Racism Exposed at Home, Work and School in the Northeast

By Ieisha Harris

Summary
A black woman who made a big purchase for a home in 2007, at the age of 32, my very first home. My children ‘s ages were 12- girl & 9- boy at the time of my purchase. We were very excited, our first home, our first backyard, our first-time choosing paint for each wall in our house and no one could tell us to paint over it. We could be ourselves loud and free, we could enjoy family time without any rules or regulations. I started saving for my first home in my early 20s and began working on my credit score. By my early 30s, my credit score was acceptably high, and I had some money saved so I began looking for a property surrounding the apartment building that we lived in. My children liked the people in this area, so I thought it was a good idea to keep them grounded. I started a house search for my very first home and I found it in a small town with a population of 1,901 and still surrounding the apartment building that we had currently lived in.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Mar 10, 2022
• ISBN: 9781458351869

Book preview

Racism Exposed at Home, Work and School in the Northeast

By Ieisha Harris

    based on true events

Summary

A black woman who made a big purchase for a home in 2007, at the age of 32, my very first home.  My children ‘s ages were 12- girl & 9- boy at the time of my purchase. We were very excited, our first home, our first backyard, our first-time choosing paint for each wall in our house and no one could tell us to paint over it.  We could be ourselves loud and free, we could enjoy family time without any rules or regulations.  I started saving for my first home in my early 20s and began working on my credit score.  By my early 30s my credit score was acceptably high, and I had some money saved so I began looking for a property surrounding the apartment building that we lived in.  My children liked the people in this area, so I thought it was a good idea to keep them grounded.  I started a house search for my very first home and I found it in a small town with a population of 1,901 and still surrounding the apartment building that we had currently lived in.

Racism with the home buyer’s process……….

Racism in the Small Town where I purchased my first home…………………………….

Racism with the Insurance Restoration Process……………………………………………………….

Racism in the local School District……………….

Racism in the Juvenile Criminal Justice System………………………………………………………..

Racism with the Employment process…………

Racism with the Unemployment process……

Racism with the reporting of racism within…

Racism with the ordinance process in the small town………………………………………………….

Racism with the local juvenile probation department…………………………………………………

Racism with the home buyer’s process

I selected a home in a very small-town population of people 1,901.  I submitted the property of request to my realtor, and the realtor scheduled an appointment for a showing of the property.  It was perfect! it needed some work and some items replaced, but it was a great starter home for me and my children. The Loan Officer requested that I come into the office to discuss and go over some documents.  The Loan Officer a white female stated that she received and reviewed my credit report, bank statements and my years of employment.  The Mortgage Loan Officer seemed very impressed by my cushy credit score, bank balance and my many years of consistent employment with the same employer. Due to me meeting all the criteria of purchasing a home I was given a very low interest rate.  The Mortgage Loan Officer congratulated me on my low interest rate, and she said that I should be very happy to receive such a low rate.  The interest rate was in the high 4s or low 5s.  I went home to my small apartment and screamed for joy, I danced around and began calling my family members to celebrate the good news. 

I received a call from the Mortgage Loan Officer a day later regarding the closing date on the property and where I should meet her and the homeowner for the closing signing.  The closing signing was in a small building in a Strip Mall.  I arrived at this signing very happy but a little scared.  A little scared because I knew nothing of the home buyer’s process, my parents were not with me, and I could not afford a lawyer to warn me of the hidden games and unfair practices.  This closing signage process was for the transfer of property from one person to another.  At the closing signage was the current Homeowner, the Mortgage Loan Officer and Myself.

The current homeowner was a young white male possibly in his late 20s he was seated at the right top of the table.  I was seated in the middle of the table and the Mortgage Loan Officer was seated at the top left of the table.  Again, this whole process was very scary and intimidating for me because I was taking on such a huge responsibility and commitment.  I believed at that time that I was in good hands, I had already put in my vacate notice with the apartment complex regarding the renewal of the lease, so there was no turning back, I had to be a homeowner once the process was over.  The Mortgage Loan Officer started explaining the text on the papers as she laid them in front of me.  When buying a home, you must sign so many papers and no one person can understand or comprehend all the papers that’s needed to be signed all at one time, you could ask questions and could take some time with each paper.  But, again, it’s like a book of papers that is needed to be signed to complete the home buyer’s process.  This process was so long, and I was getting tired, I figured it would be all worth it once the process was over, so I just moved through it.  I noticed when the paper pile was getting low that the Mortgage Loan Officer held another small pile of papers to the left side of her.  I finally completed the huge pile of papers when the Mortgage Loan Officer picked up the small pile of papers that were to the left side of her.  The Mortgage Loan Officer placed the papers in front of me and she stated that I may be a little mad at her about the small pile of papers.  I asked her why would I be mad at what’s in these papers and she said the papers were the updated change in the interest rate and the low monthly mortgage payments.  I said, wait, you changed my low interest rate and low monthly payments? And she said yes, yes, I did!  This Mortgage Loan Officer was a white short older lady with a deep smoker’s voice, she had salt and pepper hair and was very straight