Real Estate Conference Aims to Provide Capital And Connections to Underserved Communities

Flipping The Hood, a two-day conference at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, will pull back the curtain on real estate and generational wealth for underserved communities.

Presented by actor and real estate developer Malik Yoba and his firm Yoba Development, the conference on May 9 and May 10 at 399 Sands St., poses not be a typical real estate or networking seminar. It's tailored for a whole human experience, priming the energy of attendees as they absorb real estate and wealth-building knowledge from a litany of top-notch officials in real estate development, finance, art, music, health and technology.

"The main goal is community, connection, and capital," Yoba said in a statement. "It’s to prove (to ourselves) that we can work together to achieve great things."

FTH starts both days with a registration soundscape by DJ Onyx, an African drum session, followed by a guided meditation and sound bath session with Yoba and Di Santana.

Besides talks from real estate developers, bankers and business owners, there will also be executives from the National Basketball Association, media groups and nonprofits that will speak on a variety of subject matters. The conference also broaches topics like emotional wellness and imposter syndrome, which many Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) individuals deal with on a professional level, Yoba said.

FTH presents opportunities for the Black community to be exposed to education and career pathways where minority representation is woefully low, according to the conference website.

Valerie White, a senior director of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) NY, said she is eager to speak about how a good idea for the community can be activated into reality when you have access to capital. 

"Conceptually (my work with Malik) is at the intersection of technical and capacity support, as well as capital investment, for folks who are growing their businesses or developing property in communities that may not necessarily have access to real estate loans," she said. 

Yoba, well-known for his many TV and film roles, said conferences like FTH passes down knowledge from seasoned executives like White, to bring opportunity and self-sufficiency to marginalized people.

Dena Yoba, Malik's daughter and the president of Yoba Development Foundation, said she hopes the conference can also help ignite a fire for the younger generation.

“I am 24-years-old, in a world where our socioeconomic experience has become a psychological toss-up," she said. "Many people are either lost, anxious, broke, living paycheck to paycheck, or on the verge of homelessness. I’ve also lived to see two recessions, and that kind of environment can be very bleak. So, I think now more than ever, generational wealth can be created through prioritizing community.”

For a full list of speakers and ticket information, click here.