebuyer myself, so I am passionate about providing the education and tools to the community,” she says.

RB, a former school teacher with two master’s degrees, turned to real estate in 2003 after reading an article about a teacher who purchased a multifamily property. She bought a two-family home, rented out one unit, and within two years, sold it to buy another property with more units. This initial success lit a fire in RB, prompting her to dive deeper into real estate investing.

Her first attempt was to purchase a multifamily property, but she faced several challenges and setbacks. Undeterred, she looked for opportunities to convert single-family homes into multifamily properties in her desired neighborhood. She eventually bought a single-family home in New York City, learned how to legally convert it into a multifamily property, and became both a homeowner and landlord. This achievement inspired many of her family members and friends to follow suit.

“I remember when I was looking to purchase a property, I didn’t have much support or direction, and I really want to help the experience be different for people who are getting started,” she said. This drive led her to become a licensed real estate salesperson to better support and guide new investors.

RB’s journey in real estate allowed her to create more income from her rentals than she earned from her teaching job. She perfected the craft of managing profitable properties, scaling her portfolio, and leveraging her 9-to-5 job to bankroll her real estate dreams. This success also motivated her to support others in the community to achieve similar goals.

Despite her love for education and belief that her role in the education field was of great help to the community, RB saw a greater need to empower urban communities to transition from renting to owning, because there was less representation and fewer initiatives to help others in this area. In 2010, she began hosting networking events to bring together professionals from various fields. “As I got more involved in the real estate sector, I realized that there was close to no opportunity for people of color in the industry,” she said. “I saw the void for people of color to connect in productive, formatted events, so I decided to create that opportunity.”

In 2014, she fully transitioned into a real estate career to reach more people and implement initiatives with positive impact.

Her events, such as the 2023 Potential Homebuyers Lunch and Learn and the 2024 Real Estate Expo at Columbia University, have reached thousands of potential homebuyers and future investors. “I like to think that it is a resource for people of color in real estate and the entrepreneur community to come together to build success as a collective,” she said.

In 2021, RB joined the Greater Harlem Real Estate Board (GHREB) and was appointed secretary of its executive board. “They were impressed by how I organized massive events and managed them effectively, alongside my real estate business and portfolio,” RB said. “When I joined, I realized there were many amazing people of color in the industry performing at high levels, and most people wouldn’t know that.”

In May 2024, RB was honored in the Contemporary Giant category at the 500 Men organization’s 7th Annual Ladies Brunch Power Broker’s Edition. Her next event, the Real Estate and Entrepreneur Networking event on July 18, 2024, at Pando 39, featured speakers like Dr. Natasha Williams and Shamonda Graham. This event aimed to provide resources and networking opportunities for all attendees.

RB emphasized the power of collaboration, which has helped her scale her real estate portfolio. “There is power in collaboration, so I have specialized in collaborating with amazing organizations and elected officials to create positive impact and empower social mobility,” she explained. “These events help promote homeownership and entrepreneurship within our communities, providing opportunities for all who attend.”For more information about RB’s events and programming, visit RBtheRealtor.com.

The post Rashèedah Brown: How one Harlemite makes real estate dreams a reality appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.

* This article was originally published here

The centennial of James Baldwin’s birth—he was born on August 2, 1924, in Harlem—was celebrated around the globe this week, and there are even more plans to extend his legacy for the rest of the year. The Literary Society of Harlem conducted perhaps one of the smallest, although not the least lacking in passion and remembrance, at the artist’s gravesite in Hartsdale, N.Y. Baldwin died at his home in southern France, but his funeral services were held at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. 

Harlem’s living griot and tireless advocate for the community, Lana Turner, and the society assembled Saturday afternoon to share their memories of Baldwin. Holding hands and encircling the gravesite that Baldwin shares with his mother, Berdis, the 12 women took turns relaying their impressions of the writer and activist. Before presenting her reflections, Turner discussed several earlier activities hosted by the society, including tours of places where Baldwin lived before he left for France in 1948. 

“James lived in several Harlem apartments in our community,” Turner began. “He lived with his family at 2171 Fifth Avenue, and most notably along Park Avenue above 126th Street.” The tours included schools Baldwin attended—P.S. 24 (now the Renaissance High School) and the Frederick Douglass Junior High School, where Baldwin was taught by poet Countee Cullen—and the Pentecostal Church, where Baldwin the boy preacher absorbed the hellfire and brimstone sermons.

At the cemetery, Turner also pointed out where other distinguished African Americans have their final resting places: Paul and Eslanda Robeson; Lawrence Brown, the pianist who often accompanied Robeson; Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee; Malcolm and Betty Shabazz; and jurist William Hastie. “We stand on hallowed ground,” more than one of the spectators said. 

Among those assembled was Elaine Gamble, who later expressed her heartfelt feelings about it “as a lovely gathering and discussion.” 

Ruth Cunningham used the occasion to share some of her history that Baldwin inspired when she was coming of age on 116th Street. Roberta Todd, one of the longstanding members of the society, offered comments on questions raised about Baldwin’s notion of poverty, its relativity, and how it affected the Harlem community. 

There was a chorus of “Amens” from Sullivan Summer, Velma Cobb, Alexa Donaphin, Katrina Huffman, Elizabeth and Sharon Howard, Jacqueline Polite, Lisa Edmiston, Shirley and Tiffany Martinbrough, and several others who couldn’t attend, like Alicia Miller, who thanked Lana for “connecting my soul” to the event.

Thyra Henry, in an email, echoed the salute and praise for Lana Turner, saying, “I wish I could have participated in all of the events, but your reporting made me feel as though I was there.”

The post Standing with spirit of James Baldwin on hallowed ground appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.

* This article was originally published here