Confronting anti-Black racism: LGU’s next panel will feat. Flight Centre’s Mpuuga Rwabutara

An organization that has been hosting eye-opening and educational panel discussions about racism in the travel industry this past year is back with another virtual event.

Let’s Get Uncomfortable (LGU), a grassroots group dedicated to providing a safe space for travel professionals to have difficult conversations, has announced the third installment of its Confronting Anti-Black Racism in Travel & Tourism series.

This Oct. 27 from 4-5:30 p.m. (ET), LGU member Shalene Dudley, founder of Latitude Concierge Travels, sits down with Mpuuga Rwabutara, a senior account executive at Flight Centre Travel Group and the company’s newly-appointed Diversity Ambassador.

READ MORE: Travel industry takes a stand against anti-Black racism

As explained on the event’s registration page, Dudley and Rwabutara will discuss this new role at Flight Centre Travel Group and its significance, the work Rwabutara is doing as a result, and what other travel professionals and organizations can learn and implement in their own work.

The conversation will be one hour, followed by a 30-minute Q&A session, whereby participants can ask Dudley and Rwabutara questions.

All types of questions are welcome and attendees are encouraged to submit their questions in advance using this link. 

Important conversations 

Since the summer, the Let's Get Uncomfortable panel discussions have addressed the realities of anti-Black racism in travel and tourism, sharing steps that travel professionals and organizations can take to prioritize diversity, inclusion and anti-racist practices.

The travel industry is among those being taken to task for its lack of diversity, with calls to commit to anti-racist practices from various media outlets and to demonstrate “true allyship” by organizations such as the Black Travel Alliance.

READ MORE: “Really? Black lives matter to you?” Black travel pros call for accountability in travel industry

“Having conversations about anti-Black racism – broadly speaking or specifically as it relates to travel and tourism – is incredibly important,” said Dudley at LGU’s event in August, which focused on themes of accountability and change.

However: “What happens next – the follow through,” she said, is what identifies the “true work” being done to end problematic practices in travel that are damaging to Black, Indigenous and People of Colour’s communities.

The next Let’s Get Uncomfortable event takes place on Oct. 27th, 2020 from 4 – 5:30 p.m. (ET) (1 - 2:30 p.m. PT). Click here to register.

While the virtual event is free to attend, those interested in contributing money for their tickets in order to support future LGU events can send donations to letsgetuncomfortableevent@gmail.com.

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