Building equity through collaboration: Why community matters

International Women’s Day 2026

Real estate shapes people’s lives - the homes we build, the spaces we create, the communities we nurture. But for too long, the people shaping those places haven’t reflected the communities they serve. That realisation is what drew me into development, and ultimately to Stories.

I came into the industry as an older graduate at a large consultancy, working my way through to chartership while exploring the many specialisms the built environment offers. I loved the work, the purpose behind it, and the impact it could have. But it was also immediately clear that something was missing.

Seeing the gaps - and finding the people who pull up a chair

Like many women in real estate - and especially Black women - I often found myself the only person in the room who looked like me. That awareness never quite leaves you. Yet I was fortunate to have sponsors and advocates who consistently pulled out the “chair adjacent”, signalling that I belonged and that my contribution mattered.

Those experiences are why representation is not an abstract idea for me.

Representation is foundational. When we

plan and shape places that affect people’s daily lives, who is at the table matters. And so does how we support one another to get there, and once we’re there.

Why community changes everything

That representation is foundational is why Black Women in Real Estate (BWRE) was founded, and I proudly serve on the committee. BWRE is about more than networking. It exists to increase representation, visibility and opportunity for Black women across the sector. It offers something powerful: a community built not on exclusivity, but on shared purpose, mentorship, advocacy and care.

Here, emerging professionals see pathways into the industry. Experienced voices share knowledge that helps others rise faster and with greater confidence. And the wider sector gains a clearer understanding of why diversity isn’t just a “nice to have” - it strengthens decision making, improves outcomes and builds better places.

Give to Gain - What equity really means

This year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Give to Gain: Building Equity Through Collaboration”, resonates deeply. In property, we often talk about equity in financial terms. We calculate it, structure it, negotiate it.

But there is another form of equity that is just as valuable.

It’s the equity built when someone shares their experience so others don’t feel alone.

When a mentor offers guidance that enriches someone else’s journey.

When an ally uses their influence to open a door that was once closed or obscured.

At our annual IWD banquet - which I have the joy of hosting - that spirit is felt in every conversation. We celebrate achievements, acknowledge challenges, and shine a light on the women and allies whose contributions are reshaping our industry’s future. This year, Stories sponsored a table, a gesture that meant a great deal to me personally. It signalled not only support for BWRE, but a commitment to showing up, visibly and intentionally, for equity in our sector.

Some of the Stories team in attendance at the BWRE Banquet 2026

Collaboration in practice

What Stories, and all our sponsors, did this year is a model for what collaboration can look like in real terms: recognising the value of organisations like BWRE and actively championing them. When companies do this, they help strengthen the ecosystem of talent, leadership and opportunity across the sector - something that benefits everyone.

Many of our guests left the banquet inspired by our award winners and the way “Give to Gain” came to life in the room. Progress doesn’t happen through statements alone; it happens through actions that redistribute opportunity.

What comes next?

I am optimistic about the direction of our industry - not because the work is done, but because more people are choosing to participate in the process of building equity. The weight of this work is beginning to be shared, rather than resting solely on those who experience the inequities themselves.

International Women’s Day can be divisive. Some embrace it wholeheartedly, some treat it as a marketing moment, and others question its relevance. But whatever your view, one thing is undeniable: it creates a pause. A moment to reflect on what equity means, where progress is happening, and where it is not.

The more important question is what we each choose to do once the pause ends.

Step forward

Equity is built choice by choice. If you want to “give to gain”, start here:

• Sponsor someone

• Open a door

• Amplify a voice

• Create space where none existed before

• Attend next year’s BWRE banquet…

  
  

The built environment is ultimately about people - and when more of us move forward together, the places we shape become stronger, fairer and more reflective

of the communities they serve. I still love what I do and long may that continue.

So as you start moving again… what will you choose to do?

This blog is dedicated to my sponsors and advocates over the years. Thank you.