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BARB ROWLAND
She’s been proud to serve the community as a realtor for the last 10 years, but Barb Rowland is especially passionate about her support for LGBT organizations and events throughout the city.
Her dream for our community? “I would like to see Atlanta build and support a gay community center, serving everyone within the LGBT community and providing programming for everyone from youth to senior citizens,” she says.
How would you define your role in Atlanta’s LGBT community?
I see myself as a supporter and sponsor for many of the LGBTQ-focused programs, services, events and organizations in our city. My life has been full of challenges and achievements and I feel it’s my job to give back to the next generation of leaders and to help others within our community.
What do you forecast for Atlanta’s LGBT community in the next 5 to 10 years?
I see two things of importance to our community…
- A world-class gay community center here in Atlanta within 3-5 years!
- A community-wide annual event that raises enough money to help support the vital work of all our existing community-serving organizations similar to http://www.blacktie.org/ in Dallas, TX. The Atlanta Holiday Ball on December 3 is going to be a catalyst for this vision.
We learn from all our experiences, both good and bad. Tell us about a negative life experience you’ve had that you learned a valuable lesson from.
The Real Estate market slump of the past three years has been very humbling and has impacted me personally. This challenge helped me grow professionally, personally and has positioned me to really help homeowners in financial distress. A reversal of fortune is stressful enough – I am helping to prevent people from losing their homes despite the tough economy!
How has being LGBT shaped your outlook on life?
I look at the changes in my life. When I attended the first gay Pride 40 years ago, I was fearful that, if spotted, I could lose my job. Now, having lived in a major metropolis like Atlanta, I am comfortable living openly and appreciate the network of support and community our city has to offer.
Tell us a little more about yourself. What are your hobbies? What are your goals?
Living in Atlanta for more than 40 years, my career includes working for three railroads, teaching tennis and working for Billie Jean King and World TEAMTENNIS. Most notably, I am proud to serve our community as a REALTOR© for nearly ten years. In my spare time, I love to travel, scuba dive and play golf. My goals now are to live comfortably while helping others to achieve their life’s goals. In my lifetime, I would like to see Atlanta build and support a gay community center, serving everyone within the LGBT community and providing programming for everyone from youth to senior citizens!
If you were stranded on a desert island, what’s the one book you would want with you?
The Dummies book for Survival (as I have quite an imagination of my own).
