My Blackness is My Superpower – and other lessons learned navigating a career in real estate

You can’t do real estate in Atlanta without knowing the name T. Dallas Smith. I remember the first time I met Dallas at a broker event. I was new in my rotational program at Prologis, and I saw him as this giant in the room. I was inspired hearing about his journey as black man in commercial real estate. He made me feel like, if he can do it, I can too. 

Fast forward to two weeks ago, I was having a conversation with him in front of hundreds of people on my company’s global webinar – a new core memory for me.   

I’m co-lead of Prologis’ Black Industrial Leadership Network (BILN, an employee resource group), and we hosted a fireside chat with Dallas as part of our Black History Month programming. Going into this, I wasn’t focused on the audience. I actually didn’t think a lot of people would watch it, so I was blown away to learn more than a quarter of the company tuned in to this. And then, came the post-program flood of emails and Teams messages with positive feedback from leaders and colleagues. Seriously – I was floored, and I nearly fell out of my seat after engaging in personal correspondence with Hamid Moghadam, our CEO. For a minute, I just stared at my inbox, eyes wide open, with my hand on my forehead in disbelief.  

One thing I love about being Black: We tend to have a shared life experience, no matter who we are or where we’re from.

I say that because there were so many points Dallas made that I could relate to throughout the entire conversation – it felt as though he was telling my story. One point really hit home: Having patience and persistence throughout the journey, even when your career and your goals may not be panning out the way you want them to. 

I came to Prologis through a rotational leadership development program, meaning I’ve worked on three different functional teams. I’ve been a property manager, a leasing manager, and now, an investment associate. Due to the structure of the program and a lot of transitions, I’ve had a total of nine different managers over the last two and a half years. I’ve had to master each new role and reestablish myself and my value with every rotation. In essence, similar to Dallas’ story and the stories of other black men and women throughout the commercial real estate industry, there were times when I felt underutilized, unsupported, and even invisible.

But now, I’m glad I can say that Prologis is taking the right steps to remedy this. And now, in my latest rotation on the Capital Deployment team, this math major is feeling more at home and reenergized about my career than ever before. Combining this with the opportunity to lead an ERG has given me renewed purpose at work. 

Dallas also spent a lot of the conversation sharing the names of the people who helped him along the way and made a difference in his life and in his career. When I think about the village I have here, they’re a big part of the reason why I’m still at Prologis, why I now feel seen, and why I feel like the sky is really the limit. Kent Mason, Denver Glazier, Nick Kittredge, and the real MVP, Nathaalie Carey. Each of you has already made a big impact in my journey. Thank you. 

What Comes Next 

Dallas mentioned that his purpose in this business is to continue to be visible and do what he can to support black men and women with gaining exposure and success in this industry. I want to use any platform and opportunity that I have to do the same.  

I will channel this energy back into BILN. Our conversation with Dallas set a precedent for the organization, and I want to make sure we continue to deliver high-quality content and events. 

I’m also ready to channel that energy into my own career path at Prologis. I’m want to realize my full potential here, and my immediate goal is to assume a leadership position that marries my experience throughout this program with my strengths. In the long-term, I want to see just how far I can go.  

I want to answer a question submitted by Jordan Lewis that we did not get to during the live webinar. 

“Your stories of early days being the lone black in your office really resonate with me. I was the lone black broker out of 3 Bay Area regional offices which is a very diverse area. I always tried to use the fact that I stuck out to my advantage, and really change any prejudice that people may have. Did you do the same?” 

While I can’t answer for Dallas, I can share my answer:

I have, and I always will because I see my blackness as my superpower. I’m usually one of few or the only, and that helps me stand out. People tend to underestimate us because we’re black and I see this as an opportunity to shock and awe – by executing well, delivering quality work, and allowing my authentic self to shine through it all. If I do well, then that can change perspectives and encourage the leaders around me to continue to bring others on board who are like me. And that, I am committed to.