I was born just a few weeks after the 1965 Watts Riots and less than 20 miles from its epicenter in Los Angeles’ Watts neighborhood. Although I know that civilization has made strides in the intervening 55 years since those protests (which started as a result of an interaction between police and a Black motorist, by the way), clearly we have not come as far as we should have. It’s hard to believe that there is still a need for people to declare that they are against racism and that they support dignity for all people. Yet that concept is — amazingly — not as universal as it should be.
I know, even as I write this, there will be people who think, “Why can’t he just stick to writing about travel?” Unfortunately, systemic racism is stubborn, and if we don’t bring it into the light, we risk letting it continue to rot our society from the inside. And the travel industry, which I love dearly, is not immune to this danger.
For this reason, I would like to share an excerpt from a statement made by Tom Kemp, CEO of Northstar Travel Group, our parent company, which encapsulates a lot of what our team feels about the issue, as well. And if you have suggestions or concerns, we welcome your comments at [email protected].
“We are experiencing an inexcusable moment in the history of the United States that reminds all of us of the systemic racism that persists in our society and country.
“We all need to commit to diversity and inclusion at all levels, and to reject racism and violence against citizens of color in our country. We need to focus our energy on bringing our citizens together and rejecting the divisiveness of our world.
“An important part of Northstar Travel Group’s mission is to foster transformation, inclusion and sustainability through global travel and connections with new cultures, and to celebrate the diversity of our world. At no time has our mission been more important than today.”
