African American Real Estate Professionals of Atlanta

The Atlanta chapter of AAREP is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization supporting African Americans professionals in the commercial real estate industry. AAREP Atlanta offers members resources, industry mentoring, career development opportunities, and peer connectivity through annual events, online education, peer networking and other activities.

Our Mission

The mission of AAREP is aimed toward exposing minority youth to the commercial real estate industry, to support current and incoming minority commercial real estate professionals, to provide mentorship and continuing education, and to facilitate generational wealth within minority communities.  Many of us have not had the privilege of proper grooming to be successful in the commercial real estate industry but we are going to change that narrative.  In order to make a greater impact, it is important to partner.  

AAREP is not only a non-profit that is focused on supporting minorities in our industry, but it is also minority, woman-owned which means donations can be written off as charitable contributions and companies may be able to get credit for Tier 1 minority spend.  This is our mission, and we cannot say it enough – we are going to make that change the industry so desperately needs.

The Benefits

Some of the benefits that our members receive to include access to our membership directory and job portal.   We will also provide industry resources as well as mentorship and scholarship opportunities.  Sponsors receive access to our diverse talent pool, as we will be erecting a job portal.  Sponsors not only receive the charitable donation credit but would also receive Tier 1 diverse spend credit for doing business with an African American, woman-owned local business.  Donations help to create wealth in minority communities through the channel of real estate, which increases everyone’s financial bandwidth.  The biggest benefit is a sense of community, and we do not have that in the commercial real estate industry as it currently stands.

Our Why

What’s your why?  This is a question that we are often asked.  Our why is to bring more minorities into this industry so we are not so underrepresented..  This is such an amazing industry to grow in, and we want to share it with minority communities.  Because minorities don’t have a real community to rely on in this industry, when a door closes on one of us, many times we do not have another door to open, or a window to jump through, or a way to get in through the back.  The alternate ways of entry come from your community and network.  We just want to open doors.  AAREP is that community and network for minority commercial real estate professionals.  When a door closes on one of us, someone within this organization will help to find another way in.

All charitable donations go toward scholarships, operational tools, and networking events, and facilitating our growing mentorship programming and education series.