It’s become somewhat of a tradition for the president to reflect on the accomplishments of the chapter during her presidency. As I think back on the year, 2020 was filled with learning to adapt (quickly), pivoting, and abundant resilience. I had visions for what 2020 would bring, but in hindsight, I can’t help but think it was exactly what we needed to be able to slow down, appreciate what we have, and connect in ways we never have before. Because of the pandemic, I was able to attend a lot of events virtually that I normally would not have attended (thanks, Zoom!). CREW San Antonio brought valuable hybrid programming to our members, and we utilized our CREW Network benefits like never before. This year has taught us many valuable lessons that we will continue to take with us for the future benefit of our chapter.
I ran across a photo taken on April 27, 1983, and it’s of a group of women proudly receiving a plaque indicating they had been granted full rights and privileges as an affiliate chapter of the National Association of Women in Commercial Real Estate. A short 37 years ago, these women created a space out of necessity, and that shines in our mission statement to this day. CREW San Antonio paves the way for women in our industry, and these women created the space they needed because it did not exist. Their vision was to form a network of women that could collaborate in business development, leadership development, industry research and career outreach. The foundation of CREW’s core values shines throughout every initiative that we take on as an organization. There is an abundance of wisdom that runs through our organization, and we learn from those experiences and continue to grow.
The Power in We is stronger with the power of Me.
Each of our members is an integral part of our chapter, and each of their unique experiences, unique stories, unique points of view brings value. I challenge every one of our members to bring their Unique You to CREW, and see where it takes you.
It has been my complete honor to be president this year, especially during a pandemic that completely turned everything upside down for us. But guess what? Even a global pandemic can’t stop our CREW. I know that our future is bright, and we will continue to build lasting legacies through the next 37 years and beyond.
Con mucho corazón,
Yesenia Marili
2020 CREW San Antonio President
