DEI TOP OF MIND
We talk to two Baltimore hospitality leaders about what you can do to prioritize diversity , equity and inclusion in your events .
At Visit Baltimore , we ’ re committed to ensuring all visitors feel welcome while they ’ re here . That ’ s why we launched our Warm Welcome pledge for local vendors , which provides participants with access to diversity , equity and inclusion ( DEI ) training tools .
We ’ ve also created workplace development programs to nurture emerging leaders from underrepresented communities , with a goal of bringing more people of color into the hospitality industry . Our initiatives include the Diversity Apprenticeship Program , a paid immersive learning experience that includes guaranteed employment upon completion , and the Data Analytics Fellowship , a paid internship offering firsthand experience in the data , tech and business sectors .
Our work with local hospitality leaders is crucial to the success of our DEI programs . In 2022 , we recognized former Hotel Revival General Manager Donte Johnson and Sagamore Pendry General Manager Juan Webster with the Visit Baltimore Bridge Award for their efforts to create inclusivity in the Baltimore hospitality arena .
DONTE JOHNSON
After a long career in hospitality , Donte Johnson became the general manager at Mount Vernon ’ s Hotel Revival in 2019 . During his time there , he worked with his team and local leaders on social philanthropic efforts . Among his initiatives : a free lunch and produce distribution program for community members , free or discounted overnight stays for COVID first responders , and dozens of partnerships with local BIPOC-led vendors . In recent years , he ’ s been honored by a variety of local press outlets , including being recognized as a “ Leader in Diversity ” by Baltimore Business Journal , and has been featured in several nationwide publications .
Q :
How did you work with
Visit Baltimore and its partners to incorporate DEI practices ?
Revival has always been committed to driving value into spaces where it has historically been denied . I love that Visit Baltimore rolled out the Warm Welcome Program along with other DEI training geared specifically toward ensuring hotels and restaurants are dialed in and ready to welcome diverse customers . For these trainings , we pull together the entire leadership team at Revival to amplify the message . We also take every opportunity to program into diversity to model how hotels and restaurants can operationalize their DEI philosophies . For Black History Month 2020 , we did an entire month of events . Now that
LAST WORD
WARM
WELCOME
WE EMBRACE EVERYONE
Learn more about our COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVITY at Baltimore . org / warmwelcome .
48 BALTIMORE . ORG