Diversity & Inclusion

“I understand that I will never understand, but I will stand with you.” - anonymous

We believe Black Lives Matter. Black lives are needed, Black lives are worthy, and Black lives are valuable.

Systemic racism is unfair and unjust. We stand with those who are victimized and stereotyped daily for the color of their skin. Injustice and racism have no place in our organizations, on our teams, and in our community. And for this reason, we must work to become a more effective part of the solution.

Fostering community through fellowship and humility have always been values of Oxford Exchange. We strive to learn and to promote learning. We have learned that we can and must do better at making diversity and inclusion a priority. We are passionate about both long-term and immediate change. Here is where we are starting.


What We Are Doing


— Hiring Practices

We are committed to auditing our hiring practices, including cross-training and recruitment opportunities. Also, all current and future employees will be required to take diversity and inclusion training.

— Supporting Black Voices

We will continue to support Black authors in The Bookstore. We are raising our standard to a higher percentage of Black voices represented. Learn more about the Black authors we currently have available and stay tuned for more voices.

— Continued Donations

We will continue to financially support organizations that stand for inclusion, diversity, and equality.


We have been an active part of the Tampa community for 60+ years. We have donated, volunteered, and served organizations that are making an impact in the local community. We are committed to using our influence moving forward for inclusion, diversity, and equality.

Donations have been made to the following organizations:

Our team voted on who they would like to see on the portrait wall, and took the time to learn about the influential and impactful stories of Black figures in Tampa history.
We have currently added Frederick Douglass – prominent activist, author, public speaker, and leader in the Abolitionist Movement – and Mary McLeod Bethune – founder of a female boarding school in Daytona, which later became Bethune-Cookman College, and special advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

We have offered our employees a complimentary book from the following list:

  • Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
  • So You Want to Talk about Race by Ijeoma Oluo
  • Stamped by Jason Reynold and Ibram X. Kendi
  • Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

We will continue to support Black authors in The Bookstore and in our Programming events.

In the past, we have hosted the following authors/speakers:

  • Ibram X. Kendi, How to be an Antiracist
  • Carlin Barnes, MD and Marketa Wills, MD, MBA, Understanding Mental Illness
  • Colson Whitehead, The Nickel Boys and Underground Railround
  • Daymond John, Rise & Grind and The Power of Broke
  • Erica Dawson, When Rap Spoke Straight to God
  • Morgan Parker, There are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé

Over the past 18 months, our OE Bookshelf monthly first-edition club has featured the following books by Black authors:

  • The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, June 2020
  • Deacon King Kong by James McBride, March 2020
  • Black Leopard Red Wolf by Marlon James, February 2019
  • The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead, August 2019
  • Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson, September 2019
  • The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste, November 2019

Learn more about the Black authors we currently have available in our online shop. Even more are available on our shelves.

Among other cultural and civic organizations, donations have been made to:

  • 2020 Girls Summit
  • 5th Avenue Church of Christ
  • 74th Street Elementary School
  • A Door of Hope
  • A Kid's Place
  • A Night to Shine
  • Adams Elementary School
  • Advantage Village Academy
  • Alegria's Kickin' for Kids
  • Alliance for Independence
  • ALPHA House
  • Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority
  • American Red Cross
  • AMI Kids
  • Angels Against Abuse
  • Anona Elementary School
  • Back to Basics
  • Backpack Organization
  • Ballast Point Elementary School
  • Band Aids for B.R.I.D.G.E
  • BC Graham Elementary School
  • Best Buddies
  • Big Brothers / Big Sisters
  • Blake High School
  • Blanket Tampa Bay
  • Bloomingdale High School
  • Boy Scouts of America
  • Boys & Girls Clubs
  • Brandon Foundation
  • Brandon Service League
  • Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School
  • Broward Elementary School
  • Buckhorn Elementary School
  • Buddy Baseball
  • Burnett Middle School
  • Carrollwood Elementary School
  • Carrollwood Service League
  • CDC Of Tampa
  • Center Academy
  • Champions for Children
  • Chi Chi Rodriguez Youth Foundation
  • Children's Dream Fund
  • Children's Home Network
  • City of Tampa Community Resource Fair
  • City of Tampa Fire Rescue
  • City of Tampa Homeless Initiative
  • Clair Mel Elementary School
  • Cleveland Elementary School
  • COACH Juneteenth
  • Coleman Elementary School
  • Colson Elementary School
  • Cornerstone Family Ministries
  • Crisis Center of Tampa Bay
  • Dance for Haiti
  • Derrick Brooks Celebrity Classic
  • DeSoto Elementary School
  • Dickenson Elementary School
  • Disston Academy
  • Early Learning Coalition
  • Easter Seals
  • eBuy for Education
  • Edison Elementary School
  • Egypt Lake Elementary school
  • Employee Tuition Reimbursement
  • End 68 Hours of Hunger
  • Everyday Blessings
  • Feeding Tampa Bay
  • Ferrell Girls Preparatory Academy
  • Firefighter's Benevolent Association
  • First Step Foundation, Inc
  • Florida Baptist Children's Home
  • Florida Holocaust Museum
  • Forest Hills Elementary School
  • Forest Lakes Elementary School
  • Foster Elementary
  • Foster Parent Appreciation Dinner
  • Fugitt Elementary School
  • Gaither High School
  • Gamma Theta Omega Alpha Kappa Alpha
  • Gibsonton Elementary
  • Gift of Adoption
  • Girls Scouts of West Central Florida
  • Gorrie Elementary School
  • Grady Elementary School
  • Greater Bethel Missionary Baptist Church
  • Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce
  • Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce
  • Greater Seminole Area Chamber of Commerce
  • Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce
  • Greater Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce
  • GTE Foundation Scholarship Scramble
  • Gulf Beaches Elementary School
  • HABSE (Hillsborough Alliance of Black School Educators)
  • HCC Foundation
  • HCFR Foundation
  • Heart Gallery of Tampa
  • Heritage Christian Community Baptist Church
  • Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation
  • Hillsborough County Public Schools
  • Hillsborough Education Foundation
  • Hillsborough High School
  • Hillsborough Literacy Council
  • Hope Children's Home
  • Hunter's Green Elementary School
  • Interbay Little League
  • Jack & Jill Foundation
  • James Elementary School
  • Jennings Middle School
  • John Hopkins All Children's Foundation
  • Judeo Christian Health Clinic
  • Junior Achievement
  • Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Safe Baby Safe Sleep Event
  • Kenley Elementary School
  • Kind Mouse
  • King High School
  • Kingswood Elementary School
  • Knights of Columbus
  • Lake Magdalene Elementary School
  • Lakewood Elementary School
  • League to Aid Abused Children & Adults
  • Lennard High School
  • Leto High School
  • Limona Elementary School
  • Literacy Pros of Jacksonville
  • Love is Ministry
  • Lowry Elementary School
  • Mabry Elementary School
  • MacDonald Training Center
  • MacFarlane Park Elementary School
  • Make-A-Wish Foundation
  • Mango Elementary School
  • March of Dimes
  • Marine Corps Scholarship
  • Mary Bryant Elementary School
  • Mary Lee's House
  • McMullen Elementary School
  • Men of Vision
  • Mendenhall Elementary School
  • Metropolitan Ministries
  • Middleton High School
  • Mike Alstott Family Foundation
  • Mitchell Elementary School
  • MLK Day Parade
  • Moffitt Cancer Center Foundation
  • Monroe Middle School
  • Mort Elementary School
  • Mount Vernon Elementary School
  • Mt. Olive AME MLK Day Parade
  • Muller Elementary School
  • New Life Village School
  • Oak Park Elementary School
  • Oakhurst Elementary School
  • Orange Grove Elementary School
  • PACE Center for Girls
  • Paint Your Heart Out Tampa Bay
  • Pasadena Fundamental Elementary School
  • Pepin Academies
  • Pierce Middle School
  • Pinellas County Teacher of the Year
  • Pinellas Education Foundation
  • Pizzo Elementary School
  • Plato Academy
  • Quail Hollow Elementary School
  • RCS Pinellas County
  • ReDefiners World Languages 2020 Black Heritage Expo
  • Robinson Elementary School
  • Robles Elementary School
  • Ronald McDonald Children's Charities
  • Roosevelt Elementary School
  • Rosa Valdez Elementary School
  • Ruskin Elementary School
  • Ryan Nece Foundation
  • Sacred Selections
  • Sankofa Black History Program
  • Schools for Haiti
  • Seminole Elementary School
  • Seminole Heights Charter School
  • Seminole Heights Elementary School
  • Seminole High School
  • Seminole Kiwanis Club Pancake Breakfast
  • Seminole Pow Wow
  • Shaw Elementary School
  • Shields Middle School
  • Shriners Hospitals for Children
  • Sligh Middle School
  • Society of St. Vincent
  • Solita's House
  • South Florida Baptist Hospital
  • Southshore Chamber of Commerce
  • St. Pete Chamber of Commerce
  • St. Vincent de Paul Cares
  • Starting Right, Now
  • Stewart Middle School
  • Success 4 Kids and Families
  • Sulphur Springs Elementary School
  • Summerfield Elementary School
  • Tampa Bay Area Chiefs Foundation
  • Tampa Bay Baptist Foundation
  • Tampa Bay History Center
  • Tampa Bay Tech
  • Tampa Downtown Partnership
  • Tampa Family Health Centers
  • Tampa Fire Rescue
  • Tampa General Hopsital
  • Tampa Housing Authority
  • Tampa Housing Race to End Homelessness
  • TBBCA Impact Award Gala
  • Temple Terrace Day of Service
  • Temple Terrace Elementary School
  • Temple Terrace Public Works
  • Terrace Community Middle School
  • TGH Hospital Foundatioin
  • The Art of Helping Children
  • The Spring of Tampa Bay
  • The Sylvia Thomas Center
  • Thonotosassa Elementary School
  • Tinker Elementary School
  • Town n' Country Elementary School
  • TUF Life Skill
  • Twin Lakes Elementary School
  • UACDC Paint the Town
  • United Way Suncoast
  • University Area Community Center
  • University CDC Day of Service
  • University of South Florida Baptist Ministries
  • University of South Florida Black Out Week
  • URLinked Girls Summit
  • Valencia Lakes Womens Club Sneakers for Success
  • Victory AME Church
  • Voice the Movement
  • West University Charter School
  • Wilson Middle School
  • Woodlawn Elementary School
  • Woodson Elementary School
  • Young Middle Magnet School

Back to Top