Welcome: Welcoming for All

WELCOMING FOR ALL

The Columbus Region aims to be a community with an equitable playing field for all people, regardless of race, gender identity, sexuality, disability or history.

“WE ADVOCATE FOR REFORMING AND DISMANTLING THE INSTITUTIONS AND SYSTEMS THAT PERPETUATE OPPRESSION AND RACISM.”

CAROLINE WOLIVER Director of Leadership and Social Justice, YWCA

Although the city’s name comes from the history books, Columbus is looking toward the future—ensuring that the Region is a welcoming, equitable and diverse place for all.

Local businesses, social enterprises and nonprofits make a point to help lift those who need it most. Stonewall Columbus provides support groups, as well as social and professional development opportunities, for the LGBTQ+ community. Honest Jobs and the local restaurant chain Hot Chicken Takeover help formerly incarcerated people find employment so they can move forward with their lives. Goodwill Columbus and Lopaus Point Waffles employ people with disabilities in their facilities, providing muchdeserved (yet hard to find) opportunities.

Beyond helping underserved populations find meaningful work, several organizations are dedicated to empowering historically marginalized groups. The Columbus Urban League, the African American Leadership Academy, the YWCA and Experience Columbus all have programs through which Black and other minority individuals can network, expand their spheres of influence and lift one another up.

“We advocate for reforming and dismantling the institutions and systems that perpetuate oppression and racism. We have this unique opportunity: That we both educate our broader community on these issues, and we engage legislators and elected officials to change those systems. Then we also provide a variety of empowerment programs to make sure women and gender-nonconforming folks are able to understand the nuances behind the kind of change that Columbus is requiring,” says Caroline Woliver, director of leadership and social justice at the YWCA. “At the end of the program, they leave with the tools to recognize and challenge discriminatory practices within their workplaces and overall spheres of influence.”

Additionally, the YWCA’s housing and shelter services provide needed hope for the community.

“We don’t just treat the symptoms of poverty and inequity,” Woliver says. “We’re combatting inequity and injustice from all sides.”

Traci Martinez, managing partner of the Columbus office of the Squire Patton Boggs law firm, says the Region’s success at expanding its economy has created the need to get more people into the workplace. The Experience Columbus convention and tourism organization, as an example, has created a diversity apprenticeship program designed to get those from communities of color into training programs within the hospitality industry—guaranteeing a base salary while learning various operations within the employer.

“The goal is to have everyone receive a job offer from where they’ve apprenticed,” says Martinez, who serves on the Experience Columbus board, executive committee and equity and inclusion committee. “We need to meet the workforce demand and show prospective employers we have the talent.”

The city is continuing to make progressive strides. According to the FDIC, there are no Black-owned banks in Ohio, though there will be soon when Adelphi Bank, a new venture from several Black community leaders, opens in Columbus. Blackowned banks help level the playing field by increasing Black homeownership and access to capital for business and personal development, which fight the effects of redlining and other discriminatory economic practices and help create wealth.

And, of course, it’s difficult to do the hard work of dismantling white supremacy without quality healthcare, which is why OhioHealth is trying to make patients feel safe and welcome receiving care.

“We’re very committed to having a diverse workforce and ensuring that we look like the community and the patients we serve. We have rallied, not only to create a space where patients and individuals in the community are comfortable and are able to access care regardless of their background,” says Aisha Allen, OhioHealth’s chief diversity officer and vice president of culture, engagement and inclusion, “we’ve also leaned into how we engage and retain our diverse talent. We’ve been focused on making an impact and increasing representation at our leader level by creating a sponsorship program for our high-potential diverse directors. We’ve had great success with that program; it’s been able to drive retention, as well as drive referrals into the organization who are diverse as well.”

While there is and will remain more work to be done in advancing equity with the ultimate goal of justice, Columbus is taking action and making strides in diversity, equity and inclusion. The people of Columbus are doing the important, necessary work of bending the city’s moral arc toward justice.

“What’s exciting about Columbus is that you have not only the willingness to change the institutions from some of our elected officials, which still need to go further, but there’s also a wonderful wealth of community that wants to support one another,” Woliver says. “It makes Columbus a beautiful place to reside.”

“WE’VE BEEN FOCUSED ON MAKING AN IMPACT AND INCREASING REPRESENTATION AT OUR LEADER LEVEL BY CREATING A SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM FOR OUR HIGH-POTENTIAL DIVERSE DIRECTORS.”

AISHA ALLEN

Chief Diversity Officer and Vice President of Culture, Engagement and Inclusion, OhioHealth