Helping to build a fairer future with Project L.O.V.E. (Lifting our voices for equity)

Helping to build a fairer future is a central part of our Journey to Tomorrow 2030 ambitions, so we were delighted to team up with US non-profit JAG for an inspiring project.

Every day, JAG helps students historically impacted by discrimination, poverty and other barriers to graduate and secure work.

Running throughout 2021, JAG’s Project L.O.V.E asked students to identify the iniquities in their communities and provide solutions that spark positive change. A number of US hotels signed up to play their part by staging virtual classroom visits, offering mentoring, and spreading the word about JAG’s great work, while IHG funded micro-grants to help a selection of JAG students put their ideas into action.

The top three submissions were given larger grants, with first place awarded to United Township High School (UTHS) in East Moline, Illinois. This winning entry saw students create a Black History Month (BHM) event, which included decorating teachers’ doors, painting a mural and organising a series of presentations about BHM for fellow students. JAG students also presented their project to the School Board, and have proposed incorporating an African American History and a Cultural Competence Course within the UTHS curriculum.