We recognize that ULI has not prioritized racial diversity and inclusion and equity; and now, as much as any time in our history, we must grapple with this truth. With the senseless killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless others, the racial divide in our society and our systems, as well as the history and legacy of racist land use policies and practices, are top of mind. We believe Black Lives Matter. The questions are many, including why have we not been doing more and how do we change this going forward?

We at ULI SF are many things, including a real estate organization and a community of people who are each unique, and yet collectively do not represent the diversity of our surrounding communities. We are inviting you to work with us going forward. ULI SF is implementing change to become more inclusive and to prioritize racial equity in our work. In the short term, we commit to:

• Setting up a Diversity & Inclusion Task Force to provide guidance on our programming and our governance;
• Developing strategic partnerships with community-based organizations to build understanding of racial and social equity needs and productive actions;
• Implementing unconscious bias and anti-racist training for our Board members and Committee and Council leadership;
• Leveraging our members and our programs such as Urban Plan to reach younger diverse populations of students about real estate industry careers with the goal of recruiting diversity into our industry; and
• Creating a Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) Membership Fund to increase the diversity of our membership.

We are listening. We are open to ideas. We are open to criticism. We want to know what you believe will move us all forward as an industry and an organization that promotes diversity and opportunity and safety and equity for all.

This is a marathon and sustained focus and pressure are needed. Ultimately, our actions will speak louder than these words.