SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Since he joined real estate in 2008, Dustin Sutton felt there was no one else who looked like him.

He says the murder of George Floyd in 2020 pushed him to fight for diversity.

“No one’s going to come save me or us,” Sutton said. “Do something. You have a problem, you see something’s going on, do something.”

That’s when he launched the Black Commercial Real Estate Network also called BCREN. It’s a nonprofit specifically for black professionals in his industry to meet up and share experiences. Sutton says it also creates space for him to mentor the next generation of real estate brokers.

“Commercial real estate deals, job opportunities. That’s why it’s important, we’re supporting people’s business initiatives and their personal lives,” Sutton said.

BCREN started as a group on linked in with only 10 members. As word spread online, the group grew to more than 1,000 people across the country, according to Sutton.

“It’s given me personally more confidence,” Sutton said. “An understanding that it can be done. I think that’s a big part of this. Seeing other people that are doing great things and it’s inspiring.”

Sutton said BCREN meets over Zoom or in person every month. Last year, the group inspired him to start his own commercial real estate firm in La Jolla called Sutton Real Estate Advisors.