Leading up to REBNY’s big gala this month, The Real Deal examined the longstanding lack of diversity in the NYC real estate industry and the reasons why women and especially minorities have been relatively few in number. We largely found a tale of two sectors, with commercial real estate being the least inclusive.
All told, we interviewed more than 70 people, of all ranks and sectors, about the role that race and gender plays in their careers. While some said they had never encountered any barriers, others spoke of a culture in which racism and sexism are entrenched through discriminatory practices surrounding access to credit, commission-based pay and a clubby, male-dominated environment.
As part of the story, we photographed nine individuals in the commercial sector who have made a dent on the industry. View the above slideshow to see portraits that didn’t make it into the magazine. Click here to read this month’s cover story, “Real estate’s diversity problem.”