Chamber Connection
November 2019
|
|
|
|
LGBTQ+ JOB FAIR
The Chamber organized its third LGBTQ+ job fair of the year in October, bringing together over 30 companies and 100s of job seekers. In the weeks since, we’ve heard from attendees and employers expressing their satisfaction with the event and sharing that many have entered the hiring process thanks to connections made at the fair. Thank you to those who came — we look forward to our hiring events continuing to grow in the future. Our next job fair will take place at the Trans Club of New England’s First Event Conference in early 2020. More details to come.
|
|
Looking for additional employment resources? Our website has a
job board that is being updated weekly with new opportunities. Recently posted positions include
community impact director at the American Heart Association and
architect at DiMella Shaffer. Check back for updates throughout the new year.
|
|
HOLIDAY SOIRÉES
'Tis almost the season, and our chamber is thrilled to be hosting not one but two December holiday events.
WORCESTER HOLIDAY SOIRÉE
Date: Wednesday, December 11
Time: 6–8PM
Location: Worcester Historical Museum
30 Elm Street, Worcester, MA 01609
BOSTON HOLIDAY SOIRÉE
Date: Wednesday, December 18
Time: 5:30–8PM
Location: Boston, MA
Our chamber warmly invites all local business owners and community members to our first Worcester holiday event. Grab a bite, socialize, and find out more about what we do and how we do it.
Register here.
Follow the Facebook event here.
The following week, we're hosting a Chamber-exclusive event in Boston for members, partners, and invited guests. If you haven't yet registered to attend, please contact
Carly Davis.
|
|
HOLLY-GAY MARKET
We're excited to announce that we're partnering with New England Open Markets as a sponsor for the first Holly-Gay Market! Come out and support LGBT makers, artists, and designers on December 15 from noon–6PM at Blend in Dorchester. If you're LGBTQ+ or an ally, you're invited to attend this holiday extravaganza. See you there!
Are you an LGBT-owned business? There are still openings for vendors at this event —
apply here.
|
|
INCLUSIVE HOUSING FOR LGBTQ+ SENIORS
Senior living communities that are LGBTQ+ inclusive are few and far between, which has forced many individuals back into the closet in order to feel safe. Chamber founding partner DiMella Shaffer, along with LGBTQ Senior Housing, Inc. and other advocacy organizations, have spent the last three years garnering support and developing a plan to address the issue.
Earlier this month Mayor Walsh made the exciting announcement that development company Pennrose, LLC has been selected to lead the adaptive reuse of a Hyde Park middle school to create a senior living community expressly welcoming of the LGBTQ+ community.
“The project will be the first housing development in New England to focus on the LGBTQ older population. It will have a big impact on people's lives," says Philippe Saad, associate principal at DiMella Shaffer. "We are very proud to be the architect for this unique project and thankful for the help we received from the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce and its members."
|
|
EVENT RECAP
REACH(OUT) LGBTQA+ CAREER CONFERENCE
Over the weekend of October 25, our chamber was a Rainbow Sponsor of Northeastern University’s Reach(Out) Conference. The annual event offered an opportunity for undergraduates and recent grads to come together in a safe space to discuss LGBT identities in the workplace.
SBA INFO & NETWORKING
Earlier this month, we partnered with the U.S. Small Business Administration for our first Inclusive Entrepreneurship Info Session, giving attending members a crash course on SBA resources and programs, such as access to loans, technical assistance, and government contracts. We look forward to partnering on future events and helping our members access the business development resources they need.
|
|
CORPORATE ROUNDTABLE
This week at our quarterly corporate roundtable, our founding sponsors continued the important conversation around procurement and supplier diversity processes. One agenda item focused on designating internal advocates within our partnered organizations to help find opportunities to engage our member businesses. The roundtable yielded a number of exciting next steps, including setting a meeting with internal procurement advocates to discuss contract opportunities and creating a vetting process for our LGBT-owned businesses interested in supplier diversity contracts.
2020 INITIATIVES: CERTIFICATION
Going into the new year, our chamber is prioritizing LGBT Business Enterprise certification for as many Massachusetts businesses as possible. Being certified as an LGBTBE offers numerous benefits for your business, including:
- Differentiation from competitors during procurement processes
- Access to major corporations and entities seeking to diversify their supply chain
- Opportunities to network with other LGBT business owners
- Eligibility for scholarship programs, mentoring and leadership training, and other business development tools to grow your business
- Public recognition as an LGBT-owned business
|
|
As a member of our chamber, your certification fee is waived and our team is available to help you through the process. For questions on where to start, please email
Carly Davis.
STAY CONNECTED
Thank you all for your continued support.
Proudly,
Grace R. Moreno
Executive Director
|
|
|
|
Worcester Holiday Soirée
December 11
•
6–8PM
|
Join us for a festive opportunity to connect with LGBT-owned businesses, understand how our chamber can support your growth, and celebrate the holiday season in style!
|
|
|
|
|
Boston Holiday Soirée
December 18
•
5:30–8PM
|
Member and partner exclusive event! Celebrate the festive season with the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce. After a year of hard work, let’s take the night off to reflect, connect, and be merry!
|
|
|
|
|
Post-Thanksgiving Coffee Meet & Greet
November 29
•
11AM–2PM
|
Holidays can be tough for some of us in our community, especially Thanksgiving, famous for coming out stories and plenty of family drama. While some of us may have wonderful, and supportive families, that may not be the case for everyone. So for a few hours on Black Friday, take a break from shopping, and come have coffee with like-minded "family" of our own choosing. Come alone or bring a friend. This will be a relaxed, no agenda day.
A $2 contribution to the group is appreciated but not required.
|
|
|
|
|
Holly-Gay Market
December 15
•
Noon–6PM
|
Be part of New England Open Market's first Holly-Gay Market! A holiday gift market dedicated to LGBTQ makers, artists, designers, and small business owners.
All vendors are reviewed for acceptance by New England Open Markets. It's their goal to have a wide variety of LGBTQ and ALLY artists, makers, collectors and dealers. Considerations include: quality, innovation and uniqueness of the wares; overall cohesiveness and consistency of your work; how your items are represented in your photos; and the need to diversify categories presented.
|
|
|
|
|
The Provincetown Community Compact
Applications close January 15
|
The Provincetown Community Compact is pleased to offer dune shack residencies in the Cape Cod National Seashore for 2020. Residencies are available April through November for artists, writers and the general public.
The Provincetown Community Compact designates one of the three Dune Shack Artist Residencies for an emerging artist of color, named for the late David Bethuel Jamieson, an African-American artist who died of AIDS in 1992. The top recipient of the Dune Shack Artists residency and The David Bethuel Jamieson Residency include three funded weeks in the C-Scape Dune Shack and a $500 fellowship.
The Compact funds, or partially subsidizes, residencies for three visual artists who are selected by jury and for two writers who are selected by lottery. Community residencies are open to all and are selected by lottery.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
