(KMOX) - For the first time since 2015, the Missouri Division of Tourism has a new commercial.
The 30-second ad, which will be seen on TV and online, features a Black, female woman named "Mo" who plays tour guide giving potential vacationers examples of what Missouri has to offer.
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From hiking and camping, to sports events, food, art and more, she changes roles and outfits to highlight different vacation opportunities.
"Mo" is played by St. Louis-based actress, model, and classically trained soprano, Ashley Santana. She has often performed in shows at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis and The Muny.
But the commercial has drawn criticism from Missouri NAACP President Nimrod Chapel, who told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "why put a Black face on it?"
“Missouri is a place that has been marked by violence and Jim Crow,” Chapel told the Post-Dispatch. “It’s good that they’re trying to think inclusively for people they should invite to the state,” but also unfortunate when the government “hasn’t done anything to address those risks (travelers face) in a meaningful way.”
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