Chamber Connection
May 2019
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Hello chamber,
The excitement around this year’s Pride season is electric and we’re pleased to start announcing our upcoming Pride events! See what we’ve been up to and what we have planned.
PRIDE IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS
In the first week of May, we traveled west to the MALGBTCC Northampton Pride Reception and Noho Pride Event. Our reception was hosted at
TD Bank and catered by local LGBT-owned business
Jay’s Bed and Breakfast. Thanks to everyone who came out to meet us! We couldn’t have asked for a better way to kick off Pride 2019!
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If you weren’t able to attend these events but would like to get in touch with Leena Akhtar, our Western Massachusetts Community Liaison, and learn more about our work, please contact her
via email.
BOSTON PRIDE JOB FAIR
In partnership with
Boston Pride we are holding the First Annual Boston Pride Job Fair in downtown Boston during Pride week. We are coordinating with our 30+ corporate partners to bring human resources and talent acquisition specialists together to offer a range of entry to advanced level positions to LGBTQ+ job seekers.
Date: June 5
Time: 4–7PM
Location: CIC Boston, 50 Milk Street, Boston, MA
Lighthouse Suite, Floor 20
There is no admission fee for this event and it is open to the public. Bring your resume and come prepared to talk about potential job opportunities. To avoid lines at the event,
register via our website.
Remember to join our
Facebook Event for additional details and updates on available jobs and which businesses will be in attendance.
OUR GROWING CHAMBER
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
It's our pleasure to announce that
Pam Delaney, Vice President of Procurement, Enterprise Sourcing and Vendor Management at
MassMutual Life Insurance, has joined our board of directors. Pam has a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of how to break down barriers surrounding corporate procurement for our small businesses, and we're thrilled that she has joined our chamber.
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CORPORATE SPONSORS
New chamber supporters are
TJX and
DiMella Shaffer, two companies that have joined our network at the corporate founding sponsor level. We're grateful for their collaboration as we move forward together.
SMALL BUSINESS MEMBERS
We'd also like to extend a warm welcome to our many new small businesses that have joined in the last month. We're glad you're here, and we look forward to getting down to business with you!
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BOSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL RECOGNITION
The Boston Business Journal's Business of Pride event on May 9 was an evening of celebration and networking in the South End. We are incredibly proud that
Eastern Bank, one of our corporate founding sponsors, was honored with the
Corporate Ally Award for its continuous work in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
Photos below and header image courtesy of Boston Business Journal
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A number of our members also earned spots on the official BBJ
LGBT-Owned Businesses in Massachusetts list — Gardner Resources Consulting, Boston Chair Massage, CommunicateHealth, MLR Artist Management, Ecologic Entomology, Liz Page Associates, Eric Haydel Design, Spencer Brenneman, BBsquared, and OJC Artisan of Sound. We love seeing such a strong representation from our chamber members!
Additionally, two recent BBJ articles highlighted the ways in which our small business and corporate partners are embracing inclusion and diversity in the workplace.
In this piece, Seyfarth Shaw, Burns & Levinson, and Eastern Bank explain how ‘Supportive work environments are key to promoting LGBT execs.’
As a chamber, we strive to create connections and opportunities for our membership. Our LGBTBE certified business owners work with our corporate partners to increase supplier diversity and generate business opportunities.
Read the article here to discover how Gardner Resources Consulting and Tufts, and Boston Chair Massage and PTC have collaborated to fulfill diverse supplier initiatives.
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LEADING BY EXAMPLE
Creating a safe space for LGBTQ+ employees in the workplace can start with the simple act of printing a flyer. Our team was delighted to see PTC educating its employees by posting this infographic in a communal space.
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While making a workplace more inclusive can involve high level policy change, differences can be made at all levels by sharing information and holding space for those who need it. Kudos, PTC, for demonstrating how organizations can be creative allies!
Is your workplace leading by example? Send images and stories to
Carly Davis for a chance to be featured in our next newsletter or on social media!
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STAY CONNECTED
Thank you for supporting our work.
Proudly,
Grace R. Moreno
Executive Director
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Engage and Connect
May 20
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10AM–2PM
Federal Reserve Bank
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The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Office of Diversity & Inclusion, in partnership with the Center for Women & Enterprise-Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council, Operational Services Division Supplier Diversity Office of Massachusetts, and Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce are hosting their 5th annual business opportunity fair, Engage and Connect. The purpose of the event is to provide suppliers with direct access to supplier diversity and/or procurement professionals from large buying organizations interested in discussing contracting opportunities with diverse suppliers.
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June 5
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4–7PM
CIC Boston, Lighthouse Suite
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Join us for our first annual Boston Pride Job Fair! Our chamber is partnering with
Boston Pride to hold an inclusive job fair the LGBTQ+ community during Pride week.
Come with resumes or ready to talk with recruiters about potential positions.
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OPEN Networking
June 3
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6–9PM
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Out Professional Executive Networking (OPEN) invites you to come out for a fun evening of networking with Boston’s LGBTQ professional community, non-profit organizations, and LGBTQ-owned businesses.
Admission is free. Complimentary passed appetizers for guests to enjoy while they network.
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Womxn of Color Weekend
May 30–June 2
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Womxn of Color Weekend is an annual four-day Pride festival designed to elevate, strengthen, educate and celebrate hundreds of LGBTQIA Womxn of Color (WoC), non-binary People of Color (PoC), and their allies. Through a series of events including workshops, shows, shared meals, and celebrations, everyone will be able to create memorable and impactful moments throughout the course of the weekend!
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Fundraiser: Professionals for Trans Rights
May 31
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6:30PM
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Join the Mass Trans Political Coalition for a cocktail party and support a worthy cause at the same time. Professionals for Transgender Rights will bring together the trans-inclusive business community in an evening of networking to support MTPC’s important work.
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QUEER ME OUT: Let's Talk Transgender Rights
June 3
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6:30–9PM
W Boston
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FGI Boston, in partnership with W Boston, presents QUEER ME OUT. Get up-close with the movers, shakers, and boundary breakers who are pushing the LGBTQ+ movement forward.
An exclusive conversation with Carmen Carrera and James Lopata, Editor and Chief of Boston Spirit Magazine, moderated by Todd Kingston Plummer, Vogue fashion journalist.
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In Search of Stonewall
June 10
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7–8:30PM
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In collaboration with the Boston Public Library and the Boston Pride Committee, the Boston-based Gay and Lesbian Review will host a Stonewall 50-themed panel discussion. The Review began publishing as the Harvard Gay and Lesbian Review in 1994, the year of Stonewall 25. It changed its name in 2000 as it went “worldwide.” The magazine marks its 25th anniversary amidst Stonewall 50 with a collection of its best all-time essays.
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Cape Cod Pride
June 22
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Noon
Hyannis Village Green
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The Fourth Annual Cape Cod PRIDE Festival is on Saturday, June 22, 2019 at the Hyannis Village Green.
The festival is followed by PRIDE Dance Party at Cape Cod Beer 6–9PM.
Everyone is welcome. Admission is free.
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RESOLVE New England (RNE) is a non-profit organization dedicated to building a caring community to support, inform, and empower all those struggling with fertility and family-building. Unfortunately, the dream of becoming a parent can be difficult for many people to achieve. RNE connects individuals in New England with emotional support and resources about the many paths to parenthood. Services include peer support groups, in-person educational programs, and political advocacy efforts.
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