Delta’s commitment to increase representation in the travel industry and authentically showcase diverse travelers experiencing the world in extraordinary ways “popped up” last week in Los Angeles. Our “Inspired Journeys” digital art installation took place at Westfield Century City, an open-air entertainment plaza, and at the ADCOLOR conference, the premier diversity gathering for professionals of all levels across creative industries. 

As an extension of our Faces of Travel initiative, Delta invited employees and members of the Los Angeles community to share accounts of memorable travel experiences, which were brought to life in real-time via digital sketch by seven commissioned emerging artists with diverse backgrounds. Among the selection of talented artists were Delta employees Andersen Cupid, Designer – Window Seat and Cedric Smith, Lead Supply Attendant – TechOps. 

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Delta expands ‘Faces of Travel’ program to increase representation in travel culture

While Delta has intentionally increased representation within its own marketing assets, Faces of Travel is a program that continues Delta’s long-term commitment to increase representation that the larger travel culture can tap into: from social media to tourism ads, and everything in between, while pushing against stereotypes that have been created and upheld.

“The Inspired Journeys experience has generated such meaningful impact that is two-fold,” said Andersen. “For our artists, it’s created an opportunity to share their craft with a new audience, and for the community, it showed them that Delta sees value in capturing their stories and experiences while traveling. The art we created was a fresh take on storytelling and showcased our different perspective on some of the participants most memorable moments – we’ve seen tears and shared laughs through this experience.” 

For Cedric, the Inspired Journeys experience was a literal expression of Delta’s ethos to connect and reflect the world we serve.  

“Internalizing the stories of our guests and translating their memories into art has allowed me to be part of their experiences – it’s like traveling to places I’ve never been,” said Cedric. “We can have such powerful conversations through art and create pieces that are not only aesthetically pleasing but reflect the most unique parts of us.” 

From summer weddings in Lake Como, to annual family ski trips in the snow-covered peaks of the Rocky Mountains, Delta created over 200 digital illustrations for members of the Los Angeles community and attendees of the 2023 ADCOLOR conference. 

To further reinforce Delta’s ongoing commitment to show and promote greater diversity and inclusivity in the travel industry, Delta created a Cultural Moments Travel Guide Series. The guides were created in collaboration with organizations and creators in diverse communities and our partner LATAM to share travel recommendations through an inclusive and welcoming lens. The travel guide series was awarded the 8th Annual Shorty Impact Awards, in the social movement category – honoring the most creative and effective campaigns in support of cultural moments and/or social activism.  

“Delta’s commitment to amplify the stories and faces of diverse travelers is more than an initiative,” Ashley Sherman, General Manager – ESG Marketing. “Travelers from every part of the world and every walk of life have always been part of Delta’s story and our success. Faces of Travel reinforces our commitment to all travelers who have helped shape Delta’s culture and that of the travel industry.”  

Visit the Faces of Travel homepage to learn more about Delta’s commitment to increase diverse representation within the travel industry.