Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/319926
local leaders conveniently steered tens of thousands of people away from the Black community. Within six months several restau- rants in t h e Black com- munity were out of business, including a sports bar I frequented when in town. As I walked around the neighbor- hood talking to residents and local busi- ness leaders, the anger was palpable. For the outspoken few, they complained then simply resigned themselves to their fate never to trust again. But accepting such blatant discrimination is not the answer. We all know that vocal minorities often hold sway in politics. It's not because they are right, they are simply the loudest and know how to get media attention. That brings me back to diversity at the state tourism departments. To our knowledge the only current existing African American leader of a state tourism department is Rita D. McClenny. She is president and CEO of the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC). Previous governor Bob McDonnell a p p o i n t e d McClenny to her position in 2012. Current governor Terry McAuliffe r e a p p o i n t e d McClenny in March 2014. She has been widely praised by Virginia's leaders not only for her work at the VTC, but in her previous role as head of the Virginia Film Office. She claims one of her proudest achievements was recruiting Steven Speilberg's LINCOLN to be filmed in the state. Recently retired Alabama Welcome Center Director Frances Smiley served as interim director of tourism for that state several years ago. We've also had African Americans play key, but not leadership roles in several state tourism departments and that influence has proven a tremen- dous boon to those states willing to embrace people of color. Several states, such as Florida and Louisiana have African American her- itage guides easily accessible in print or online. Other states such as Alabama, Texas and Florida have used state tourism department finan- cial resources to build out and improve African American themed museums. Unlike CVBs, most state tourism positions are government jobs, which makes employment discrimination a little more difficult. This fact alone makes states a little more responsive to the Black community, but more needs to be done. Are there more McClenny's out there? One of the best ways to influ- ence decisions of state tourism depart- ments is through voting. Like McClenny, governors appoint most prominent positions at the state level. You must elect political leaders who walk the talk. B M & T ••• March/April 2014 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 39 ETHNIC & RACIAL D I V E R S I T Y RITA D. MCCLENNY •Pg_38-50.qxp__BMT_pg86-162 5/20/14 5:49 PM Page 39