Local Board Uses NAR Grant to Promote Diversity

The Greater Harrisburg Association of REALTORS® (GHAR) used an NAR Diversity Grant to bring a message to school children.

The $900 grant, along with local matching funds, brought Living Voices, a multi-media production of history, to the Carlisle Area School District in November. GHAR sponsored a similar program last year for two Harrisburg-area schools.

The program is a series of performances designed to promote diversity and educate students on history and how it relates to their lives. Living Voices, a Seattle-based theater company, presented a program that highlights the life of a 10-year-old Russian girl and her family’s immigration to the United States in the early 1900s.

Fred Humphrey, GHAR president, says, “This is one way the local association can reach out to the community and give back.

“With the topic of immigration at the forefront in national news, this program could not be more timely. The Living Voices program will allow these eighth-grade students to observe an immigration story and discuss how this topic fits in their own lives, as well as in the context of national news.” 

Humphrey says promoting an understanding of diversity and tolerance is an important public service. “As REALTORS® who live and work in this area, we want to ensure that all people, regardless of their background or national origin, are respected and have the opportunity to live the American dream of owning their own home,” he adds.