Karima Nasser is a Property Manager by profession, but to many of her residents, she’s considered more of a friend. Her kind demeanor and care for others fit naturally into her career path working in customer-experience-driven industries. Her service and dedication to helping her community and those around her are apparent to everyone who knows Karima.

“Our residents’ happiness is our number one priority. Some have even been here since the building was built in 2015. Every day residents come by the office each morning to grab a cup of coffee and chat.”

But Karima’s kindness goes well beyond just those morning chats. While she is dedicated to her team and the residents in her building, Karima also spends her time volunteering at a non-profit called Silence No More, dedicated to helping women leave domestic abuse situations safely and giving them the resources they need to rebuild their lives. She was introduced to the organization by a friend who told her about group training opportunities for domestic awareness violence. Once she began volunteering her time, she realized this was her passion. She has even won the Support System Award from the organization for her work.

“The more I learned the more I wanted to help. I became involved in helping another organization called Women Giving Back which helps victims by providing them with homes, clothing, and job interview preparation. Many times a year we will have donations for these organizations. We had a drive where people donated suits for women in the shelter looking to find a job.”

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time when those who have experienced domestic abuse, allies, and surrounding communities come together to take a stand against domestic violence and work to create positive change. As Karima demonstrates, there are ample opportunities and ways you can be involved during Domestic Violence Awareness Month and even throughout the rest o the year.

Domestic violence can often go undetected by those closest to the victim. Karima’s advice is to pay close attention to your surroundings. “Learn about the silent warning signs because sometimes it could be a coworker or a stranger on the elevator or someone you see in the grocery store,” she said.

“Consider the people you encounter on a weekly basis, statistically 8 people out of 40 are experiencing domestic violence. There are so many ways you can help. You can donate clothes through Women Giving Back or volunteer with Silence No More. I have always believed that you should always help those in need, because not only is it the right thing to do, it also makes the world feel a little better.”

Karima is no stranger to making the world a better place.  In 2023, she won the Humanitarian Award at DweckStars, an annual employee awards event, for her commitment and support to helping organizations that help women who are experiencing domestic violence. As Karima walked across the stage to accept her award, the MC announced to the entire company:

“This person has, for many years, consistently given time, energy, and support for multiple organizations throughout the DMV, even raising over 110K (and counting) personally to help others in need. They have given countless hours to the community in humble service. Of special note, this person has also worked intently to create awareness around domestic violence. This person not only cares about the world that they live in, they care about the world we ALL live in. And they do not give of themselves to receive recognition. In fact, this person has been described as ‘quiet and reserved’ about their service but is most definitely present and involved. This is a person who opens their home for community, opens their arms for caring, opens their heart to love on others, in their own quiet and discreet ways. As one person put it, ‘Their heart is huge beyond measure.’”

Karima’s huge heart and willingness to give back fully embodies the Dweck Properties value to #DoWhatMatters – something she lives by every day.

“It’s true that we are in the business of real estate but we focus on the human state. Our mission is to ‘lead with kindness in every interaction with empathy and grace.’ When I wake up in the morning it’s motivating. We care for each other so much, we look forward to seeing each other because we care about each other.”

To learn more about Women Giving Back, visit www.womengivingback.org. To learn more about Silence No More, visit www.99percentcomplete.com/silence-no-more.