For years, our Chamber has worked hard to get LGBTQ-certified businesses added to the City of Boston's supplier diversity program, and last week Mayor Janey signed an executive order making exactly that change.

Thank you all for supporting our Chamber and making our work possible. I find it hard to believe that it has only been four years since we started and already we have collectively made such a huge impact on the financial well-being of our community.

Thank you to our inimitable Board of Directors for their support — especially Nancy Stager, Ron Molina-Brantley (who drove in a nor'easter from Western Massachusetts), and Susu Wong who were able to join me at City Hall for the signing.

Thank you to our strategic partners Segun Idowu, President and CEO of BECMA, Betty Francisco, Co-Founder and Board Chair of Amplify Latinx, and Cheryl Katon of TCNE and Fenway Health, who were present at the ceremony.

Thank you to Lauren Schweppe, Director of Programs and Stakeholder Advocacy with the NGLCC, for flying in from Washington, DC to demonstrate their national support.

And finally thank you to our members who represented the Chamber at this historic moment — Juan Arroyave, Kikos Coffee & Tea; Michele Dow, Dow Educational Consulting; and Cheryl Straughter, Soleil Restaurant and Catering.

See more pictures from the signing.

Mayor Janey last week signed a new Executive Order which allows LGBTQ-owned businesses to qualify for the city's supplier diversity program! A huge thank you to all of our partners who worked hard to make this happen.

“This signing marks an important step forward in the inclusion of all our City’s small business owners in our local economy,” Mayor Janey said in a press release. “The diversity and creativity of our City’s entrepreneurs help shape the unique character of our neighborhoods. I’m proud to see LGBTQ+-owned businesses receive a fair chance to bid on City contracts and continue to grow our economy in an equitable way.”

The Chamber is hosting one of our highly successful job fairs the week of November 15, 2021. The multi-day event offers an exciting schedule of professional development webinars and a showcase of job opportunities at our corporate partner organizations and beyond. Stay tuned for further details and registration links!

Corporate partners: if you have open positions that have not yet been added to our job board please submit the details to Michael O'Neill as soon as possible.

Questions? Contact Michael O'Neill, Administrative & Operations Manager.

1863 Ventures, the Rockefeller Foundation, and Capital One are offering a small business program to provide $5,000 grants and technical support to Black and Latinx-owned businesses recovering from the economic hardships of COVID-19. For more information, please visit their webpage.

Questions? Contact Thais De Marco, Engagement & Membership Director.

After a necessary hiatus, First Event returns January 12–16, 2022 — bigger than ever! First Event is one of the longest running conferences in the U.S. for transgender and gender expansive people and those who love and support them. Hosted by Trans Community of New England (TCNE), organizers are expecting this year’s conference to attract more participants than ever before — get involved!

Submit your workshop proposal by November 14, 2021. Workshops are organized along special interest tracks including health and wellness, transmasculine, transfeminine, youth and family, and workplace ally.

Exhibiting at First Event gives your business or organization a direct connection to the New England transgender community. Open 9AM–5PM Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, the vendor area offers a marketplace of products, services, and information. Reserve your space today!

First Event is 100% run by volunteers, helping attendees find their way around, keeping workshops running smoothly, and assisting with all the other little details needed to make the conference a success.

Volunteering at First Event is a great way to support the transgender and gender non-binary community, meet people, and have a lot of fun!

We're thrilled to announce that ALKU, Boston Planning & Development Agency, and Goddard House have joined the Chamber as our newest corporate, strategic, and nonprofit partner, respectively!

Our Chamber is making a concentrated effort to expand our footprint in Western Massachusetts, and with ALKU's presence in Amherst, we're excited to reach new members of our community across the state!

The Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is Partnering with the LGBT Aging Project at Fenway Health to offer Parkinson’s Pride: Engaging the LGBTQ+ Community. This FREE virtual program, which was made possible by a Community Grant from the Parkinson’s Foundation, is designed to address experiences in both communities, learn about valuable resources and connect with others. Parkinson’s Pride will run October 2021 through June 2022 and is limited to 20 participants who are part of the LGBTQ+ community, living with Parkinson’s, and able to participate via Zoom. Participants will complete periodic surveys for feedback to check in regarding their experience. BIDMC is still accepting applications on a rolling basis. To apply to be a program participant, please complete this form.

Questions or wish to enroll directly? Please contact Mikayla Hyman via email or (202) 495-3327.

A warm welcome to these small businesses that have joined us as members since our last newsletter!

Chamber members are invited to join our statewide Facebook networking group.

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