Editor's note: This story is part of KSL.com's "Black Voices" series where we share Black Utahns' stories about what life is like for them in the Beehive State.
SALT LAKE CITY James Jackson III feels comfortable meeting celebrities at the Sundance Film Festival and doesn't feel intimidated taking a photo with a Utah Jazz player.
Jackson, a second-generation Utahn, founded the Utah Black Chamber and works as the supplier diversity programs manager for Zions Bancorporation.
So what leaves Jackson feeling starstruck? Walking into a room filled with over a hundred high-level Black executives.
"To me, it was a little intimidating. We don't have that around here," he told KSL.com. "And I'm hoping that we can eventually change that."
When Jackson founded the chamber in 2009 in an effort to create a community of Black businesses and connect them to resources, he never expected to reach 100 members. Today, the chamber has about 250 active members and has expanded its footprint, with a northern Utah chapter recently launched and plans for a southern Utah chapter in the works.
The organization grew significantly in 2020, which is something Jackson said was in response to a nationwide conversation on racism. In May 2020, George Floyd, a Black man, died after being pinned down by a Minneapolis police officer. Derek Chauvin, the officer accused of killing Floyd, has since been arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
News of Floyd's death dominated headlines and inspired millions across the country to join the Black lives matter movement and engage with the Black community on how to do better.
"We saw a significant amount of support," Jackson said.
By the end of 2021, Jackson predicts membership will hit 500.
"I think this is an exciting time for people to get educated," Jackson said. "We have to get to a place where we listen to understand rather than listen to respond."
Over the summer, Jackson said he saw many people drop defenses in an attempt to keep an open perspective on learning more about Black communities and the issues they face living in Utah and the United States. He hopes the momentum will continue and that Black History Month, annually observed in February, will renew that passion and eagerness to learn what many over the summer had learned.
All individuals can take the time to learn about why Black History Month exists, he suggested. The month's designation began as a way to recognize the pivotal role African Americans played in the country's history. It became a nationally recognized month in the 1970s.
"Because people always wonder, 'Why is there a month for Black people?" Jackson said. "Well, quit complaining it's the shortest month of the year."
Black Americans aren't the only group with a dedicated month: March is National Women's History Month, May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, September is National Hispanic Heritage Month and November is National American Indian Heritage Month, just to name a few.
"There's a month for all these different backgrounds and celebrations of cultures," he said.
Jackson's point? People shouldn't see the designated months aimed at education and celebration as exclusionary; they should view them as an opportunity to reach out.
"For Black History Month, I just encourage people to get familiar with your Black community. Period. Whether it's business, expand your influence with the people you work with and in your neighborhood," he said. "Just know about the Black community near you."
At least two to three times a month, the chamber gets the same email from a Black individual moving to Utah for work; they're worried they won't fit in with the culture. Oftentimes, Jackson said a lot of them intend to live here temporarily.
As Utah's economy continues to attract more businesses, Jackson said it's important these companies put in the work if they want to retain Black employees.
"It's important for companies that they engage with organizations like the Black chamber and other diverse chambers, and other professional organizations that serve the diverse community, because that's going to help build your retention for your diverse employees," he explained.
Plus, diversity doesn't just help one group it can lead to the growth of an entire state, he said, noting that "when you have everybody that is aligned with the same thoughts, ideas and ideologies, you're going to stagnate your growth."
Plenty of diverse talent passes up the state altogether because they feel unable to connect in a place with too much uniformity, Jackson said. "Diversity is not going to grow on its own, just simply because we have a hot economy," he explained, while adding that it takes a concerted and intentional effort.
Utah's outdoor scene is one of the most common appeals used when pitching the state to bring people here. But what about someone from Atlanta or Houston? An active outdoorsy life might not be as appealing to someone in more of a city lifestyle.
"You have to know who you're talking to and try to find some common ground of where it is, because we have a lot more to offer than just the outdoors," Jackson said.
As a Black man born and raised in a predominantly white state, Jackson knows firsthand institutionalized racial barriers exist; it's part of the chamber's mission to help break down those walls and build bridges between communities. But that doesn't mean all states lacking diversity are inherently racist, he said.
"It just means we're an ignorant state, or we just don't have the level of awareness of education of having a community of diverse people," he said.
Jackson's experienced cases of "tokenism" or "unconscious bias" that led to interactions where he didn't really feel comfortable. But, he said, for the most part, it was never intentional racism thrown in his face.
"It was just those, just the ignorance where the biases and tokenism existed just because of the lack of awareness and education," he said.
Finding common ground and making an effort to walk in someone else's shoes are a good place for Utahns to start if they want to actively weed out this ignorance, he said.
"We can't always be on the defensive side. We have to bring that fence down to be able to have a civil dialogue so we can actually understand where each other are coming from," he said.
Taking the time to engage in Black History Month is a good place to start and continue these conversations surrounding racial inequity to find common goals of bettering the state.
"Basically, learn about the Black community around you locally; don't focus so much what's going on nationally, just learn about what's going on in your neck of the woods, and that will help you just grow from there," Jackson said.
Read more:
Black Voices: How to make Utah more inviting to diverse groups - KSL.com
- 10 Utopian Intentional Communities with Distinct Values [Last Updated On: June 12th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 12th, 2016]
- Communities Directory - Find Intentional Communities [Last Updated On: June 12th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 12th, 2016]
- Intentional Communities | Touchstone Mental Health [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2016]
- Intentional community - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [Last Updated On: June 17th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 17th, 2016]
- Welcome to FIC - Fellowship for Intentional Community [Last Updated On: June 17th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 17th, 2016]
- Intentional Communities | Touchstone Mental Health [Last Updated On: June 19th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 19th, 2016]
- Intentional Communities - A Fairer World [Last Updated On: June 21st, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 21st, 2016]
- Intentional Communities Asheville (Asheville, NC) - Meetup [Last Updated On: June 27th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 27th, 2016]
- What is an Intentional Community? - Meadowdance [Last Updated On: July 1st, 2016] [Originally Added On: July 1st, 2016]
- Plan B Retirement - Intentional communities [Last Updated On: July 1st, 2016] [Originally Added On: July 1st, 2016]
- Jewish Intentional Communities Initiative - Hazon [Last Updated On: July 29th, 2016] [Originally Added On: July 29th, 2016]
- Twin Oaks Intentional Community - Twin Oaks Intentional ... [Last Updated On: August 19th, 2016] [Originally Added On: August 19th, 2016]
- Acorn Community [Last Updated On: August 19th, 2016] [Originally Added On: August 19th, 2016]
- Map - Fellowship for Intentional Community [Last Updated On: August 21st, 2016] [Originally Added On: August 21st, 2016]
- Home Page - Elder Intentional Communities [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2016] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2016]
- NW NJ Ecovillage - Fellowship for Intentional Community [Last Updated On: October 8th, 2016] [Originally Added On: October 8th, 2016]
- Intentional Eucharistic Communities - Home [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2016] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2016]
- Intentional Housing Communities | www.hampshire.edu [Last Updated On: November 19th, 2016] [Originally Added On: November 19th, 2016]
- The Camphill Assocation of North America Communities [Last Updated On: November 25th, 2016] [Originally Added On: November 25th, 2016]
- Communes: the pros & cons of intentional community ... [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2016] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2016]
- Brooklyn Street | Neighborhood Alliance [Last Updated On: November 30th, 2016] [Originally Added On: November 30th, 2016]
- Cohousing - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: December 11th, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 11th, 2016]
- Jewish Intentional Communities Conference - Hazon [Last Updated On: December 26th, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 26th, 2016]
- As Trump's policies stoke fears, Denver's Muslim community worries about eroding trust in law enforcement - The Denver Post [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2017]
- Disparities in minority unemployment targeted by Iowa officials - DesMoinesRegister.com [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2017]
- ACE program benefits low-income communities - Observer Online [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2017]
- Coalition Calls Itself The 'Eyes, Ears & Voice' Of Pittsburgh's Black Community - 90.5 WESA [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- 'A community remembers' coming to Hesston - Leavenworth Times [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Take a bow, Sheldon Theatre - Republican Eagle [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Want a happy old age? Get your friends to be your neighbours - Independent Online [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- 'A community remembers' coming to Hesston - News - Butler County ... - Butler County Times Gazette [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Krista Tippett February 01, 2017 - America Magazine [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- To truly serve the public, community stations must apply standards for what's said on-air - Current [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- Pastor: We must build bridges between police and local black communities - Fort Worth Star Telegram (blog) [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- A Business Plan for Healthy Communities - Hospitals & Health Networks [Last Updated On: February 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 10th, 2017]
- Appalachian's Alternative Service Experience among nation's top 10 ... - Appalachian State University [Last Updated On: February 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 10th, 2017]
- The Death of the Ski Bum and Intentional Tourism - The Catalyst [Last Updated On: February 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 11th, 2017]
- Heroin hits home: Highways provide "easy access" for drug trafficking in Franklin County - Herald-Mail Media [Last Updated On: February 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 11th, 2017]
- How Anarchists and Intentional Communities Are Reacting to ... [Last Updated On: February 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 11th, 2017]
- Herrick Library: Libraries: The Living Room of our Communities - HollandSentinel.com [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- Ohio Continues with Next Phase of InsideOut Initiative to Combat Win-at-All Costs Sports Mentality - 13abc Action News [Last Updated On: February 13th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 13th, 2017]
- Ohio Continues with Next Phase of InsideOut Initiative to Combat Win-at-All Costs Sports Mentality - Norwalk Reflector [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2017]
- Ithaca organization encourages people to participate in National Random Acts of Kindness Week - The Ithaca Voice [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2017]
- Portland groups form coalition to eradicate hate - KOIN.com [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]
- Dynamic Communities Announces Eric Pearson, Information Security Expert, As GPUG Amplify 2017 Keynote Speaker - MSDynamicsWorld.com (press release) [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]
- Anson County community meeting to fight poverty planned for Feb. 18 - Ansonrecord [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]
- Nash says 'there's more to be done' on diversity at State of the County address - Gwinnettdailypost.com [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 17th, 2017]
- Spreading the Faith: Moving Coins and Moving Communities - Patheos (blog) [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 17th, 2017]
- If It Walks Like a Duck - ChicagoNow (blog) [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2017]
- Renting land to highest bidder a stumbling block for young people ... - AG Week [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2017]
- Immigrant Round-ups Stir Fears - Consortium News [Last Updated On: February 19th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 19th, 2017]
- Pace: What Should I Give Up This Year? - Covington News [Last Updated On: February 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 20th, 2017]
- J Mase III of #BlackTransMagick seeks to redistribute resources - Daily Illini [Last Updated On: February 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 20th, 2017]
- Best approach to panhandlers? Ignore them - Richmond Register [Last Updated On: February 22nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 22nd, 2017]
- South Side getting trauma center, but it'll be far more than just an emergency room - Fox 32 Chicago [Last Updated On: February 22nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 22nd, 2017]
- St. Louis Park cohousing community welcomes home all ages - Minneapolis Star Tribune [Last Updated On: February 22nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 22nd, 2017]
- The Christian Retreat From Public Life - The Atlantic [Last Updated On: February 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 23rd, 2017]
- In 'The Unsettlers,' Mark Sundeen looks for lives well lived | Books ... - Missoula Independent [Last Updated On: February 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 23rd, 2017]
- Column: Community will miss Rev. Irwin's impact - Wicked Local Waltham [Last Updated On: February 24th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 24th, 2017]
- Cohousing communities gain popularity, including here in Nashville - WKRN.com [Last Updated On: February 24th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 24th, 2017]
- Better health needs a diverse workforce - Greenville Daily Reflector [Last Updated On: February 25th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 25th, 2017]
- Cohousing communities gain popularity - WDTN [Last Updated On: February 25th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 25th, 2017]
- Letters: Dismiss Schimel, others for maps - The Sheboygan Press [Last Updated On: February 28th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 28th, 2017]
- 12 band members struck by vehicle at Alabama Mardi Gras parade - Chicago Tribune [Last Updated On: February 28th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 28th, 2017]
- Drums, Voices, and Circles - Memphis Democrat [Last Updated On: February 28th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 28th, 2017]
- Family School rebuts report on lack of diversity - Coastal View News [Last Updated On: March 1st, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 1st, 2017]
- Food: Four Short Talks brings community to the table - Dailyuw [Last Updated On: March 2nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 2nd, 2017]
- The Wall Street Journal explores trends in Christian community life sort of - GetReligion (blog) [Last Updated On: March 2nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 2nd, 2017]
- Renting land to highest bidder stumbling block for young people looking to start in agriculture - INFORUM [Last Updated On: March 4th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 4th, 2017]
- Transportation/Traveling While Living Off Grid - Mother Earth News [Last Updated On: March 4th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 4th, 2017]
- Reforestation and Civil Disobedience: Aldeia Maracan Urban Indigenous Community Reclaims Olympic Parking - RioOnWatch [Last Updated On: March 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 6th, 2017]
- Worcester's retiree health costs 'unsustainable' - telegram.com - Worcester Telegram [Last Updated On: March 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 7th, 2017]
- 12 on Tuesday: Leslie Orrantia - WISC - Channel 3000 - Channel3000.com - WISC-TV3 [Last Updated On: March 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 7th, 2017]
- By walking the beat, Kalamazoo officers nurture genuine relationships with community - Michigan Radio [Last Updated On: March 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 7th, 2017]
- Sometimes the Grass Really is Greener - Memphis Democrat [Last Updated On: March 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 7th, 2017]
- Is Clallam opening the door to tiny houses? | Sequim Gazette - Sequim Gazette [Last Updated On: March 8th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 8th, 2017]
- Healthy communities have engaged members - Centre Daily Times (blog) [Last Updated On: March 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 9th, 2017]
- New St. Paul police program aims to mentor recruits - Minneapolis Star Tribune [Last Updated On: March 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 9th, 2017]
- A New Kind of Homeless Village is Coming to Kenton. It's a Big Deal. - The Portland Mercury (blog) [Last Updated On: March 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 10th, 2017]
- Why We Need the Benedict Option and How It Doesn't Have to ... - Patheos (blog) [Last Updated On: March 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 10th, 2017]