Harriet Tubman's Chosen Home Town in Cayuga County Leads The Way in Combating DEI Fatigue and Keeping Her Spirit Alive
By Leroy Adams
A visitor captures a photo with a Harriet Tubman statue in Auburn.
Photo Credit: Cayuga County Tourism
Before George Floyd, there was Michael Brown and Ferguson. Before him, there was Rodney King, and before him, there was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Their deaths sparked months of protests, destruction, and mourning as the world witnessed how police violence, racism, and economic disinvestment plagued Black American communities. The response playbook employed by leaders on Capitol Hill and CEOs on Wall Street has not changed since Dr. King's assassination on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel. There's a swift condemnation of the racist act while maintaining the colorblindness of America. Next follows a pledge from corporate America to "Do Better" by investing in Black communities, supporting Black businesses, and increasing diversity efforts. If you're famous enough, your name and legacy get etched into American minds forever, often marked by a national holiday—a day off from work to honor your memory and legacy.
Amazon Business
As time passes, corporate America's conviction for economic investment in Black America wanes. Initiatives like DEI, once upheld by politicians and CEOs as solutions to racial injustice, are slashed from strategic plans and budgets. Black people are left with holidays like Dr. King Day, Black History Month, or Juneteenth, which often become marketing tactics, giving corporate America a deeper foothold into Black America's hearts, minds, and pockets.
McDonald’s Advertisement (1996)
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Marcia Chatelain, in her book "Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America," describes how, after Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, business, not racial justice, became the answer to Black lives lost to racism.
The violent and destructive reactions to King's assassination during the period after his death sparked several efforts to respond to the anger and grief of the poor communities that burned. Governors, city councils, and interracial commissions convened to discover what caused uprisings. The discussion tended to converge on the role of business.
Eleven years after King's death, the movement to create a federal holiday to honor the leader took root…Coretta Scott King hoped the King Holiday would provide workers with a day off and properly commemorate her husband's commitment to the labor struggle. Instead, the King holiday became a prime opportunity to sell apolitical ideals like color blindness, which obscures the vicious impacts of racism on people's lives and livelihoods. The further the nation moved from King's death and the aftermath, the more King and the movements he led became uncontroversial markers of the past.
Corporations like McDonald's could use the icons and symbols of Black life and culture to their advantage. Their reliance on a flattened image of King allowed them to ingratiate themselves into black communities without having to reconsider their inner-city marketing saturation strategies or raise a wage.
McDonald’s Advertisement (2022)
Does any of this look familiar?
Four years ago, in the wake of George Floyd's death, corporate America, including the travel industry, posted black squares on social media, pledging to invest millions of dollars to support Black businesses and improve office diversity. By mid-2023, DEI-related job postings had declined by 44%, according to CNBC.
In a Travel Weekly article, Martinique Lewis, president of the Black Travel Alliance and co-founder of Black In, describes how the industry's efforts have regressed:
We've been issuing Diversity in Travel Scorecards since 2018, which measure how the travel industry addresses diversity, including race, gender, ability, and sexual preference. Many travel companies have retreated from the DEI commitments they made in 2020.
"The industry gets a D for fulfilling those pledges. We know budgets are lower, but there is no excuse not to have [diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion] top of mind in everything you do. It's 2024, plain and simple. Do better
Many brands and destinations are "doing things right" when it comes to DEI, including Tripadvisor, Expedia Group, United, Alaska Airlines, and Hurtigruten, as well as destination marketing organizations (DMOs) from Milwaukee to Jacksonville, Fla., and New York.
Cayuga County and Harriet Tubman
Photo Credit: Cayuga County Tourism
I was skeptical of Tour Cayuga’s claim of being "a lesson on how to combat DEI fatigue.” With a dismissive eye-roll and sigh of "We've heard this before," I thought Harriet must be cursing in her grave because why you? And how? An earlier claim in their email caught my attention a second time, making me curious to know how "community-led" this project was because Black folk can and will, sometimes loudly, call fraud.
I agreed to an interview with their Executive Director, Karen Kuhl, to learn more about the project and the community's involvement. I was glad I did. From my perspective, not only has Tour Cayuga honored Harriet Tubman's legacy, but they're doing it in a way that would make the "Moses of her People" proud.
Say Her Whole Name, Harriet Tubman
"How do we capture her spirit and her legacy? How do we ensure it resonates and represents her legacy?"
Scribbled in my notebook were the questions Karen Kuhl, the Executive Director of Tour Cayuga, and her team would ask after successfully lobbying their city legislatures to approve funding for the restoration of the Historic Thompson Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church Visitors Center, the former Church of Tubman and an epicenter of New Guinea.
There was one answer: community.
Corporate America has consistently failed in its pursuit of Black uplift because the decisions are made in the boardrooms, not in the salons, barbershops, local restaurants, churches, schools, community centers, or neighborhood corners where the older men congregate for spades, dominoes, and Heineken. Decisions impacting the community are not made collectively with those most affected. By creating a committee of community leaders, which included descendants of Harriet Tubman, Tour Cayuga only honors the communal spirit of Harriet Tubman and ensures the work is informed and approved by those it represents, mitigating any chance of you catching the wrath of Black Twitter or becoming Charlamange's "Donkey of the Day" because of cultural misrepresentation.
Black Twitter calls out Dove for a racist advertisement campaign
From the beginning, the committee was engaged, attending meetings and vetting prospective marketing and public relations agencies vying for the project contract. Committee members worked with Karen and her team at Tours Cayuga Visitors Buruea to create a scoring matrix to use when vetting marketing agencies. "We tried really hard to ensure the messaging continues to be vetted by the voices that represent it," said Karen. "It's not just creating a pretty logo with excellent branding and expecting them to receive this message. There's passion and responsibility in promoting Harriet Tubman's legacy."
There were moments throughout the process when the community's vision and the marketing team's ideas did not align, highlighting the necessity and value of engaging residents uniquely connected to the culture and history. There was Harriet Tubman and her pink lips. A colorized photo of Harriet Tubman presented by the marketing agency was well received by the committee, except for her pink lips." Get rid of those" was how Karen said the committee put it. A small detail, but significant to a community that did not want to alter the image of Harriet Tubman for commercial gain. Another example involved the recently released "Harriet" movie. During a meeting, the committee, Cayuga County, and the marketers discussed the film and its portrayal of Harriet Tubman. Karen shared how she was endeared with the name "Harriet." "It felt more personal, more connected, and we wanted to tell Harriet's story. The committee would not have it. They said absolutely not. You will not strip her of her last name.
We have lived through that. You will honor her full name or say Tubman. She is Harriet Tubman or Tubman."
The omission of her last name or the depiction of her with full pink lips may seem like small changes to those whose cultural history does not include the stripping of their cultural identity. Still, to Black Americans, such acts are reminders that Jim Crow was legal in 1965. Only fifty-nine years ago. My mother was born in 1970. The ownership of our minds, bodies, and stories and how we share these with the world - including those of our leaders - is less a marketing decision than an act of cultural and self-preservation. Karen and Cayuga County would listen, gracefully accept this education, and move accordingly. "Ever since then, it's been the Tubman corridor, the Harriet Tubman destination, and Tubman or Harriet Tubman's chosen hometown," she said. Karen.
Harriet Tubman’s Church Home
The cornerstone of the original Thompson A.M.E. Zion Church built on Parker St., Auburn in 1891.
Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Rochester Democrat And Chronicle
Built in 1891, the Thompson Memorial AME Zion Church in Auburn is a testament to Harriet Tubman's legacy. This church, where Tubman worshiped and was buried in 1913, was involved in the Anti-Slavery movement. The National Register for Historic Landmarks listed the church in 1974. After being acquired by the National Park Service in 2017, restoration efforts began. Starting June 22, visitors can view the church building as it appeared in 1913 during Tubman's funeral.
The National Register for Historic Landmarks listed the Thompson Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church in 1974. The Thompson Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church congregation would continue to use the building for worship for over 100 years, from 1891 until finally moving to a new location in 1993. The original building would go largely unused after 1993 by the Church and would be acquired by the National Park Service in 2017. In the same year, the National Park Service began stabilizing efforts to protect the property. Restoration efforts, which started in 2017, are complete, and beginning June 22, visitors will be able to view the Thompson Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church building as it appeared in 1913 during Harriet Tubman's funeral.
In her chosen hometown of Auburn, located in the Finger Lakes region of New York State, Harriet Tubman pledged $500 to help build Thompson Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. The interior will replicate the historic stenciling from when Tubman attended the Church. The original bell has been removed from its tower, replaced by a replica, and will be displayed inside the Church.
“There's passion and responsibility
in promoting Harriet Tubman's legacy."
Nicaraguan Farming Communities are the Blueprint
Before Cayuga Country, Karen, who is Nicaraguan, spent over fifteen years in tourism management and hospitality in Nicaragua with her company, Tastefully Nicaragua. Like Cayuga County, it was an opportune time in the largest country in Central America, with public officials fully invested in expanding their tourism sector with high demand from European and North American travelers. Commonly known as an agricultural destination for travelers, Karen and her business partner recognized an opportunity to drive tourism by working with local farming communities to develop tourism products and experiences. "These families are the cultural fiber of the agriculture destination and were losing their land. We started having conversations with the farmers looking for ways to bring pride and awareness to what they do, and tourism became that vehicle", says Karen.
Birthed from these conversations would be Karen's family-owned business, Selva Negra - a tour operator company that works with farmers in Nicaragua to create tourism experiences around coffee, cocoa, and farm-to-table dining. Visitors could take day tours to farming cooperatives to meet the families, explore the farms, get their hands dirty by picking coffee beans that would become their morning coffee, and have a cultural experience - sometimes sharing languages - with local Nicaraguan families.
The visitors and the families loved these authentic experiences. Specifically, the young people were surprised that someone would pay money to visit their farms and excited to practice English with visitors. They would remain home, working the land and helping the family expand their tourism business. Karen talked about how her experiences in Nicaragua have influenced the community-led work in Cayuga County, "The parallels between Cayuga and Nicaragua centered around a sense of pride and working with the community to tell their stories. In Nicaragua, locals were in awe of visitors' interest in visiting their farming communities. In Auburn, Cayuga residents had no idea they were walking the grounds Harriet Tubman walked. Some didn't understand how significant and attractive this could be to tourists."
In Cayuga, a local campaign called the "Pride of Place" would serve as an opportunity to interview residents to share why they were proud to live in the chosen hometown of Harriet Tubman with yard signs, stickers, and other visual products to support their video interviews. This digital campaign would be the starting point for increasing awareness of the historical and cultural experiences Cayuga offers visitors.
The Politics of Branding
Protesters march in support of DEI programs
Affirmative action, DEI, and similar programs face opposition as they are branded as benefiting Black people at the expense of white people. Politicians and business leaders must strategically brand public policy, lest they risk alienating their white constituent base.
My previous work life was closely related to politics. I quickly learned that how you label or brand public policy is just as important as the actual policy itself.
In the 1960s, the association of "black" with capitalism would find support across the aisle for pro-business public policy that directly benefited black communities. In her Pulitzer Prize-winning book, "Franchise: Black America and the Golden Arches," Marcia Chatelain explains how the softening of the word "black" when associated with capitalism - which is associated with Americanism and patriotism - made it more palpable to support political action for Black communities:
"Black capitalism's broad definition and methods - government loans, coalition building with private industry, community-run business cooperatives - allowed programs under the label to receive support across a wide ideological expanse. If black capitalism meant that blacks would live well and earn honestly, apart from whites, then who could object?" And if Black capitalism meant that marginalized people would get a chance to earn more and spend more, what could be the harm of that? Black capitalism inspired black communities, while it united white ideologues."
Understanding the assignment: Tour Cayuga employed similar political wordplay to secure legislative support for the church restoration. Karen shared how they approached this:
"When we started with positioning the destination as Harriet Tubman's chosen hometown and integrating DEI into the DNA of our organization, we did not use the words DEI or Black travelers because some of the legislatures throughout the county would have been offended or received pushback for it. So we talked about "cultural heritage tourism:" and inclusivity. Now, they're all on board, and I can discuss a Black travel initiative in Cayuga County. I can talk about Harriet Tubman's chosen hometown. I can talk about accessible kayak experiences. We were cautious to start the conversation where they [the legislature] was at."
Black millennial travelers in the US spent at least $63 billion in the country in 2018.
Photo Credit: Travel Noire
The spending power of Black travelers, a group that spends well over $50 billion a year on travel and vacations, and the potential of this economic impact makes it a tourism market that businesses and city legislatures - always looking to score points for a reelection bid - can't ignore. This focus on economic growth would be essential to getting the legislature on a board. Karen shared as much during a meeting with the county legislature. "We talked about green, about money. This large demographic we have not marketed to before and how we need to authentically elevate black business owners in this destination. We need to identify and work with Black community leaders so when we market to Black travelers, they feel connected to the destination they come to."
The church home of Harriet Tubman will open to visitors on June 22. Next, the Tubman Corridor, a 450-mile route connecting visitors to the state's storied history, including Underground Railroad Historical sites and locations freedom seekers and Abolitionists operated through New York State, will begin construction. Karen hopes to see more product development driven by local businesses and residents, like tour operators and travel guides, and more experiences connecting visitors to the life and legacy of Harriet Tubman.
One restaurant, Fargo Bar and Grill, is already capturing visitors' attention - and stomachs - with culinary experiences inspired by Harriet Tubman. Earlier this year, travel influencer Danielle Desire shared her visit to Cayuga and Fargo Bar and Grill, encouraging her social media followers to visit and try the meal inspired by the cooking skills Harriet Tubman learned from her mother. In a post to her Instagram followers, she shared her experience, "You have to indulge in a unique culinary experience inspired by Harriet Tubman at Fargo Bar and Grill in Aurora, about 20 minutes from Downtown Auburn. Try the maple BBQ salmon dish, which pays homage to Tubman's cooking skills learned from her mother. Chef Zachary Phillips combines Southern biscuits, greens, and Northern ingredients like salmon, local apples, and maple syrup to create a unique and delicious tribute."
Harriet Tubman’s Chosen Home Town
Tubman, who died of pneumonia in 1913, is buried in Fort Hill Cemetery, not far from her property.
Photo Credit: The Washington Post
I loved visiting the Motown Museum in Detroit because I learned something new about Berry Gordy and Motown. What can visitors expect to learn about Harriet Tubman from these new experiences that honor her legacy? Karen shared what she had learned about the abolitionist throughout the project's lifecycle.
"Harriet Tubman owned her land. A Black previously enslaved woman owned communities in a time when women could and did not own land. She maneuvered and accomplished just as much from behind the scenes. She owned her land, pigs, and apple orchards and sold everything at a market to support her philanthropic work. She was always thinking about the betterment of her peers and people. Her work as a conductor often overshadows her other works, which are huge successes in her work. She was a civil war leader and spy. The CIA erected a statue of Harriet inside Langley as a model spy."
Tubman's residence is part of the Harriet Tubman Home site. She purchased seven acres from the Sewards in 1859 and later bought an additional 25 acres.
Photo Credit: The Washington Post
I'm excited to visit Auburn and Cayuga County to learn more about the legacy of Harriet Tubman. A woman who was the embodiment of strength, courage, and selflessness. Over ten years, she gave the Southern slave owners hell as she would return thirteen times to help free over 70 enslaved people. After those ten years, no one could imagine the rest, peace, and safety her mind, body, and spirit longed for. Wherever she would call home would undoubtedly have to be a place she believed would give those things to her. Visit Cayuga County, and you'll learn about that place and why it was Harriet Tubman's chosen home.