Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1528810
B M & T ••• November/December 2024 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 33 JEFF MILLER, PRESIDENT/CEO, TRAVEL PORTLAND • Many companies are scaling back DEI efforts due to political pressures, shifting priorities, or stake- holder resistance. However, this retreat risks undoing the vital progress we've made as an industry. At Travel Portland, we view DEI as a cornerstone of long-term success. It drives innovation and strengthens resilience, reinforcing our commit- ment to advancing both community engagement and organizational excellence. • At Travel Portland, we remain fully committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), as it is integral to our mission of creating a welcom- ing destination for all. Currently, 36% of our staff and 38% of our board members are multicultural. This includes 38% of non-hotelier and 23% of hotelier board members, reflecting our commitment to diverse representation in leadership. • These figures underscore our dedication to showcasing Portland as a vibrant, accessible, and inclusive city for all visitors. We firmly believe that diversity and equity are essential to building stronger partnerships and fostering meaningful engagement with every community we serve. • Our focus on DEI also ensures that the benefits of tourism are more equitably distributed across our community, particularly to groups that have historically been most affected by challenges such as neighborhood gentrification and the displacement of marginalized communities. We will continue to lead with these values, as they are at the heart of our work and our vision for Portland. • Our DEI policies are compre- hensive, focusing on inclusive hiring practices, continuous diversity and competency training, and fostering partnerships with minority-owned businesses and individuals. We also track our spending in this area to ensure accountability and progress. Additionally, advisory groups like the Multicultural Tourism Advisory Committee help ensure that our DEI goals are aligned with the needs and priorities of Portland's diverse com- munities. • We place intentional emphasis on generating publicity for minority- owned businesses through our PR efforts, which creates a tangible eco- nomic impact for these businesses and their employees. • We measure success by tracking the retention and development of our diverse workforce, representa- tion at community events, partner engagement feedback, and evalua- tions of our internal DEI training. While our initiatives have made progress, we view DEI as an ongoing journey and remain dedicated to continuous improvement. • Our commitment to DEI has been a key factor in attracting more multicultural meetings to Portland by fostering trust and deepening connections between convention clients and our community. For example, our collaboration with Society for the Advancement of which provides access to marketing support and networking opportuni- ties – and are eager to connect with meeting planners and attendees. • DDC is uniquely positioned to share with visitors Washington, DC's history and experiences connected with racial and social equity. The "DEI District," which launched in 2021, provides curated content about experiencing the city through a DEI lens. This connects to content for meetings, leisure and education audiences to help promote the city's unique history. • DDC's mission and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion also includes the American Experience Foundation (AEF), its 501c-3 non- profit focused on providing scholar- ships and career experience to local students. In 2023, AEF surpassed $130,000 awarded in scholarships over the past eight years. The scholar- ships support students on their jour- neys in hospitality and tourism through higher education. • Internally, DDC has a staff-led DEI Task Force that focuses on top- ics like embracing cultural tradi- tions and differences and hiring a diverse staff. • "There's always more that can be done, so this past year has also been an opportunity to look at our own organization and examine how we operate and where we can make improvements. I'm proud of my team for showing up for these con- versations and continuing the important work to make real change," said Elliott L. Ferguson. • We stay involved and actively engage in multicultural markets. We have empathy towards understanding the specific challenges of the delegate profiles. We're active with the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals. • Our DEI District platform at washington.org adds value and pur- poseful experiences. • We have an array of black soror- ity and fraternity annual reunions in DC, many that were founded at HBCUs in the area.