Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Update
We envision an Oregon that is open and welcoming to all visitors, which is why the racist actions against a Black family over the Fourth of July in Lincoln City are not only upsetting, but also remind us that what we want to be true may not be the reality for many of our residents and visitors. While the actions against this family were from out-of-state visitors, it should serve as a call for us to work collectively, and as individual businesses, to make it clear that in Oregon we do not and will not tolerate words or acts of discrimination.
To help us look inward at our own policies and practices, Travel Oregon has hired a consultant to identify areas of opportunity to advance social justice and equity in the workplace, and pivot our current diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategies. We have also revised our strategic plan to prioritize and integrate DEI into all operations and programming so that we can, alongside our partners, work to make Oregon a more welcoming destination.
Some of this work includes:
- Committing to educate ourselves, ask questions and seek different perspectives in our workplace and programs.
- Engaging the tourism industry community in awareness-building and best practices.
- Working with regional partners on growing diverse voices at the table in our strategic and creative planning to reach more diverse audiences.
- Expanding our network of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) content contributors to enhance robust story telling via marketing platforms.
- Prioritizing opportunities to utilize BIPOC-owned businesses, from internal contracting and procurement, to consumer-facing channels.
This conversation is something we should have been engaging more proactively long ago, but now is our opportunity to reset and reaffirm our values as a state and an industry. We hope that you share this commitment. We look forward to learning about the experiences in your communities and welcome you to email industry@traveloregon.com to tell us how Travel Oregon can support your efforts to create a more welcoming and inclusive Oregon.
To support industry-facing DEI work, we invite you to join a diversity, equity and inclusion webinar presented by Travel Oregon and ORLA at the Oregon Tourism Leadership Academy. Learn more about the webinar opportunity below.
Photo by Mountains Legacy
