June 2024 President’s Message
Valued TCRA Members,
Welcome to June in Thurston County, the time that we hold out hope that we will actually
have a summer worth celebrating and not the “Juneuary” that it seems to be shaping up to
be. I am holding out hope for not only sunny weather, but also market improvements as we
head into the busy summer months.
June is National Homeownership Month when we promote the benefits of homeownership
and recommit to creating housing opportunities for all Americans. REALTORS® strive to
ensure everyone has the opportunity to achieve homeownership, the centerpiece of the
American Dream, and the pathway to economic well-being and intergenerational wealth
building. Check out the NAR and WR resources to learn more about what REALTORS® are
doing to promote homeownership across the US by visiting warealtor.org! You can also
download social media graphics from WA REALTORS®, NAR and the Photofy app.
June hosts two important national holidays, Flag Day and Juneteenth. Flag Day in the
United States is observed on June 14th each year to commemorate the adoption of the
American flag. The Continental Congress approved the design of the national flag on June
14, 1777, making this date significant in American history. In 1916, President Woodrow
Wilson issued a proclamation oZicially establishing June 14th as Flag Day, and in 1949,
National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress. The day honors the flag's
symbolism and the values it represents, promoting patriotism and national unity. Flag Day
provides us with the opportunity to come together and celebrate what the United States
flag represents. The flag is a powerful emblem of American identity, reflecting the nation's
ideals of freedom, democracy, and unity. It serves as a reminder of the country's struggles
and achievements, and it is a source of pride and patriotism for its citizens. TCRA will host
our annual Flag Day ceremony on June 14th, check our website for further details.
Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19th, is a significant holiday that marks the emancipation
of enslaved African Americans in the United States. The day commemorates June 19, 1865,
when Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced the end
of slavery, effectively enforcing the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President
Abraham Lincoln more than two years earlier. Juneteenth is a time to honor African
American history and culture, reflect on the injustices of slavery, and celebrate the
progress made towards equality. It serves as a reminder of the resilience and contributions
of Black Americans, fostering a greater understanding and appreciation of their ongoing
struggle for civil rights and social justice. The recognition of Juneteenth as a federal holiday
in 2021 underscores its importance as a day of reflection, education, and community
celebration.
June is also recognized as Pride Month. Pride Month is celebrated each June to honor the
LGBTQ+ community's history, achievements, and ongoing struggle for equality. It
commemorates the Stonewall Riots of June 1969, a pivotal event in the fight against
systemic discrimination and police brutality faced by LGBTQ+ individuals. Pride Month
serves as both a tribute to the progress made in securing civil rights and a reminder of the
work still needed to combat discrimination and violence. It is marked by parades, events,
and educational activities,promoting visibility, acceptance, and the celebration of diverse
sexual orientations and gender identities. Pride Month fosters a sense of community and
solidarity, emphasizing the importance of pride, dignity, and equal rights for all.
I often say that we should all strive to be a part of the change that I want to see in the world.
After reading many comments from fellow REALTORS® on social media this past weekend, I
feel compelled to share my personals thoughts on Pride Month and Juneteenth in hopes
that I might shine light on how they impact our efforts for Fair Housing and should not be
characterized as social issues alone. I will preface my following words as being my own,
not any other member of the association leadership or association body at large. It’s
important to recognize the progress made and the work still to be done to ensure that no
one is subject to discrimination in their efforts of homeownership or their opportunity to
enjoy it. Laws matter, but ultimately, it's people who make the dream of property ownership
real.
As REALTORS®, we believe that everyone deserves the right to make a house a home,
so I stand firmly against any form of discrimination or hate speech. It’s just one part of our
strict Code of Ethics that sets a higher standard for fairness in housing than any federal law
requires. Even in this day and age persons are not only discriminated in housing based on
their race, color, sexual orientation and more, but are also made to feel unsafe in their
homes. We are REALTORS® and we must do better. I encourage you to take the time
research the history and need or continued Fair Housing efforts, promotion of
Homeownership and NAR’s DEI commitments to educate yourself on how to avoid bias
and discrimination to better serve the communities that you engage your business in.
To those members that celebrate Pride Month and Juneteenth, I applaud your tenacity and
dedication to improving the world that we live in. I hope that we see a world that everyone
can share the sentiment of ONE Love, abolishing all discrimination and fear of harm that
comes with it. To everyone, I hope that you can find a way for yourselves to join in
celebrating equality and have compassion for your fellow neighbor that may face
discrimination in many forms based on race, color, national origin, religion, sexual
orientation, gender identity, familial status and disability.
June also marks the middle of my term as your 2024 TCRA President. It has been an honor
and privilege to serve the association in the role. So, what is next you might ask. In June we
will have our General Membership Meeting at a new location and time, where we will vote
on our updated Bylaws. These Bylaws changes were necessary to bring us into compliance
with WA State Statutes that regulate non-profit organizations. We also made a few other
changes to committees to bring focus on the areas that are important to our members and
our strategic plan. I want to thank our Bylaws committee for spending countless hours
working with our legal counsel to draft these improvements to the governing documents of
the association and the TCRA Board of Directors for their support and contributions to
these changes. These efforts will benefit our membership for years to come.
The leadership of this association is not a small task, and it takes contributions from all to
be successful. As we come into open nominations for Board positions, I encourage all our
members to consider how to participate in the leadership of the association. Whether it be
through committees or considering a position on the Board of Directors we need your
support in ushering in the next generation of REALTORS®. It is often said that leadership is
lonely, but in my experience, it doesn’t have to be. Consider stepping into leadership to be
a part of the change that you want to see. We will be accepting floor nominations for open
Board of Director positions at our June General Membership Meeting. Be sure to check our
website for all the details.
In closing I will say that I understand that not all members will agree with some of my
message this month. Please know this, my words are not meant to offend any member as I
truly appreciate the opportunity to serve as your President and understand that we are a
membership with a wide variety of experiences and viewpoints. My words are meant to
encourage, educate and share my point of view of current matters as they relate to
housing. I cannot speak directly to all discrimination issues that occur in housing.
However, as a mother of a son that is a part of the LGBTQ+ community, I have seen
firsthand the level of discrimination that he faces regularly not only in society, but also in
his efforts to obtain safe housing. I believe that awareness is the first step in bringing
positive change. Our world is far from perfect, but we can all be a part of making it better.
In a world where you can be anything, please be kind.
Warmly,
Tracie L. Choate
2024 TCRA President