The term “inclusive” was not part of my vocabulary until I met my husband. That’s my privilege; another word I was unfamiliar with. When you fall in love with a Black man and become a stepmom to a Black child, the choice to keep your head in the sand is not an option. At least not for me.
My five year plan for Inspired Journey Consulting included diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) training for the travel industry. Because I’ve spent 19 years in this business, I saw the gaps. And I wanted to be part of the change.
The Journey
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2015, I attended a lunch at Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare. David worked there and was president of the Black Leadership Forum. First of all, I had never seen a business celebrate this holiday. Second, what is a Black Leadership Forum? Third, I was impressed. There were breakout group activities to discuss race and an incredible panel of thought leaders to learn from. Then, the CEO stood in front of the group and discussed his own white privilege.
That lunch took my breath away. It should not have shocked me that such an event existed. Talking about being othered was second nature to a room full of colleagues and leaders. Meanwhile, I had never shared that feeling with anyone. It certainly hadn’t been discussed at work.
Now I had questions for the hospitality industry and the wonderful world of travel. How could such a diverse workforce exist without any of the equity and inclusion? My eyes were open and I knew there was more to investigate. In the years that followed, I grew disappointed with the industry that built my career. Why aren’t we making strides towards DEI? This broke my heart. The more I learned, the clearer the picture became.
The Future of Inclusion
Staying true to my purpose and listening to my intuition are priorities. Therefore, I’ve decided waiting another four years is not an option. Today I’m an empowered Latina ready to use my voice. I believe in inclusive wellness, travel, and living. IJC was built to help travel businesses better humanity. Wellness, healing, and transformational travel do that in beautiful ways. It’s why I fell in love with this niche. But I can do more.
Clients that work with IJC will be given insight into ways to be more inclusive in their sales, marketing, services, and internal culture. This transparent communication of an anti-oppressive lens is important to stand firm in our values and support clients aligned with a purpose of inclusion. I’m over the moon excited to share this and hope you’ll spread the word. Together we can make a difference.