Boss Talks

Episode 20 with Joelis Barandica Rodriquez

Recorded on:
November 9, 2022

Hey, Boss! If you’re in need of a pep talk, here it is! Joelis Barandica-Rodriguez dives into barriers and solutions to the diversity vs inclusion question in the multifamily industry. Tune into the whole episode to discover how you can play a role in this important conversation!

*The views and opinions expressed on Boss Talks are those of the host and their guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community Boss.
  • 01:56 - Meet Joelis Barandica-Rodriguez, Regional Education Director for Con Am
  • 05:18 - Bridging the statistical gap for Latinas in Multifamily
  • 07:37 - Barriers and perspectives
  • 12:06 - Diversity vs inclusion
  • 17:14 - How to get involved with Latinas in Property Management
  • 23:04 - How to connect with Joelis this year
  • 26:03 - Our 3 Community Boss questions: community, food, and coffee

Before we jump into diversity and inclusion, meet today’s Boss Talks podcast guest: Joelis Barandica-Rodriguez, Regional Education Director for Con Am, Board of Directors member for the Apartment Association of Greater Orlando, and Founder of Latinas in Property Management.

With the fantastic blend of her Colombian roots and American pride, she has the perfect character for property management—although this job fell into her lap, as it does for most of us! “It was really through mentorship that I became well versed in property management and really fell in love with the field.”

Did you know...

  • Only 5% of corporate level multifamily managers in Florida are Latina
  • 36% of commercial real estate professionals are women
  • …but only 9% of corporate positions in real estate are women
  • Women earn a base salary of approximately 10% less than men

Diversity vs Inclusion

Joelis is an advocate for Latinas, but really for all people! And her definitions are not only spot-on, but also easy to understand.

“Imagine being at a high school dance. Diversity is really making sure that everyone is invited to the event, while inclusion is asking the people who are there to actually dance.

Think about a middle school basketball team. If you gave every player the same size seven shoe, it would be equal and they'd all have the same pair of shoes. But of course not everyone's feet are the same size… Equity is making sure everyone gets a pair of shoes that fit so they can participate on a level playing field.

How To Get Involved with Latinas in Property Management

“We are authentically committed to identify leaders that care and create safe spaces for dialogue and engagement. And we want them to have the courage to have those uncomfortable conversations with their staff, their boards, their partners about issues, so they aren't afraid to raise challenging questions.”