b'putsit,shewaswork-ing a lot of extra hours and not getting paid for them. Believingshewasa giftedteacherandthat whathisbuyersand sellers needed most was tobeeducatedinreal estate,Luisconvinced Camilletojoinhis team. He says, I know a lot, and she knows a lot, but she takes what I know and she makes it simple.Hecontinues, Shell teach anyone to think correctly. I know, becauseImstartingto getalittleorganized just a little bit. And that is miraculous.Thisemphasison educationispersonal Camille and Luis Estrella keep busy with work and raisingtoLuisandCamille. their two boys. Photo credit: Jamie Meier. Reflectingonhowhe grewup,Luissays,If the relationship that had started whenmymomwouldhaveknownabout they were 16 years old. Camille taughtthe NACA program (a nonprofit that specialeducationatamiddleschoolhelps facilitate affordable homeowner-andLuissoldlifeinsurance,taughtship), if my mom would have known children in a low-income community,about down payment and closing cost did motivational speaking and pursuedassistance,ifmymomwouldhaveSOMAShis poetry. But in 2012, things took alearned about any of the things thatSPRINGbad turn for Luis: he was brutalized byI knowmy mom would have never police near his home in East New York,experiencedhomelessness,andweHIGHresultinginalong,drawn-outfightwould have built wealth in ways that for justice and fear of retribution thatyou cannot imagine. LIGHTShaunted him well after his exoneration. Thinkingbackonhermothers WhenLuisgothislifeback,hequest to own a home, Camille says, I went into the rental side of real estatewant to be the antithesis of agents that andbecameknownastheguywholook at a file and say you dont deserve recited poetry on his subway ride toto live in a certain place because, quote and from work. Instead of waxing po- unquote,youcantaffordit.There etically about love, he educated strap- should always be an opportunity [to] hangers about the real estate gameinexhaust all options before youre told rhyming verse. no. And thats how Luis and I operate In2015,thecouplegotmarriedfor any of our clients. at Village Hall in South Orange andUltimately,thecouplewantto decidedtobuildalifeintheplaceteach other Black and Brown clients where Camille grew up. Luis was stillhowtobuildgenerationalwealth, in real estate and failing badly, by hissomething that Luis says is eventually own admission. It wasnt until he tookaccomplished in the third generation. the conventional route to real estate,Camillesays,Itbeginswitheduca-trainingatKellerWilliamstoselltion. And thats it.houses rather than pursuing the rentalForLuis,thepatternofrenting market, that he starting seeing success.versus owning starts with experiences90Y E A R SMeanwhile, Camille was rising in thein childhood. He says, A child that ranks of her teaching job and became agrows up in a home is more likely to supervisor of her department. As Luispurchaseahome.Statisticalfact.ASOMADULTSCHOOL.ORGfeature story /19'