Checking in on Our Commitment to Inclusion and Diversity: June 2021

Back in January, we welcomed the new year by taking a look at our social equality commitment and assessing how we could be of service to our community after the onslaught of challenges that 2020 brought about. With the promise of a fresh start, we were feeling optimistic about the future, but still recognized that ongoing issues like racial injustice, climate change, and general political and social unrest needed to remain at the forefront of the conversation. Now, six months later, it’s time to check in again to make sure that we’re honoring our social responsibility and living up to our name.

One major way that we’re dedicated to increasing diversity, not only at our company but in the multifamily industry as a whole, is through developing our internship program. As we mentioned in a previous blog post, 44% of the full-time staff at Dyverse are former interns, and we believe that providing opportunities for young professionals to learn and grow as much as possible can be beneficial for everyone.

A major focus of ours has been striving to make our internship program more accessible to anyone looking to get started in the multifamily industry. This is one of the main reasons that we’ve begun accepting fully remote interns into our program — this semester is our first trial run, with an intern completely based in Georgia. Not only does this open doors for applicants in other areas of the country, but also to those who may not have reliable transportation to get to and from the office. Due to the pandemic, we’ve honed our ability to effectively utilize online tools like Slack and GoToMeeting to help us stay connected from our homes; this definitely prepared us for the process of conducting a remote internship that provides all the hands-on experience, industry knowledge, and team building that an in-person position would provide.

Another way we’re working to make our internship more accessible is with our Financial Assistance Grant. We know that unpaid internships are not always a feasible option for those with financial obligations, and we believe that there shouldn’t be a monetary barrier to entry into the multifamily industry (or any industry, for that matter). Internships without compensation often exclude those from low-income communities and can negatively impact other diversity efforts. With our Financial Assistance Grant, we aim to ease the stress of financial responsibility on our interns and allow them to focus on getting the most out of their time with us.

Aside from our internship program, we’re also putting our money where our mouth is with donations to local organizations that we believe will benefit those in need. Last time, we talked about Parramore Kidz Zone, an organization dedicated to enriching the lives of Black children in Central Orlando. After building such a great relationship with them and seeing what good our efforts can do, we wanted to pick another local group to support.

In honor of Pride month, we decided to spotlight One Orlando Alliance, a coalition of over 40 non-profit organizations in the Orlando area that provide LGBTQ+ support and programs. One Orlando Alliance was formed as a result of the Pulse nightclub tragedy in 2016, and has since dedicated itself to providing a safe, inclusive, and welcoming community for all LGBTQ+ people. Some of the organizations featured include the American Red Cross, the Mental Health Association of Central Florida, the Orlando Youth Alliance, UCF LGBTQ+ Services, and more.

In their own words, One Orlando Alliance aims to:

• “Build the capacity of LGBTQ+ nonprofits,”
• “Serve as the information hub for LGBTQ+ resources,”
• “Engage in collective advocacy to advance the interests of the LGBTQ+ community,”
• and “Connect LGBTQ+ organizations with businesses, government, and philanthropic institutions.”

Every day, we’re looking for new ways to lend ourselves to the cause of fostering inclusion and diversity, not only at our company but in our local area and the multifamily marketing industry, as well. We look forward to a future in which every person, community and identity has equal opportunity and representation, and since there’s still work to be done, we will continue to do our part to make that future a reality.

For more information about the Dyverse internship program or our Financial Assistance Grant, please reach out to our team. Also, be sure to take a look at our blog post, “5 Resources to Help You Create an Inclusive Marketing Strategy in 2021.”