Brothers Redevelopment commits to diversity, equity, and inclusion with comprehensive training for employees

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has been Brothers Redevelopment’s guiding principles since we first started offering our services to the state back in 1971.

Our early days began with a mission of serving the westside of Denver — an area that has historically been home to Latinos. The area, located along the South Platte River between the rail yards that bordered Auraria, Globeville and Highland, was largely ignored by Denver’s leading citizens and was a landing place for the city’s poorest residents into the 1960s, according to a report from the City of Denver.

Our founders saw a need to serve older adults and families living in poverty with home modifications/repairs and eventually exterior house painting. Those early days set the foundation for the work we continue to do today in areas like Denver’s Globeville Elyria-Swansea neighborhoods where we continue to provide affordable housing for residents, most of whom are Latino, in order for them to avoid displacement.

And while DEI has been our guiding principle for decades, we are continuing our commitment to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone we serve. That’s why Brothers leadership felt it was vital for all our 106 employees to participate in a formal DEI training program last month.

The training session was led by a qualified trainer provided by Mountain States Employers Council and was designed to be accessible and meaningful to employees and managers alike concerned with successfully creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and ready to explore unconscious bias. The goal of the training was to help our team gain tools and strategies for a path forward.

The training covered various topics like benefits of diversity, unconscious bias, inclusion, micro-aggressions, and more. The day ended with group discussions about how much Brothers allow for uniqueness, each employee’s sense of connection to others, how well everyone stays curious about each other, how ready and willing staff is to help each other, and how Brothers welcomes new ideas. Discussions were positive and insightful with many employees speaking about how they feel welcomed at Brothers — regardless of one’s sex, age, sexual-orientation, and race.

Our Strategic Plan — which was released at the beginning of this year — includes organization ideals about inclusion. We know we are better when all voices and people are included. We listen to the people and communities we serve, treat them with respect and let their needs drive our actions.

“At Brothers Redevelopment, we are committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. Our diversity, equity, and inclusion training is an essential part of our efforts to foster a culture of respect and understanding,” said Brothers President Jeff Martinez. “By embracing diversity and promoting equity, we can better serve our community and ensure that everyone has access to safe, affordable housing. We believe that by working together, we can create a better future for all of us.”