Ames Chamber of Commerce
  • Community Cash
  • Laughlin Level
    • Laughlin Level Space Request
  • Member Directory
    • Promotions & Coupons
  • Events & News
    • Chamber Calendar
    • Community Calendar
    • Signature Events >
      • Annual Awards
    • Awards & Accolades
    • Traction Stories
    • Members in the News Form
    • Media Releases
    • Staff Updates
  • Membership
    • Sponsorship Opportunities
    • Membership Application
    • Member Login
    • Member Did You Know Questionnaire
  • Chamber Programs
    • Advocacy >
      • Elected Officials Contact Form
    • Chamber Ambassadors >
      • Become an Ambassador
      • Ambassador Spotlight
    • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
    • Leadership Ames >
      • Service Project Request Form
    • Workforce Solutions >
      • Intern Spotlight
      • Future Ready Boone & Story
      • Bring Students On-Site
      • Story County Retraining Program
    • Affiliate Organizations
  • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Board of Directors
    • Strategic Plan
    • Annual Report 2022
    • Contact Us
  • TRACTION

Staff Updates

Listen Before Acting

6/24/2020

0 Comments

 
Diversity and inclusion have been a unifying goal in Ames and Story County for several years, but implementing a real cultural shift has become more imperative now than ever before. At the Ames Chamber of Commerce, we are mindful of how important this conversation is to our community moving forward and while we have been advocates for inclusion for many years, we know we can, and must, do more.
​
Our organization is currently working to pull together a comprehensive list of minority-owned businesses in Story County. By developing this list, we can open the line of dialogue and learn how we can support our business owners of color. We anticipate our conversations will bring a new awareness of needs and unique differences minority-owned businesses owners face on a day-to-day basis that we haven’t previously recognized. Once we have a better understanding of these needs, we will work to develop programming specific to meeting those needs and supporting them. When all businesses in Story County flourish, so does our community. We are dedicated to supporting our locally minority-owned businesses; however, we must listen before we act and this is the first step toward doing just that.

Not only have we been called to support our community’s business owners of color, we have also been called to help raise awareness and educate the greater community on why these issues are important and how we can all help.

Since the inception of our Symposium on Building Inclusive Organizations three years ago, our members and attendees of the event have called for smaller discussion-based events with the same mission. We are working to develop a series of discussion-based roundtables for business and community leaders to engage with each other and develop the tools they need to further enhance inclusivity in their workplaces and throughout Ames and Story County.

Fostering an inclusive community is not the work of one organization, person, or group. It is the responsibility of us all. As individuals, we know that being intentional in developing a more inclusive community is the right thing to do. It just makes sense. Who doesn’t want to feel safe and respected in their communities and to be accepted for who they are? Creating a welcoming community is an ongoing discussion and process, and everyone’s responsibility. We must all listen, and we must all continue to learn.

If you are looking for resources to get started, check out the Ames Public Library, the NAACP, Ames Pride, the City of Ames Human Relations Commission and the Iowa State University Office of Diversity & Inclusion. All of these organizations have some incredible resources to help us continue to build community, foster mutual respect, and ensure equality of rights for all.
0 Comments

    Author

    Write something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview.

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    May 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    May 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed


Picture

304 Main St.
Ames, Iowa 50010
Phone: (515) 232-2310
About the Ames Chamber
Centrally and conveniently located in the heart of the Midwest and Iowa, Ames is known for its healthy, stable economy, flourishing cultural environment, and the world-renowned Iowa State University.
​
With over 700 members, the Ames Chamber of Commerce strives to make Ames a better place to live, work, and do business by strengthening the economic vitality and the quality of life in the Ames community.
Links
Home
Member Login
Policies & Privacy
​Sitemap
  • Community Cash
  • Laughlin Level
    • Laughlin Level Space Request
  • Member Directory
    • Promotions & Coupons
  • Events & News
    • Chamber Calendar
    • Community Calendar
    • Signature Events >
      • Annual Awards
    • Awards & Accolades
    • Traction Stories
    • Members in the News Form
    • Media Releases
    • Staff Updates
  • Membership
    • Sponsorship Opportunities
    • Membership Application
    • Member Login
    • Member Did You Know Questionnaire
  • Chamber Programs
    • Advocacy >
      • Elected Officials Contact Form
    • Chamber Ambassadors >
      • Become an Ambassador
      • Ambassador Spotlight
    • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
    • Leadership Ames >
      • Service Project Request Form
    • Workforce Solutions >
      • Intern Spotlight
      • Future Ready Boone & Story
      • Bring Students On-Site
      • Story County Retraining Program
    • Affiliate Organizations
  • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Board of Directors
    • Strategic Plan
    • Annual Report 2022
    • Contact Us
  • TRACTION