USAEXtra PCMA Preview/ Holiday Showcase
V O L U M E 3 | ISSUE 12
DECEMBER 2, 2024
More than 800 hospitality professionals, students, and their families from across California’s Coachella Valley gathered on November 25 to celebrate the spirit of Greater Palm Springs tourism at the annual Champions of Hospitality Gala presented by Visit Greater Palm Springs. The event was held at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa. Left to right: Scott White, President & CEO, Visit Greater Palm Springs; Oasis Award for Sustainability recipients Nicole Tadros and Mark Tadros, The Packhouse at Aziz Farms; and Lauren Bruggemans, Director of Sustainability and Community Engagement, Visit Greater Palm Springs.
A Night to Remember in Birmingham Honoring the Legacy of Four Little Girls
By Todd McElwee A church—specifically the location of the murder of four girls—typically isn’t the backdrop to a conference’s opening evening event. The 16th Street Baptist Church (which has the tagline “Where Jesus Christ is the main attraction!”) is part of the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. Even empty, it’s a powerful place. One Sunday morning on September 15, 1963, the Ku Klux Klan bombed the church and killed four girls: 14-year-olds Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, and Carole Robertson, and 11-year-old Cynthia Wesley. As the National Park Service said, “This murderous act shocked the nation and galvanized the civil rights movement.” On a rainy November night, I sat down in a back pew of the packed church as the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals’ (NCBMP) 41st Annual Conference commenced. The Miles College Choir, under the direction of Valerie Harris, was already singing. Roughly 90 minutes later, as the aesthetically pleasing but far from ornate or cavernous sanctuary emptied out, I knew the service had been
one of the most powerful experiences of my nearly 13 years at USAE. I’m embarrassed (particularly as a history major) to confess that NCBMP introduced me on its conference’s website to the tragic event in 1963 that occurred at the church. Thankfully, the program was enlightening, immersive and thought provoking, sharing the details of the fateful evening in addition to insights on the civil rights movement across the city, state and nation. Two moments vividly stand out in my mind. Early in the session, the exact location of where the bomb detonated was shared. Four girls enjoying a fall Sunday in church died less than 50 feet from where I was sitting. That’s when the internal questions arrived: What did the explosion sound, look and feel like, and—perhaps a bit narcissistically—how would have the blast affected me in this pew? Would I have been injured? If not, how would I have reacted? The uncertainty and fear is something that will stick with me for a long time. The other moment I hope will remain with me forever is standing near an exhibit at the Birmingham Civil
Rights Institute (BRCI) and speaking with Lisa McNair, sister of Denise McNair, who was killed in the bombing. Lisa, born a year after the attack, has shared her and her family’s story in Dear Denise: Letters to a Sister I Never Knew. Our conversation was brief but engaging, and for me, inspiring and informative. For her, discussing her sister’s death is a regular occurrence, but I cannot imagine that doing so mere steps from where her life was violently cut short is ever easy. The poignant moments didn’t last long, and the ensuing optimism and positivity will stick with me. Roughly 30 minutes after recapping an unspeakable tragedy, Lisa, at least from my perspective, was buoyant and hopeful. Death, hate, and loss were not going to stop her light from shining. For me, the conversation with McNair encapsulates the evening’s message: triumph and perseverance over evil and tragedy. Through faith and personal experience, it’s something I truly believe, with NCBMP’s opening evening amplifying my conviction. McNair and all those who spoke (the entire speaking lineup is listed at the conclusion of the piece) shared varia-
tions of the theme; I cannot remember of word of hate uttered from the pulpit. Cheers and thank you, NCBMP and the Greater Birmingham CVB, for your thoughtfulness. The opening evening not only shared a message I believe Please turn to page 4
Inside Page 3 AHLA Applauds H-2B Visa Expansions for 2025 Page 4 Service Workers Stage One-Day Strike at Charlotte Airport Page 5 Conversation with Artesha Moore, President & CEO, Association Forum Page 7 Jack Daniel’s New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash