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2020 Fair Housing Summit Goes Virtual

Registration is now open for the virtual 2020 Fair Housing Summit: Exposing Housing Discrimination, which features Tim Wise, one of the nation’s most prominent anti-racist educators and authors. Wise has written seven highly acclaimed books, including his memoir, “White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son” and “Dear White America: Letter to a New Minority.”

The Housing Summit is free and hosted by the City of Fort Wayne’s Metropolitan Human Relations Commission and the Office of Housing & Neighborhood Services. It was previously scheduled to be an in-person event in April but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is now a virtual event taking place on four Tuesdays in September. Each Tuesday will feature a different speaker or speakers presenting about a topic related to fair housing via a Zoom meeting. The schedule is as follows:

• September 1, 2 p.m.: Sexual Harassment in Housing

o Amy Nelson, Executive Director of The Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana, will review recent sexual harassment cases and present best practices for preventing and addressing sexual harassment in housing.

• September 15, 2 p.m.: Discrimination in Zoning

o Sara Pratt, Counsel, Relman Colfax PLLC, will discuss how zoning and planning decisions affect fair housing. Pratt will review U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development guidance on exclusionary zoning as well as recent zoning cases.

• September 22, 2 p.m.: The Eviction Crisis in Fort Wayne

o Kelly Lundberg, Director of the City of Fort Wayne’s Office of Housing and Neighborhood Services, will lead a panel discussion of local experts regarding the community’s high eviction rates.

• September 29, 2 p.m.: Keynote Address

o Tim Wise, anti-racist educator, film producer, and author, will discuss the effects of institutionalized racism and discrimination in housing. Wise is the author of seven books, as well as numerous podcasts and essays. He has spoken to audiences in all 50 states and on more than 1,000 college campuses.

Anyone interested in the event should visit http://www.fortwaynemetro.org/fhevent for more information and to register. All sessions are free and limited to the first 500 people who register. Individuals may register for as many sessions as they like.

Fort Wayne Metro’s mission is to enforce civil rights laws and empower the citizens of Fort Wayne through education on diversity and discrimination issues. The City’s Office of Housing & Neighborhood Services works to attract and support housing investment throughout the community and expand access to safe, quality, affordable housing. The department also partners with local non-profit organizations to address critical needs in the community.