Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1528810
RICKEY THIGPEN, PHD, PRESIDENT/CEO, VISIT JACKSON • Our society, including many members of the economic develop- ment coalition, including the hospi- tality and tourism industries are shifting their approaches when uti- lizing the terminologies: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). Equity, diversity, and inclusion tend to make some communities and leaders uncomfortable; many times, these evaluation tactics identify our Achilles' heel, reminding us that there is work to do. Sometimes, leaders become uncomfortable and even insecure when transparent tactics are utilized, resulting in heightened vulnerability. EDI pushes me to ask, "Am I doing the right thing and could be contem- plated as a conscious disrupter, even impacting one's conscious- ness?" • Psychologists and associated research support the notion that growth is more likely to occur when we are in an uncomfortable space. This writer believes that the state of discomfort resulting in awareness encouraging change is good. I also believe that continu- ing to infuse EDI tactics yields a more impactful business culture reflective of our intentions, result- ing in the change we envision. • YES! Five years ago, the Visit Jackson Board of Directors made a commitment to uplifting EDI initiatives. As a result, the Board endorsed and signed on to a col- lective resolution supporting changing the Mississippi state flag. Board Members also recorded individual messages to political stakeholders, encouraging the change of the flag. During the same period, the Board crafted a Diversity Inclusion Statement that plays a significant role in the cul- ture of the organization. Other governance actions Visit Jackson takes to uplift EDI include: • Monitoring and reporting of monthly and annual minority spend- ing. • Braille signage in the JXN Welcome Center. • Promoting "ALL ARE WEL- COME" signage and messaging in the Welcome Center and Web Site. • Activation at the Annual Mississippi Pride Weekend event. • Conscious marking strategies that embrace the visual representa- tion of minorities and handicapable stakeholders/visitors. • Visit Jackson leads the City's strategy to enhance the destination's Human Rights Campaign Founda- tion's Corporate Equality Index score on an annual basis, Jackson has the highest score in the state and is a leader in the Southeast US. • Workforce Development strate- gies implemented at the state's Historically Black Colleges and Universities. • Visit Jackson is proud of the impact that we have experienced since we began the intentional imple- • Our organization initiated a board level DEI committee in 2015. Plans were in the works beginning in 2018 for a staff level DEI position which resulted in hiring our VP of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Access (EDIA) in 2021. Our leader of that effort, Ka Va, has developed a robust pro- gram of work to elevate our team's and our hospitality indus- try's cultural competencies. • An example at the board level is the requirement that our nominating committee be diverse in order to ensure well-rounded and equitable discussions of our board composition. • In 2020 Meet Minneapolis launched an initiative called the Meet Minneapolis Legacy Project (MMLP) which was born of the response from staff, clients and industry colleagues following the death of George Floyd. MMLP is made up of a representative from each operating unit within Meet Minneapolis. A signature MMLP ini- tiative is "Talking With Our Community Leaders," a seven-part series of informational webinars to discuss important subjects related to the history of our city and state. Since that time MMLP has been led by our VP of EDIA to assist in implement- ing the EDIA program of work. • To augment our staff diversi- ty, team members who recom- mend a diverse person for an open position who is ultimately hired, r• eceive a monetary bonus. We have elevated our board composition to 42% women and 33% people of color. Our current board chair is Native-American man, and our incoming board chair is an African-American woman. • At the staff level, we are made up of 72% women and 21% people of color. We have room to grow in both areas, however our intentionali- ty in diverse board and staff recruit- ment have paid dividends. • We are blessed to have an experienced sales executive dedi- cated to multicultural groups in Betty Williams. Our efforts to sup- port her include customized mar- keting materials and presenta- tions for her target groups. With Betty's leadership we have hosted such groups as the National Bar Association, Jack and Jill, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and the National Forum for Black Public Administrators. B M & T ••• November/December 2024 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 37