FAIR PARK CONTINUES TO EVOLVE
...to Reflect The Diverse Dallas Community | By Daniel Huerta AMPHITHEATERS & FAIRGROUNDS:
Diversity is an important aspect for venue managers as it translates
nature of our industry serves as a catalyst to bring individuals together Fair Park in Dallas has a unique history that has not always em-
The beginnings of Fair Park, TX! can be traced back to 1887 when ri- of Fair Park.
- - hibit hall burned down. They sold the property to the City of Dallas to World War I and Fair Park was converted into a temporary army encampment.
annual fair time event and the following year, the race track was razed - ton Bowl Stadium. -
The history of Fair Park regrettably includes a dark chapter. In her
president of public relations and marketing, states that the State Fair members were initiated before a supportive crowd as crosses burned - - ball game in the Cotton Bowl Stadium. Singled out as one day of the fair was “Colored People’s Day,” which was the only day they could at- tend. It wasn’t until local civil rights activist Juanita Jewell Craft orga- nized protests that ultimately led to the desegregation of the State Fair. the City of Dallas Park and Recreation Department assumed manage- ment and the day-to-day operations of the park. Since that time the park activity has grown with year-round activity and use that brings a
rich diversity of people from all walks of life. In spite of the park’s history of non-inclusiveness and lack of diver-
sity, today’s cultural celebrations and events at Fair Park now include the Diwali Mela Festival that honors the Hindu observance of lights, Kwanzaa Fest and its Seven Principles honoring African heritage, the Asian Festival, Festival de Mayo commemorating the Battle of Puebla - Art Fair, and much more. I’ve had membership in the IAVM since before the name change
when it was known as the International Association of Auditorium Managers. As a young professional in park and recreation, I sought out the association to gain a better understanding of venue management, while all my park and recreation peers were attending the National Recreation and Park Association Congress. place given the lack of diversity in the membership at the time. This was also before we had a new member orientation breakfast or a men- toring program. I realized then I would have to part of the change for the future viability of the organization. Several years ago, I chaired the Diversity Committee and currently serve on the recently formed Diversity and Inclusive Leadership Committee that strives to increase diversity in our association and membership. I’m often asked how we can increase diversity of Hispanics in our
industry. This is not easily answered. Given the continuing rise of the according to the Pew Research Institute, this is a viable and necessary issue that must be addressed. As venue managers, we should be paying attention to trends and
- sive of the communities that we serve. We need to be visible in our communities and continue to promote
venue management as a career choice. Often, I don’t think that our students realize that to successfully run our operations, it takes profes- sionals with diverse skills in event management, marketing, business, a multitude of other disciplines. The Dallas Independent School District is incredibly diverse with
- gaged in career education and training through our local high schools to inform students about the wide variety of career options that venue - mote diversity and inclusion. The organization and its sectors need to take an even more active role in promoting IAVM to support the underrepresented population of the industry to include women, peo- ple of color, LGBTQ community, people with disabilities, and others.
and the cities we live in. FM
Daniel Huerta is executive general manager of City of Dallas Fair Park Admin- istration.
IAVM 43
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
