10:00 AM |<\/span> Sunday, December 12, 2021<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Since the city of Golden Valley started an initiative called \u201cJust Deeds\u201d to assist homeowners in removing racially restrictive covenants from their property deeds, the program has attracted a lot of attention.<\/p>\n In the past year, the city has had more than 400 requests to remove covenants and has fielded calls from across the country from cities and organizations wanting to start their own program. The biggest win? Realtors requesting state licensure must receive a four-hour training on racially restrictive covenants.<\/p>\n \u201cThis year we\u2019ve done dozens of presentations to all community groups. We\u2019ve had conversations with corporations and with thousands of people on Zoom,\u201d said Kiarra Zackery, equity and inclusion manager in Golden Valley. \u201cWe are making a lot of progress.\u201d<\/p>\n Zackery says the ripple effects from the Just Deeds program<\/a> have been amazing.<\/p>\n \u201cI received a call to talk to a high school class in California. I have been interviewed by NPR,\u201d said Zackery. \u201cIt\u2019s so wonderful that folks are actively looking at these things in their community and activate and make change.\u201d<\/p>\n Kiarra Zackery, equity and inclusion manager for Golden Valley<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Zackery said that the next steps include working on formalizing the structure and creating a system that can be replicated.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the things we get from all of these cities is how can we start this in my city. It\u2019s work that wants to be done across the country,\u201d said Zackery. \u201cWe want to get more people engaged, more people organized, continuing to discharge covenants and continuing to grow our reach.\u201d<\/p>\n One of the success stories includes a presentation and work with college students at St. Olaf.<\/p>\n \u201cTwo of the students found racially restrictive covenants on their parents\u2019 home and on their grandparents\u2019 homes and they\u2019ve discharged them. They are having family conversations about that and what it means for them,\u201d said Zackery. \u201cThat\u2019s wonderful and beautiful and exactly what the coalition wants.\u201d<\/p>\n See also: Special Report on Racial Covenants in the Suburbs; a Two-Part Series<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n![\"zackery\"](\"https:\/\/ccxmedia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/newsmakers2-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\nNext steps<\/h3>\n
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