Today BET unveils its yearlong video series Index. Each month we highlight the spaces where Black people are thriving or looking for inclusivity.

For the premiere episode, we dive into the importance of home ownership in the Black community. Pew reports that in 2022, 74.6 percent of White households owned their homes, compared with 45.3 percent of Black households — a gap much wider than homeownership rates during the Civil Rights era.

Though the numbers are daunting, cities like El Paso, Tex., Albuquerque, N.M., and Bakersfield, Calif., boast the highest rates for Black homeownership. Still, if the hope is to create stronger communities through ownership, seeking out resources can be a good starting point for bringing change in our communities — and ultimately building Black wealth.

Watch the premiere episode that delves into home buying programs and other key steps Black people need to buy back our blocks. Check back every month for a new episode of Index.