I
n her day job as the mortgage community outreach officer for North State Bank, Sondra Collins’ goal is to make an impact and strengthen minority communities through education and resources. She strives to help people build wealth through homeownership, which she says “is the American dream that every individual and family should have the opportunity to obtain, in any community they choose to live.” In addition to her position at North State, Collins serves as chair of the City of Raleigh Fair Housing Hearing Board. “This role aligns with my passion and belief that the lack of education is a serious issue that needs to be addressed in our underserved communities,” Collins says. She is also on the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, among other committees. “I have a hard time saying no when it’s something I truly believe in, and I feel blessed to serve the community in these ways,” Collins adds.
Sondra Collins
C HA IR OF THE C ITY OF R A LE IGH FA IR HOU SIN G HE A R IN G B OA R D
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By October, Collins and her coworker, Sean Nock, had already provided clients with more than $700,000 in first-time homebuyers’ down payment assistance funds in 2019. She plans to continue removing some of the myths and barriers of homeownership through her work, and hopes to see neighborhoods flourish. “We must invest in building healthy people and economically diverse neighborhoods,” says Collins. “Because—as Eleanor Roosevelt said— justice cannot be for one side alone, but must be for both.”