EQUALITY
FINDING LOCAL PRIDE IN LESS FAMILIAR HISTORY
CAYUGA COUNTY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
Take a moment to consider what makes you proud about living in your hometown. Not sure? Get inspired by how Harriet Tubman is still building community connections and pride in Cayuga County, New York, more than 100 years after her death.
What's
changing
Travelers are increasingly drawn to experiences that reveal overlooked heritage and untold stories, seeking deeper connections with a place. Destinations around the world have started elevating marginalized communities, rediscovering hidden local histories and creating new narratives that foster a shared pride of place for both residents and visitors.
What's already
possible
In Cayuga County, efforts to celebrate the life and accomplishments of Harriet Tubman are uniting the community behind a new sense of pride and changing perceptions about the county among visitors drawn by the story. Tubman lived in Auburn for over 50 years and had strong connections to other towns in Cayuga County. Her bravery assisting enslaved people to freedom as a conductor on the Underground Railroad is well known, but her life in Auburn as an entrepreneur and community activist after the Civil War is less familiar.
Seizing
the opportunity
Sensing gaps in the true story of Tubman, the local destination management organization, Tour Cayuga, worked with her descendants in 2019 and 2020 to develop an accurate, thoughtful and respectful portrayal of her relationship with Auburn. The team discovered fascinating connections throughout the community that were tied to Tubman, including historic houses and the Equal Rights Heritage Center. This storytelling initiative has changed the city’s identity and celebrates the area’s Black heritage. Tour Cayuga provides free signs to businesses and residents that show the community’s pride in being Tubman’s chosen hometown.
Standout
tactic
Alongside the increase in storytelling related to Black history in marketing and in the town, Tour Cayuga maintains a directory of Black-owned businesses.
How
it helps
The tourism organization’s emphasis on Tubman now reaches different communities within the region that had not been a part of previous promotional efforts and has exposed residents to more of the town’s history and deep community connections. Now that the program has been in place for a few years, businesses in Auburn and throughout Cayuga County have updated menus and experiences to reflect their connections to Harriet Tubman.
Diving
deeper
How can destinations that highlight the legacies of historical figures avoid commercialization and exploitation that overshadow the genuine educational and respectful portrayal of these individuals?
Increasing
impact
To keep interest and momentum going around a newfound pride of place, tourism boards could consider establishing off-season cultural exchanges with destinations where artists, musicians or chefs have a connection to the heritage being celebrated.
Traveling
better
Travel is inherently carbon intensive. Whether you are taking a mini-break or an annual vacation, consider ways to minimize your impact by staying longer in one place, reconsidering how you travel to the destination, and supporting businesses that are working to make their community and the world a better place.
