R E N T A L READER YOUR
AUGUST 2020
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MUCH WORK TO DO Talk Is Only the Start
During junior high school, I competed in a regional public speaking competition and won. I went on to the state competition and ended up falling short there. My topic was racism. I remember that I practiced and practiced and practiced, standing in the kitchen, to lock everything in. The joke was that I knew my speech by heart, but so did all my brothers. Funny, I can only remember part of the speech’s ending now: “Racism is a disease, and the only cure for it is talk. So, talk to your family, talk to your friends.” To paraphrase the “solution” outlined in the speech, talking about racism openly — including the evils, the impacts, the reasons it exists, and what we need to be aware of — will eventually lead us out of it. Obviously, our country is in an unprecedented time. Terrible events have awakened us to the fact that systemic racism is alive and well in the United States. Protests continue as I write this, and my hope is that substantive change will result. At the very least, people are talking about racism …
Anthony Greenwald, a social psychologist, and two of his colleagues helped create a test called the Implicit Association Test (IAT). I first heard about it years ago while reading Malcolm Gladwell’s book, “Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking.”The gist of the IAT is that we make quicker connections between pairs of ideas already related in our minds than between pairs that are unfamiliar to us. By measuring this difference in speed, we perceive our unconscious attitudes, which are very different from our conscious, stated values. While there are IATs on several topics, the one highlighted in Gladwell’s book is in regard to race. After years of testing, researchers have seen that over 80% of test subjects in the United States have pro-white associations. Not only that, but over 50% of Black Americans who were tested also have stronger associations with white people than with Black people. You see, systemic racism affects everyone who grows up in the U.S., and that impacts our implicit biases, regardless of race. With everything going on, I asked all RCW team members to take the test recently, and we had a discussion about the results, how they felt about it, what it meant, and more. I was glad we talked as a group about it and felt proud that everyone was able to discuss the topic so openly. We also discussed that while a lot of focus with protests has been on policing, the issue of systemic racism affects so much more of our lives; in fact, we as real estate professionals see it the most with housing.
state fair housing laws that establish protected classes. RCW fully supports these laws and believes they are necessary because of systemic racism and implicit biases. Just because there are fair housing laws does not mean all is well in the world. Newsday did a three-year investigation into discrimination in Long Island and found unequal treatment by real estate agents. Violations included steering, lack of service, inconsistent processes, and more. Across all minority groups, 40% experienced disparate impact; 49% of all Black testers experienced disparate outcomes, as well. The Newsday investigation was very eye-opening for me because I didn’t expect the unequal treatment to be so rampant or so close to home. In the end, it made me realize that we have much work to do.
Yours in the hope that things will change for the better,
But is it enough?
A dangerous thing about racism (and discrimination at large) is the collection of subconscious biases many of us have simply from growing up in the United States. I hate to admit it because it makes me uncomfortable and because I wish it wasn’t true, but I have those biases in my life. While I don’t recognize them on a daily basis, every once in a while, something happens that wakes me up to the fact that I have them.
P.S. If you are curious, you can take an online version of the IAT at Implicit.harvard.edu .
P.P.S. If you want to see details on the Newsday investigation, search “Long Island Divided” on Newsday.com .
And that is where we can have an impact.
Housing is known to be a high-risk area for discrimination. That is why there are federal and
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Upgrading the Backsplash THE OVERWORKED PART OF THE KITCHEN
TINY DESK TROUBLES? Create More Space With DIY Clip-On Desk Organizers
When people think about remodeling rooms in their homes, kitchens are often at the top of the list. After all, people spend a lot of time in their kitchens, making them one of the most used rooms. With that use comes the need to update the space and bring in new trends. One of the most important aspects of remodeling your kitchen is the backsplash. As the name implies, the backsplash takes quite a bit of abuse, from hot oil splashes to dirty dishwater. Over the years, it will become worn, chipped, cracked, stained, or broken, and the more wear it shows, the more unappealing your kitchen will look. If your backsplash is in need of an upgrade, there are a few popular trends to help you decide the perfect look for your kitchen.
Have you outgrown your desk? Here’s a hint: If you have to write notes on your lap because there’s no space on your desk, then you’ve outgrown your desk. But getting a new desk can be expensive or just plain unfeasible if your current desk barely fits in the space you have. If you don’t have the budget or space for a bigger desk, then give yourself some extra organization space with this simple DIY project! Supplies
New Changes With Paint
When deciding how you want to change your backsplash, consider if you want to change the material or put on a new coat of paint. Painting gives you a chance to see which variety of colors and styles fits the look you’re going after and is far less expensive than replacing the whole thing. Use a stencil to create your own design and try out different textures to match, like high gloss, satin, or matte.
4 grip clips 4 sets of washers, nuts, and bolts
1 loaf pan 1 coffee can 1 soup can
1 sheet of self-stick furniture felt Spray paints in preferred colors
New Changes With Materials
Tools
Power drill
Screwdriver
Rubber gloves
If you prefer to use materials, such as glass, stone, or even metal as a backsplash, then there are a number of options open to you depending on your personal preference, budget, and needs. These materials can be a little more expensive, but they’re also very popular for modern remodels. Homeowners can enjoy piecing together a tiled or patterned look, creating a mirror effect, or adding a single slab to create a unique look for their home. However, unlike painting, these different materials often require a professional touch. A backsplash is meant to catch the backsplash from your cooking and cleaning, but it also makes your kitchen pop. It’s an important statement piece, so be sure to put some thought into how you want it to look!
Directions
1. Line up clips on your containers and mark where you will need to drill the holes. The loaf pan will need two clips while the coffee can and the soup can need just one each. You’ll want each container to sit level with each other, so align clips accordingly.
2. Use a power drill to carefully drill holes in each container.
3. Put on rubber gloves to keep your hands clean. In a well-ventilated area, spray-paint the interior of each container with bold, complementary colors. Once the interior paint dries, flip the containers over and spray paint the exteriors. Use neutral colors on the exterior, like white or black, to make the interior colors really pop. Spray paint your clips the same color as the exterior of the containers. Let everything dry fully.
4. Use the screwdriver to attach clips to the containers with washers, nuts, and bolts.
5. Measure and cut out felt pads and attach them to the underside of the top of each clip. This will help prevent your desk from getting scratched.
6. Carefully attach the containers to your desk and enjoy a new age of organization.
Your new organizers are a great way to clear up space on your desk. Fill them with spare pens, cables, sticky notes, and even desk plants!
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‘DAD, HOW DO I?’ How 1 Father Is Passing Along Life Lessons
Being abandoned by a parent is one of the most devastating things that can happen to a child. Rob Kenney experienced this trauma firsthand when his father said he no longer wanted any of his eight children. Kenney was only 12 years old when his father walked out of his life. In an interview with Q13 News in Seattle, Kenney explained that after that experience, he decided that when he had children of his own, he would raise them into good adults and make sure they didn’t have a fractured childhood. But he didn’t stop there.
Now 50, Kenney has a 29-year-old daughter and 27-year-old son who are living successful lives thanks to that decision he made many years before. However, even with an empty nest, Kenney realized he still had life lessons to pass on. After thinking about other young people in the world who have gone through the same unfortunate experience as he did, he decided to do something about it. In early April 2020, Kenney created a YouTube channel called “Dad, how do I?” and uploaded his first video, titled “How to tie a tie.” In the video, he gives a helpful hint for choosing a tie. Then he talks viewers through the process of how to tie a tie while demonstrating it on himself. As April progressed, Kenney uploaded a number of videos on other seemingly simple tasks, including how to unclog a sink, check the oil in a car, install a shelf, and even how to shave. As he continued uploading videos, he started to include dad jokes along the way. “So today I’m going to show you how to use a stud finder,” Kenney begins in one video. “If you came here looking for help finding a boyfriend, that would be a different stud finder.”
Kenney hopes that, by uploading these videos, he can be there for someone who doesn’t have a parent around to teach them these things. And in the course of just two months, it looks like he is already doing just that. At the end of May, Kenney’s channel had over 2 million subscribers and thousands of people
have reached out to Kenney to share their own similar experiences and express their gratitude and appreciation for everything he’s doing. HAVE A LAUGH
RESTAURANT-STYLE FETTUCCINE ALFREDO Inspired by The New York Times
Ingredients
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Salt
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1 lb fresh fettuccine
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2 tbsp butter
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1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
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1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
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Freshly ground pepper, to taste
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1 1/2 cups heavy cream
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Fresh parsley, chopped, to taste
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1 large egg yolk
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1 lemon wedge
Directions
1.
In a large pot, bring 6 quarts of generously salted water to a boil. In a large, deep skillet, while the water heats, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant and sizzling (about 2 minutes). In a bowl, whisk heavy cream and egg yolk until blended and pour into garlic butter. Reduce heat tomedium-low. Stir until hot, not boiling. Keep warmon low heat.
5.
In the large pot, cook pasta until al dente. (The pasta will float once it’s done.) Reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water and drain pasta. Pour hot pasta into creammixture and toss to coat on low heat. Add Parmigiano-Reggiano and keep tossing gently until cream is mostly absorbed. If the sauce is absorbed too much, toss with extra pasta water. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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6.
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4.
7.
Serve with parsley and a squeeze of lemon.
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57 DODGE AVE, STE. 107 NORTH HAVEN, CT 06473 860.613.6290
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INSIDE
1
Much Work to Do
2
Giving Attention to Your Backsplash
A Simple DIY Solution for More Desk Space
3
Rob Kenney Is a Father to Many
Restaurant-Style Fettuccine Alfredo
4
3 Tips to Upgrade Your Outdoor Space
3 TRENDS TO SPRUCE UP YOUR OUTDOOR SPACE!
Outdoor spaces are the perfect spot for reading or hosting your next barbecue. Use these tips from our friends at Wayfair and Living Spaces to turn your outdoor space into your own oasis for any season.
Bright and Colorful: Accent your drab outdoor space with accent chairs, bright pillows or rugs, or colorful outdoor utensils. With designs trending toward coastal and natural styles, greens, blues, and yellows are going to become the go-to colors.
Turn It Inside Out: With a greater emphasis on staying home, you’ll want to bring the indoor conveniences you enjoy outside. Look to outdoor kitchens, daybeds, and even movie setups to create the ultimate gathering space.
Embrace Plants: One of the easiest ways to add style to any space is to embrace greenery. Whether this means fixing up your landscaping or adding houseplants, this could be just what your patio needs.
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