Helping others is something Lolita Anderson and Kwania Newman have an amazing time doing, as it’s all about community for them. Anderson is a property manager who provides housing to underserved populations in the city of Atlanta and abroad, while Newman is the owner of Affordable Furniture and Appliances.
Anderson and Newman were present when the Rocket Community Fund announced a combined $550,000 in new funding to protect Atlanta homeowners and renters from displacement.
They spoke with rolling out about what they do, what community means to them, and why leaving a legacy is important.
We know what city leaders are doing, but what can the community do to help with the housing development?
Kwania Newman: There are so many wonderful things that we just have not had information on. We just need to get the word out, tell our friends, tell everybody that they’ve got some wonderful programs in the city of Atlanta, particularly to help seniors keep their homes. Now there’s homelessness happening to younger people, and there are benefits and there are resources available for them. What we have to do is just get the word out. Let everybody know that the state of Atlanta is doing wonderful things for all ages, and see it bloom.
When looking for a property, what should people know when they come to you?
Lolita Anderson: I have a layered process because I’m partnered with other opportunities so it has to be a layered process. One, because those guys have to keep me straight and narrow because it’s a lot of things that can happen that can be a prevention for housing if you’re not sticking to the process. I just ask them to please let me know what’s happening for real; that way, I know what to do for real, versus you may need this and not that. Particularly working with seniors who are displaced, there are a lot of things I need to know. Are you 62 or 61? Do you have an income? Is there anything in your background that may be a barrier? It doesn’t mean it’s a deal breaker; it just helps me to be able to serve you better.
What does community mean to you?
KN: Community is all-inclusive and everybody. So when we have one, and everybody helps, that’s the community. When you turn your back, somebody’s watching yours. That’s what I see when it comes to community; we all work together to strive for one main goal and that is success.
LA: Community to me, is champions winning on purpose. I say that every day because I mean it. Thank God for opportunities to be in this space, especially with our seniors who are going to be ancestors. Then when we’re ancestors, we know that we poured in and we gave them what they thought they didn’t need. It’s the village. It’s absolutely the village. I appreciate having the village, and in Atlanta, as you can see, we’re a very diverse melting pot, and I’ll always be able to be part of that.
