Commitment to Diversity

Overview
Nothing is more important to the Kentucky Derby Festival than involving every segment of the community in its annual celebration. Our commitment to diversity is longstanding and inclusive. It not only enhances the legacy of the Festival, it is simply the right thing to do. The Festival's Multi-Cultural Affairs committee continues to work with the Board & staff to ensure that our programming is designed with the entire community in mind.

Community Support
At the Kentucky Derby Festival, we take pride in securing relationships with a wide variety of community organizations. It's the cornerstone of our business philosophy and is deeply entrenched within the company. Here are a few examples of groups in which we've been proud to partner.

Woman-at-Ramble

100 Black Men of Louisville
St. Augustine Catholic Church
Louisville Urban League Guild
Plymouth Community Center
Presbyterian Community Center

Procurement Opportunities
The Festival works hard to identify minority & female-owned businesses for its use when contracting for products and services. Our staff and members of our Board of Directors work to ensure that these businesses are included in the Festival's bid process. To date, we have identified a host of vendors such as Sincerely Yours Catering, Spyder Productions, Marvin Young Photography, Professional Fence and numerous others.

Achievements
The Derby Festival has a long history of diversity in all aspects of its operation. In 1998, the Festival received the "Purchaser of the Year" award for the hospitality industry from the Kentuckiana Minority Business Council. Award recognition has also been received by the Louisville Defender Newspaper and the GLCVB. The Festival continues to meet its goals of community service and cultural development by working with other local activities and groups that share a similar vision.