Abbeville, La. - February is a month to honor Black History Month and those who’ve paved the way in the community.
Vermilion Parish Native Travin Moore went from chasing quarterbacks on the field to becoming a force to be reckoned with in his own city. This year, he reached a new historic milestone and became the first Black president of the Vermilion Chamber of Commerce. This accomplishment is 104-years in the making.
“You don’t stop and think about it and when you do, it’s like wow. I remember the story of my parents saying how rough it was back in their era, which they grew up in the fifties, and here I am 100 years later, I’m the first Black President of the chamber, I’m excited about it,” Travin said.
Paving the way for future generations, he hopes being in a position of leadership will help bridge the gap for Black owned businesses.
“We don’t have a lot of Black business owners within the chamber but I feel like I could be the olive branch to reach out and get them to join the chamber and see all the benefits the chamber has,” he said.
A man of many firsts, Travin also became Abbeville’s first Black captain in the Vermilion Parish Sheriff Department’s history.
A pillar in the community, Travin understands the challenges it takes to get into these positions. “Do I think racism exists in Vermilion Parish? Yes it does but it’s the uncomfortable
conversations we have to have that will get us to go forward,” he said.
While life has many hurdles, Travin says the key to success is to never give up and to know there’s people like him looking to help those who want to follow in his footsteps.
“The one thing about my train is there’s many seats on it. I’m full steam ahead and if someone wants to get on the train, let’s ride,” he said.
