Les Dames d’Escoffier (LDEI) Nashville is proud to announce its first Diversity, Equity and Inclusion symposium “Desegregating Nashville’s Food Scene: An Anti-Racism Brunch and Dialogue Series.” Tickets are on-sale now for this three-part educational brunch series, organized and facilitated by members, which reinforces the chapter’s mission to provide an inclusive culture within the hospitality industry. DEI is an integral part of Les Dames Nashville, which supports women in the field of food, beverage, hospitality and farming through networking, mentoring and educational opportunities.
“Despite the lunch counter sit-ins in the 1960s that made Nashville the first major city in the South to desegregate restaurants, Music City remains segregated in many ways,” said Andrea Lindsley, LDEI Nashville President. “We believe the keys to addressing segregation in the hospitality industry begin with openness around the table by illuminating truths in our history that have been pushed into the shadows, sharing perspectives and experiences, acknowledging our common humanity and committing to change.”
All events will take place at community meeting place and event venue Yay Yay’s on Jefferson, owned and operated by LDEI Nashville Board Member Charlotte Miller who is spearheading the planning for the symposium. The first session of the series entitled Nashville’s Food History: How Race Played and Continues to Play a Role on Saturday, March 26, will feature authors and Dames Alice Randall and Caroline Randall Williams for a conversation moderated by new media strategist Jason Luntz, Owner & Founder of UrVoyce.
SERIES DETAILS
- Topics & Dates:
- Saturday, March 26: Nashville’s Food History: How Race Played and Continues to Play a Role
- Saturday, April 23: Integrating Your Business: Bringing Inclusion to the Front and the Back of the House
- Saturday May 21: Practice Radical Hospitality: How To Truly Welcome All
- Location: Yay Yay’s on Jefferson
1821 Jefferson Street
Nashville, TN 37208
- Cost: $50 per session or $150 for the series
- Time: Noon – 2:00 p.m., CT
- Tickets are on-sale now. Tickets can be purchased individually or for the full series. Events include brunch, a brunch cocktail, presentation, mini-workshop and take away materials.
The series is made possible through a grant from The Women’s Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. Sponsors for the series include gold-Level sponsors Frothy Monkey and Grey Goose Vodka; Silver-level sponsors Strategic Hospitality and FINN Partners; and in-kind sponsors FLWR Shop, Bloomy Rind, Lipman Brothers, Uncle Nearest and Jack Daniel’s. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more information, visit https://www.lesdamesnashville.org/symposium.
ABOUT THE NASHVILLE CHAPTER OF LES DAMES D’ESCOFFIER
Les Dames Nashville is a local chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI), a network of professional women in food, beverage, hospitality and farming who are passionate about supporting women in those fields. Through our events, we raise money to fund our career advancement grants and scholarships, while furthering education and appreciation of our industry. Established in 2014, the chapter now includes 91 members. For more information, visit www.lesdamesnashville.org.
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