Donnell Williams

Donnell Williams, president of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB), is committed to raising black homeownership levels and attracting more black entrepreneurs into the real estate industry.

He created the “House Then the Car” program, a financial literacy program made up of more than 100 NAREB ambassadors, allowing agents to reach the Gen Z and millennial generations via college campuses, churches and civic group activation, showcasing the benefits of homeownership.

“We have partnerships across the nation to allow us to reach young millennials and the older Gen Zs within the black community, and raise awareness about opportunities and the pathway to homeownership,” Williams explains. “The community was hit hard in the subprime crisis, and there remains an aftershock. Too many lost their homes, or know someone who did, and therefore, the younger generation is wary of homeownership. We are working to change that.”