Department of Communication & Theatre Arts
Old Dominion University

Gavahnya Felts
(she/her)
Gavahnya is currently a senior at Old Dominion University. She majors in Cinema Production and minoring in Video and Media Studies. She works as a video editor for ODUEsports as well as editing videos in her free time. After graduation, she wants to build her portfolio by volunteering for film sets worldwide.
Pre-Travel Analysis
Nordstrom is a well-known luxury department store headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1901 by John Nordstrom and Carl Wallin, it began as a small shoe store. Nordstrom has become a leading fashion retailer known for its high-quality merchandise, customer service, and upscale shopping experience. When I was younger, I spent my days with my parents walking around Nordstrom, looking at clothing articles. I remember the overall welcoming atmosphere even as an adolescent. Even to this day, I find myself window shopping Nordstrom online or in person. I chose this organization as I love clothing brands, and I was surprised Nordstrom was founded and headquartered in Seattle Washington. I was particularly intrigued by their definition of diversity and their mission statement, as luxury stores have a notorious reputation for being exclusive or inaccessible to certain demographics. However, Nordstrom is known for its inclusivity and provides a welcoming environment for both customers and employees alike.
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According to the Nordstrom website, the company has made a consistent effort to define what diversity means within its organization, With a combination of in-depth interviews, workshops, and data analysis of its workforce, Nordstrom claims to commit to fostering a workplace culture where diversity is celebrated and valued. As stated on their website, Nordstrom believes that “we’re all made better by the diversity that exists within us.” (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging) This statement shows Nordstrom recognizes the importance of embracing diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds of its employees which extends into its customer base.
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Nordstrom has a short mission statement, stating “Our mission is to continue our dedication to providing a unique range of products, exceptional customer service, and great experiences. (About Us) On the surface, their mission statement seems to be very conventional and rather vague. I would assume every company wants to provide excellent customer service and great experiences, however, Nordstrom seems to hold true to their mission statement. To provide a great experience and service for customers, I believe that begins with employee resource groups (ERG) as they are an important part of a diverse and inclusive workplace culture that transpires to how customers perceive the company. Nordstrom has various ERGs for different groups. According to Nordstrom, their ERGs are employee-led and “embrace the diversity of thought gender, race and identity”(Fact Sheet, 2019) as well as being designed to have meaningful insight, communication, and connection. Nordstrom has eight ERGs, which I believe to be impressive for a luxury retail company. They have ERGs focused on LGBTQIA+, veterans, women, Black, Asian Pacific-Islander, Latinx, parents, and diverse abilities communities.
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Nordstrom portrays their employees, staff, consultants clients, and customers very well. Looking at the website, they have a section for Pride, showcasing various items that are modeled by various races and ethnicities as well as showcasing items that are not clothing by LGBT racial minorities. In terms of employees, Nordstrom launched a “Be Known” campaign promoting employees to bring their authentic selves to work. The company itself prides itself on honoring various cultural heritage months and awareness days to “recognize and celebrate the background of employees and customers.” (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging) One thing that drew my attention is in 2022, Nordstrom began offering traveling reimbursement to support US employees seeking gender-affirming healthcare not available locally. I believe this action truly shows Nordstrom is true to their values and their mission statement. To alleviate the financial burden of seeking gender-affirming care for their employees is impressive and shows they care.
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There is no such thing as a perfect company, and I believe that the bigger a company becomes the more difficult it becomes to not be involved in controversy. Through my research, I found a few instances of Nordstrom that raised concerns. In 2018, three black teenagers were accused of stealing. Fortunately, though, Nordstrom did not stay silent as the instance went viral on social media, and the President apologized. (Haag, 2018)In another instance, the clothing company “Reformation” was accused of racism by a former employee. Nordstrom carries Reformation and responded in an Instagram post saying the company will look into the allegations. (Biron, 2020) However, with a quick Google search, I found Nordstrom still carries the brand despite the allegations. While this may be disappointing to some, it is not entirely surprising given the overall nuances in the retail industry and the challenges that come with addressing such issues. While it is the bare minimum, I will give Nordstrom credit for responding quickly to the allegations even though they did not remove the brand. It shows they hold some truth to their mission statement and their values.
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After researching Nordstrom, I concluded that I would work for them. With my love for clothing brands and Nordstrom’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, I could see myself working for them. Although I don’t agree with their handling of certain controversies, I believe their mission statement and values align with mine. Additionally, looking at their Glassdoor ratings, they average out at a 3.6 out of 5 for race and a 3.5 out of 5 for gender, it seems that many employees have a positive experience working for Nordstrom. Nordstrom seems like a company that truly cares about their values and mission statement and is not just words on a screen to make it seem more inclusive.
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Works Cited
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About Us. Nordstrom. (n.d.). https://press.nordstrom.com/about
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An open mind is the best look. Nordstrom. (2019). https://investor.nordstrom.com/news-releases/news-release-details/open-mind-best-look
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Biron, B. (2020). Shoppers are calling on Nordstrom to pull reformation products after a former employee accused the company of racist behavior in Viral Post. Business Insider.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging. Nordstrom.com. (n.d.). https://www.nordstrom.com/browse/about/diversity-at-nordstrom
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Haag, M. (2018, May 8). Nordstrom Rack apologizes to black teenagers falsely accused of stealing. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/08/business/nordstrom-black-men-profiling-shopping.html
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Nordstrom. (2019). Diversity, inclusion, and belonging fact sheet. https://press.nordstrom.com/static-files/7e2a0589-6261-4d7a-93c4-68e35a6babb0
Peer Engagement
Post-Travel Reflection
It has been just over a month since I returned from Seattle and I have had time to reflect on my time there. I had an amazing time and enjoyed it a lot. During my trip there with my classmates, we explored different organizations and cultures in Seattle, specifically LGBTQ+ culture. We also had ample time to explore and create our own experiences and perspectives.
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In reflecting on the weather my understanding of diversity changed this semester, I can say that it has evolved, but not significantly. Initially, I already had a good understanding of diversity, and recognizing differences such as race, gender, and gender identity. The experiences I gained this semester added a level of depth to my understanding. I learned and picked up a lot of nuances about the LGBTQ+ community specifically. Walking tours of the neighborhoods of Captoil Hill and Pioneer Square gave me insights into the LGBTQ+ community's history, struggles, and successes in the Pacific Northwest. Hearing stories of resilience and activism from local guides deepened my understanding of the diversity in the community. While my understanding of diversity may not have undergone a drastic transformation, these experiences added to my perspective, leading to more awareness of the diverse lives and realities of LGBT people. Seeing the vibrant cultural landscape of Seattle with its appreciation of diversity and inclusivity, especially towards LGBTQ+ individuals, showed me how important it is to create places where people feel valued and respected for who they are.
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I learned a lot about my core values in my time in Seattle as well as other individuals and organizations. I have always been big on creating safe spaces for marginalized people and communities and it was really nice to see Seattle show this. The neighborhood of Capitol Hill had many rainbow flags, which begs the question of whether it is genuine or an effect of “Rainbow capitalism” After learning about the history of a few Seattle neighborhoods, I’d like to think this is mostly genuine, as there were many safe places for LGBT individuals to be themselves such as bars. Of course, there is capitalism involved, which is impossible to avoid, but there is a sense of believability involved. In terms of organizations, such as KING 5, I thought it was really interesting to see a video focusing on Hispanic representation within the organization. To me, this shows not only that KING 5 values diversity but also wants to amplify voices that may be underrepresented in the workplace and in society.
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Organizations I have seen in Seattle have done a lot to cater to LGBTQ customers and consumers. I saw an influx of gender-neutral bathrooms, compared to how many I had seen in Virginia. The amount of gender neutral bathrooms shows an effort to cater to the needs to LGBT individuals. I also seen a lot of places that were positivity targeted to LGBT individuals. Many thrift stores, restaurants, bars and other community spaces created a safe environment for people to be themselves. As stated earlier, there were a lot of “Rainbow Capitalism” which can be seen as problematic. It can come off as superficial and driven to collect profit then advocacy for LGBTQ rights and inclusion. Too much rainbow capitalism can reduce LGBT identities to simple trends while erasing the struggles they have been through.
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I am different before this trip in a positive way. I have always wanted to explore the west coast so I am very happy I got the experience to do so. I was able to step outside my comfort zone and embrace new experiences. I was able to navigate in unfamiliar surroundings and have meaningful conversations. I also able to think about what I want to do in the future as a person and career wise. This trip also sparked new curiosity in learning about new cultures and communities in my own country.