Visit Lauderdale President/CEO Stacy Ritter proudly supports diversity, equity and inclusion.
DEI is front and center on Visit Lauderdale’s website. The logo subhead reads “Everyone Under the Sun” and clicking the prominent “Inclusion and Accessibility” bar on the homepage brings you to information pages labeled LGBT+, Multicultural Travel, and Accessibility. “We are absolutely committed to DEI,” Visit Lauderdale’s President/CEO Stacy Ritter told Prevue.
Ritter is proud of Greater Fort Lauderdale’s diverse and inclusive community, which received a perfect score from the 2023 Human Rights Campaign Municipality Equality Index; has been recognized as having the highest concentration of same-sex couple households in the country and has large populations of Hispanic, Black and Caribbean-Americans. As well, Greater Fort Lauderdale lives up to its pledge of welcoming all with programs such as the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program that assists arriving guests to the FFL Airport with discreet support services as needed for issues such as visual or hearing impairments, mobility challenges, etc. We recently caught up with Ritter to ask about Visit Lauderdale’s DEI commitment and what it means for groups.
Prevue: Why is Visit Lauderdale still committed to DEI in the current political climate?
Ritter: We are still committed to DEI because it’s the right thing to do. Our commitment wasn’t because it was ‘fashionable’ or ‘in style’. The values which guide us haven’t and won’t change, regardless of who is in charge at any given moment.
Prevue: What is your DEI message to meeting and event planners?
Ritter: Our message is the same as it has always been: We welcome everyone with open hearts and open minds. We want planners to know what we’ve said previously—Greater Fort Lauderdale is a diverse and inclusive community of 2 million people representing 170 nations speaking 148 languages. Diversity is a strength. The many threads which we weave into our tapestry tell a warm and wonderful multicultural story. Your attendees will feel the warmth from our residents just as surely as they feel the warmth of the sun on their faces.
Prevue: How does Visit Lauderdale help meeting and event planners to integrate diversity, equity and inclusion into their events?
Ritter: We have many ideas and ways to incorporate DEI that we tailor to each group’s needs and wants with a personal and meaningful celebration of inclusivity. For example, we recently had a few of our multicultural groups express interest in Broward County’s Black history and Black-owned restaurants and bars. We curated a special tour of Black Broward, complete with a tour of the Old Dillard School and the African American Research Library. We directed the group interested in food and wine to a new Black-owned winery in town and dinner at one of our premier Black-owned restaurants. Other groups have been interested in giving back to underserved communities and have worked at local food banks. The key is finding what interests the group, researching the options and providing that experience for them.
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