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January 24, 2021

The Long Road to Racial Equity and Diversity

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After the assassination of George Floyd and the wave of protests and demand for change across all industries grew, more and more executives and leaders have been trying to figure out ways to address the elephant in the room: racial equity and diversity in their organizations and destinations – or rather, the lack thereof.

It has not surprised me to see that for many the immediate response is simply to throw money at the problem. And to be fair, restructuring organizations so as to minimize, if not completely eradicate, institutionalized racism is expensive. It requires the breaking down and breaking apart of set standards that have long been tolerated and accepted as the norm, but which have stood in the way of progress.

On the travel media front, we’ve seen an uptick in interest for BIPOC faces and voices to represent campaigns and front industries and platforms to prove that an effort is being made. And I applaud a lot of this because it has given an opportunity to an incredibly long list of professionals and creatives that were simply ignored and overlooked for far too long – not due to a lack of qualification, access, or availability, but because inclusivity and diversity are achieved with focused intention, the motivation for which hasn’t been prioritized mostly until now.

And these efforts are not limited to travel media. We are seeing this shift across the board, with some groups having a clear, confident handle on what equity and inclusion entails, the hard work involved, and the long road ahead, but there are others still struggling to see beyond the fact that it is not enough to have a Black or brown body among them. For equity and inclusivity to truly exist the entire system has to change. And that is a much harder pill to swallow.

I have firsthand experience on how dysfunctional and disheartening it is to exist in a system where leadership says you are welcomed but has committed zero effort to change the overall system itself. This is why it is so false to assume that the only thing any of us needs is jobs or promotions or higher pay.

Yes, equity does include equal access and equal pay determined equally and fairly on merit across the board. Yes, often these efforts require an infusion of financial investment into communities and for individuals who might feel unmotivated to consider opportunities otherwise. And yes, it would be amazing if the $2,200 pay disparity for being a black female and a $1,500 pay disparity for being a black male, didn’t exist (source). But it is not just about money.

The one thing I see many leaders and executives ignoring in these often well-intentioned shifts in their organizations or communities is the importance of our quality of life which also includes feeling safe in the spaces in which we live and work, and being supported by the organizations we partner with as well as by our peers and neighbors. It is also important to address the embedded issues that lead to the microaggressions that BIPOC people experience daily and which negatively impact both our emotional and mental well-being.

I recently read this story of a racist incident experienced in an elite Texas suburb known for its desirable schools and growing diversity. The school board had the foresight to address the issues by “unveiling a plan that would require diversity and inclusion training for all students as part of the K-12 curriculum while amending the student code of conduct to specifically prohibit acts of discrimination, referred to in the document as microaggressions.” What followed was an aggressive and hostile push back by the mostly white community and this has been enough to make the Black parents want to move. Because while economic equality and financial opportunities are part of racial justice, they are not, and never will be enough.

And that is the long road to racial equity and diversity. It’s not just about hiring a few front BIPOC bodies to represent your brand or destination, it is about doing the work to change the system or destination so that BIPOC bodies exist organically, authentically, safely, and happily.

It means not just doing the work to diversify industry segments, but changing the industry as a whole.

It means committing to using your voice and your power to demand change and hold accountable those who seek to stagnate progress through racist and hostile means.

So yes, let’s continue to invest in efforts that uplift and employ a more diverse talent market. And yes, let’s continue to invest in growing structures and spaces that are inclusive. But let’s also recognize that anti-racism is not limited to small tokens of representation. It requires voices and the presence of power that communicates clearly and courageously, without hesitation, intimidation, or pause, that racism is not tolerated anywhere, ever. You cannot say you are committed to racial justice, equity, and representation when it comes to your brand or organization, but be silent in your community and among your peers when you see it happening. You can not hang-up your commitment to anti-racism at the office door, only to allow it to thrive and exist in and around your home.

It is to that standard by which all of us should be judging the brands with which we want to work with, partner with, collaborate with, and promote. It is to that standard by which we should judge a destination we want to visit, or invest in, or move to.

Yes, we would love the work, and yes, we would love the pay. But more so, we would love your courage and commitment to the road we must take to really effect change, even if that road is long.

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Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

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1 Comment
  • AscendingButterfly
    January 25, 2021

    THIS!

    Reply

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About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

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Follow @girlgonetravel

A message about yesterday’s event: Happy Monday A message about yesterday’s event:

Happy Monday, y’all. Woke up in time to enjoy the soft glow of sunlight that shines its way around our house in the morning, and sipped on a cafecito without being rushed for anything. So already today is a win. 

Yesterday we worked our longest day yet for our little coffee cart that could (7 hours!!!) at the Heritage Fiesta in Ithaca, NY. 

Though we were ready for a crowd, the reception was also unexpected because there was a popular coffee shop just steps away. 

But we had Cómodo Fam stop by, family (who also fed us 🙏🏾), and soooo many members of the Latinx and BIPOC community who were just excited to see a small business like ours representing. 

I want to share that we were ALL worried about potential harassment and assault by 🧊and fliers were handed out to prepare us. And you would think that it would’ve intimidated the community enough to not come out…BUT WE DID. In numbers. 

And for hours that little parking lot next to Press Bay Alley was packed with all sorts of Latinx and non-Latinx community members, eating, laughing, dancing, singing, and drinking all the cafecitos and refreshers we had to offer. Literally. We went home cleaned out!

All this to say that we are all aware of the threats but we also understand the power and importance of coming together as a community and a people. By no means are we all the same, and Lord knows a lot of Latinos have a lot of self-reflecting to do based on the choices they made, but yesterday was a testament to the best of us, and I thank @yenospina and @lcatompkins for putting together such a wonderful event, for inviting @cafecomodony to be a part of it, and to all the friends, old and new, who came out to support us and la cultura. 

#fingerlakes #newyork #cafecomodo #coffeelover
Finally taking a break to enjoy one of my favorite Finally taking a break to enjoy one of my favorite lazy day pastimes of the season: market shopping for fall goodies - which in the Finger Lakes is especially bountiful. 

📍Joseph’s Wayside Markey, Naples, NY

#fingerlakes #newyork #octobermood #fallday
Our neighbors are harvesting the grapes. The proce Our neighbors are harvesting the grapes. The process is busy and noisy but also exciting and fun to watch. 

This cloudy morning seems to have calmed things down a bit, but not for long I am sure. These families work hard!

Bonus: they set up roadside stands so we can purchase and taste them 🍇 I highly recommend picking some up if you see some in your drive. 

#fingerlakes #lifeinthecountry #newyork
The rain has been so good. More, please. ❤️ The rain has been so good. More, please. ❤️
I want to take moment to send out love to my fello I want to take moment to send out love to my fellow Latinx and immigrant community. 

To send strength to my community of glorious misfits who are out in the world making good trouble and emboldening us to not give up hope on our dreams, our livelihoods, our future, our country, our people. 

The country our parents worked so hard to get to so that we could fly. A country they helped build and bring to prosper. A country our communities help to feed and house and care for. 

I am my immigrant parents dream come true, and my children are a continuation of that dream. 

I just want to remind all of us who represent the targeted, of our worth. Of the value of our contributions. In our languages, our culture, our insights, our work ethic and skills and knowledge. Of the things we bring to the table.

I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, or to us. But, as someone whose family lived through a dictatorship, I have an idea of how this story will end. And all I can advise is that we remain on the right side of it, our convictions unaltered, our core values untethered. Our spirits unbroken. In these stories, the monsters might scare us, and even harm some of us, but they never, ever win in the end. 

I am living proof of that. ❤️ And every time you succeed and feel joy, you are too. Pa’lante, mi gente.
Signs of autumn 🍂 in the Finger Lakes. Signs of autumn 🍂 in the Finger Lakes.

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