Real Estate Pathway Program
Real Estate. Trades. Wealth. | An Initiative of Ani Empowerment Group, 501(c)(3)
Ani Empowerment Group runs a year-round workforce development and violence prevention program connecting
underrepresented youth and young adults to careers in real estate and the construction trades — the industries that build
generational wealth. The Build Your Future Summit is our annual public capstone where that work comes alive.
4th Annual Summit · Friday, October 2, 2026 · Chicago, IL · Free & Open to All.
THE PROBLEM — WHY THIS WORK IS URGENT
The racial wealth gap is not an abstraction. It is a Chicago reality.
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Black workers hold only 4.2% of real estate industry jobs nationally, and just 2.7% of construction jobs in Chicago —in a city that is 30% Black.
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The construction industry needs 499,000 new workers in 2026 and will lose 41% of its workforce to retirement by 2031. It cannot keep excluding the communities we serve.
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Chicago's Civic Committee Public Safety Task Force identifies increased employment as its #1 strategy for reducing gun violence. A job is an intervention. A career is a cycle breaker.
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Justice-involved individuals in Illinois face 5× the unemployment rate of the general population.
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McKinsey: the U.S. has lost $26 trillion in economic growth since 2000 due to the racial wealth gap.
"Addressing the racial wealth gap is not just a moral question. It is common-sense economics."
— 2025 State of Black Chicago, Chicago Urban League
THE PROGRAM — WHAT WE DO
The program is the work. The Summit is how we celebrate it.
The Real Estate Pathway Program is a structured, year-round workforce development and violence prevention initiative serving two cohorts:
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High school juniors and seniors — introduced to career pathways before graduation.
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Post-high school participants up to age 30 — including justice-impacted individuals building a future.
Three integrated pillars:
Four-phase model: Recruit → Educate → Connect → Launch. Pilot cohort launches Summer 2026. North Star:
a permanent AEG Community Center by 2029.
The Build Your Future Summit is the annual capstone — a free, full-day public event celebrating program cohorts and
connecting the broader community to careers in real estate and the trades.
OUR IMPACT
Three Summits proved the demand. The program delivers the pathway.
"It can open your mind. There is more than just the streets.
I am motivated to get into real estate."
— Jeremy, High School Student
"Because of the wealth of information, I am interested in becoming an inspector or appraiser. I didn't know that was even a possibility for someone like me."
— J. Lucas, Attendee
"The organization is incredible with tons of resources and people looking to collectively grow."
— L. Henley, Real Estate Professional & Panelist
*50% reduction: AEG CEO Lutalo McGee — restorative justice programming, 360 students, Bowen & Social Justice High Schools (CPS).
1st Annual 2022 · 2nd Annual 2023 · 3rd Annual 2024 · 4th Annual 2026 (rebranded as Build Your Future Summit).
Every pillar of AEG's mission has a credentialed expert at the board level.
WHO IS BEHIND THIS
Lutalo McGee
CEO & DIRECTOR
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President, Chicago Assoc. of REALTORS® (2025–26)
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Trustee, The Appraisal Foundation
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NAR Board Director (2023–Present)
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1st VP, Dearborn Realtist Board
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Owner, Ani Real Estate & Ani Title
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Former CPS Educator & Restorative JusticePractitioner
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Featured: Tribune, Sun-Times, Crain's, NBCChicago, NAR Magazine
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Cited in 2025 State of Black Chicago, CUL
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Dr. Tinaya York
PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR
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PhD, Curriculum & Instruction, UIC
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Certified Reading Specialist
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20+ years, Chicago Public Schools (teacher → principal)
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Illinois Reading Council Mattie Williams Literacy Award
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Featured in Education Week
Dr. Darnell Bradley
VP, DIRECTOR & CHIEF PROGRAM
OFFICER
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EdD, Adult & Higher Education, NIU
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Director of Curriculum, Institute of Coaching at Harvard
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Serves 5,000+ coaches globally
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16 years doctoral faculty experience
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Real Estate New Broker Orientation certificate
WHY SPONSOR — WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU
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Direct pipeline to diverse talent in real estate and the trades — for companies actively hiring or building brand relevance with these communities.
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Every $1 invested returns $4–$12 in reduced criminal justice costs, increased tax revenue, and community stabilization (NBER / Urban Institute).
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Founding partner recognition in a program launching its inaugural cohort in 2026–2027, built on four years of proven community engagement.
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Visibility with 600+ attendees and growing — community members, professionals, elected officials, and youth seeking pathways. Mayor Brandon Johnson (2024), State Senator Willie Preston (2024), and State Rep. La Shawn Ford (2023) have all spoken at this event.
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Tax-deductible contribution to a 501(c)(3) in good standing. EIN: 47-4390505.
THE ASK — SPONSORSHIP TIERS
Two ladders: event-only sponsorship from $500, and year-round Pathway Partnership from $7,500.
EXHIBITOR TABLES — Build Your Future Summit, Oct 2, 2026
Tables provide presence at the Summit. They are not sponsorship tiers and do not include sponsor branding or activation benefits.
EVENT SPONSORSHIP — Build Your Future Summit, Oct 2, 2026
PATHWAY PARTNERSHIP — Year-Round Program Investment
Each tier includes all Platinum event benefits plus escalating program partnership benefits.
All packages negotiable. AEG also actively pursues government & foundation funding aligned with workforce development, youth violence prevention, and racial equity priorities (WIOA, DOL, HUD CDBG, DOJ CVI, IL Violence Prevention Authority, City of Chicago violence prevention funding, INVEST South/West).
To secure: bit.ly/GiveButterAEGBuildYourFuture · DarnellBradley@AniEmpowermentGroup.org · All contributions tax-deductible · EIN: 47-4390505
Ani Empowerment Group · 501(c)(3) · EIN: 47-4390505 · Chicago, Illinois · aniempowermentgroup.org
Sources: Color of Wealth in Chicago, The New School (2024); 2025 State of Black Chicago, Chicago Urban League; 2025 SHIBA, NAREB; AGC/ABC 2026 Workforce Projections;
Harvard JCHS (2024); NBER; Urban Institute; Injustice Watch (2024); McKinsey & Co.; AEG Survey Data (2022–2024).
