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Members and Supporters,
As we move through July, I’m reflecting on the remarkable energy, connection, and resilience within our Chamber community. Every event, every new member, and every collaboration reinforces the powerful role we play in driving economic opportunity and equality for the LGBTQ+ community.
This month, we were honored to host Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher for her annual Pride Month business visit at Native Citizen, a proud LGBTQ+-owned business. And our 3rd Thursday Breakfast broke attendance records with 147 participants gathering to hear from Chris Canetti about Houston’s exciting role in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
I also want to extend my heartfelt thanks for the incredible outpouring of support during my recent travel abroad with the North American LGBTQ+ Pride Delegation to Israel. Your messages and concern meant the world to me. It was a life-changing experience—one that deepened my commitment to global LGBTQ+ advocacy and reminded me of the strength of our Chamber family.
With that same spirit of community, we also pause to honor the life of our longtime Chamber Member and friend, Tom Schwenk. Tom was a fierce supporter of our mission, a bridge-builder in Galveston, and a beloved leader. His legacy will live on in the many lives he touched.
Looking ahead, we have so much to look forward to—the Fall Community Conversations Luncheon, our annual Holiday Food & Supply Drive, and the Chamber Holiday Celebration. These are wonderful opportunities to connect, give back, and celebrate the impact we make together. I invite you to explore our 2025 Sponsorship Opportunities Guide and consider how your business or organization can engage and shine.
Thank you for being part of this incredible journey. Your support fuels everything we do—and together, we’re building a stronger, more inclusive future.
With pride and gratitude,
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Tammi Wallace (she/her)
Co-Founder, President & CEO
Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce
| | Blog Highlights: Chamber Co-Founder, President & CEO Returns from Israel | | | | Earlier this month, Chamber Co-Founder, President & CEO, Tammi Wallace, shared on the Chamber Blog about her recent and harrowing journey to Israel as part of an LGBTQ+ Delegation, where she was evacuated after the conflict between Iran and Israel broke out. We are so glad she is home! | | |
With Gratitude and Remembrance:
Tom Schwenk
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It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Tom Schwenk, owner of Coldwell Banker TGRE, longtime Chamber Member, and beloved Galveston resident. Tom was a respected realtor, business leader and a true champion for the island.
Speaking of champions—Tom was a strong advocate for our work at the Chamber. He helped us build strong relationships in Galveston and supported our mission wholeheartedly, showing up time and time again to lift our work in the region.
Just this past March, Tom participated in our Show Your Pride campaign during our photo shoot on the island. He proudly wore his late husband Jack's signature hat—a touching tribute to their 41 years together. When he told us that story at the photo shoot of the infamous hat and why he chose to wear it...we teared up. It was such a beautiful way to honor Jack who was in hospice at that point. Now Tom and Jack are together once again.
We miss you, Tom. It won’t be the same visiting Galveston without you, but we will always remember your impact and unwavering support.
💔 Read the Galveston Daily News tribute to Tom and his remarkable life here.
We extend our deepest condolences to Tom’s family, especially his beloved nephew Brian Schwenk, and to his colleagues and friends who love him.
Rest in peace, Tom. ❤
| | Thank you Rep. Christina Morales for Championing Small Businesses! | | |
During the 89th Legislative Session, Rep. Christina Morales, District 145, championed Texas House Concurrent Resolution 9
(HCR 9), officially designating the first Saturday of every month as “Small Business Saturday” in the State of Texas through 2035.
This 10-year initiative underscores the vital role of small businesses in Texas, which comprise 99.8% of all businesses and employ nearly half of the state's workforce. By encouraging Texans to support local enterprises, HCR 9 aims to bolster community identity and economic resilience. The resolution passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and was signed into law on June 20, 2025.
In early July, Chamber Co-Founder, President & CEO, Tammi Wallace, shared remarks at Rep. Morales' press conference highlighting the resolution.
| | Empower Your Business with Verizon Small Business Digital Ready | |
Grow Your Business with Verizon Digital Ready
We’re proud to spotlight Verizon’s Small Business Digital Ready, a free program designed to help LGBTQ+ and other small businesses thrive in the digital economy. As a Chamber Impact Partner, Verizon is offering:
✅ 50+ Online Courses – Learn at your own pace
✅ Expert Coaching – Insights from industry pros
✅ Networking – Connect with fellow entrepreneurs
Don't wait!
Empower your business and join a supportive entrepreneurial community.
👉 Register: http://bit.ly/44aboiP
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Verizon Small Business Training Camp - Now Live! 🎉
Apply for The Small Business Training Camp contest. Through this contest, up to 20 Digital Ready users will be selected for an exclusive experience in San Francisco from September 8–10, 2025, featuring:
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Panel discussions and a meet and greet with Drew Brees and Kristin Juszczyk
- Breakout sessions with Digital Ready instructors
- Exclusive experience at Levi's® Stadium in Santa Clara, CA
- Content creator workshops
- Verizon Innovation Lab tours
- Entertainment...and more!
Check out the video below and hear from Drew Brees and Kristin Juszczyk to learn more!
| The contest is now open and will close at 11:59 PM PT on August 10, 2025. Winners will be notified in mid-August. The contest can be accessed on the Offers page of the Digital Ready site | | Earlier this month, Chamber Impact Partner TC Energy hosted a backpack drop-off for nonprofit member Tony's Place. They provided 100 backpacks, all stuffed with supplies! 📚 ✏️ 🚌 We 💜 seeing this collaboration! | | 🍷 Member Highlight: Postino — Where Wine Meets Community! 🍷 | | |
Looking for the perfect spot to sip, snack, and socialize? Postino isn’t just a wine café — it’s a gathering place where good vibes, great wine, and amazing bites come together. Whether you’re planning a casual catch-up or your next business meeting, Postino’s laid-back atmosphere makes every occasion feel special.
Stop by and show some love to this fantastic Chamber Hospitality & Tourism+ member — because supporting local tastes so good!
| | Standing Up for the LGBTQ+ Community | Recently, we were made aware of one of our allied members who stood up for the community. KP's Kitchen, one of our Grubhub Community Impact Grantees, received a negative review because of their visible support of the LGBTQ+ community. Their response to the reviewer? "I would suggest going somewhere else." | | |
We are proud to call KP's Kitchen one of our allied owned member businesses. KP stands up for the LGBTQ+ community every month of the year and is an incredible supporter of the Chamber. 🏳️🌈
Let's show KP's Kitchen some Chamber 💜! Over the next month, stop by one of KP Kitchen's locations and enjoy a great meal. Be sure and let them know how much you appreciate their support of the Chamber and the LGBTQ+ community.
Three locations! Bellaire, Galleria and Spring Valley. Check out their menu at kps-kitchen.com.
Thanks, KP!
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Headed to the NGLCC Conference?
Let Us Know!
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Will you be at the 2025 NGLCC International Business & Leadership Conference? We want to know what members and partners will be attending. We'll be gathering at some point for an HTown photo and likely to grab a drink!
👉 Shoot us a quick reply if you're heading to Vegas so we can connect and spotlight our members attending.
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🍽️ First Second Friday Meet & Eat at Mean Grille
We kicked off the month with great food and even better company at the First Friday Meet & Eat! A big thank you to Chamber Member, Mean Grille, for hosting and serving up delicious Mediterranean flavors. These monthly lunches are all about casual connections and community—don’t miss the next one!
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☕ Record-Breaking 3rd Thursday Breakfast with Chris Canetti!
What a morning! Our recent 3rd Thursday Breakfast welcomed a record-breaking 147 attendees for an inspiring conversation with Chris Canetti, President of the Houston 2026 World Cup Host Committee. Thank you to everyone who showed up, connected, and made this our biggest breakfast yet! Momentum is building—don’t miss what’s next.
Thank you to The Healing Place for sponsoring the 3rd Thursday Breakfast.
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🌈 Pride@5 at Meow Wolf: A Night to Remember!
Our recent Pride@5 Mixer at Meow Wolf was a vibrant evening of connection and creativity! Chamber Members and our LAMBDA NextGen young professionals came together for a night of networking in one of Houston’s most immersive spaces. Thank you to everyone who joined us to build community and celebrate Pride in style and to Chamber President's Circle Member, Meow Wolf, for hosting us as well as our sponsors, Gonzalez Olivieri and Casa Layfield.
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BE A PART OF OUR UPCOMING EVENTS!
The Chamber calendar is regularly updated, so bookmark it! We are continually updating the calendar with events so check back often. Our Event Calendar provides the details and all you have to do is register. We hope you'll join us - as always, we'd love to see you! We have so many ways to engage and be involved every month.
| | Recently, OutSmart Magazine profiled Tim Martinez with Chamber Impact Partner, Legacy Community Health. The article titled, "Legacy Builder: Tim Martinez’s Lifelong Commitment to Houston’s LGBTQ Health" highlights his engaging story and longtime involvement moving from a volunteer at Legacy to now serving as a Vice President at the organization. | | Tim Martinez
(Photo by Daniel Ortiz) | | | | |
Chamber Impact Partner, Kroger, recently announced that Laura Gump, president of Kroger’s Houston Division, will retire after 38 years of dedicated service in the grocery retail industry and five years as a Kroger division leader. Laura was a champion for our partnership with Kroger and we wish her well on her retirement and new endeavors. We extend our appreciation to Laura for her tremendous support.
We look forward to working with Rudy DiPietro, who was named president of the newly formed Texas Division for Kroger.
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Congratulations to Clay Melder, VP Relationships Manager, Corporate Healthcare & Non-Profit Banking, with Chamber Impact Partner Amegy Bank, for his recognition as one of Houston Business Journal's 40 Under 40. | | | Do you have some good news to share? From time to time, the Chamber highlights significant accomplishments, big milestones and other good news about our Members and Corporate Partners. Please submit news about your member business via the form below. | | THANK YOU RENEWING IMPACT PARTNERS AND CHAMBER MEMBERS | | PIVOTAL INVESTOR IMPACT PARTNER | | CATALYST INVESTOR IMPACT PARTNERS | | PRESIDENT'S CIRCLE MEMBER | | HOSPITALITY & TOURISM MEMBER | | | | |
Houston Community College (HCC) Chamber of Commerce Leadership Breakfast
We had a wonderful time at the HCC Chamber of Commerce Leadership Breakfast. Thank you to HCC for hosting local and regional chambers for this important discussion about workforce training.
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🍦 Sweet Support for a Great Cause
Our Director of Corporate Relations, Ryan Wilson, stopped by Chamber nonprofit member Allies in Hope’s fundraiser at Jeni’s Ice Cream to show support and enjoy a scoop for a cause! We’re proud to uplift our nonprofit members and the impactful work they do in the community.
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🌈 Rainbow on the Green: Community, Pride & Celebration
We were proud to collaborate with Chamber nonprofit member Discovery Green for this year’s Rainbow on the Green—a fantastic evening of entertainment, pride, and community in the heart of Downtown Houston. Events like these showcase the power of partnership and the vibrancy of our LGBTQ+ community!
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🌈 Chamber at Pride Houston 365 Festival
We were proud to participate in the Pride Houston 365 Festival, celebrating visibility, inclusion, and the power of community. It was an incredible day of connection and pride—thank you to everyone who stopped by to say hello! We appreciate our amazing volunteers who helped us as well!
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🌈 Pride Month Biz Visit with Congresswoman Fletcher
We were proud to host Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher for her annual Pride Month business visit at Chamber Member Native Citizen. The visit highlighted an LGBTQ+-owned business and the power of visibility and inclusion in our local economy.
| | Help Your Community by Signing Up as a Poll Worker! | |
There are no off years for elections — and at the Chamber, we’re asking for your help.
Election administrators often need more support for local elections to ensure that every voter has an efficient and accessible experience at the polls. Poll workers are critical to help maintain safe and accessible in-person voting for all voters.
Join the Chamber to power our elections by recruiting the poll workers we need to make sure our polls are accessible for everyone who wants to cast their vote.
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Once you sign up, our nonprofit partner, Power the Polls, will direct you to the official poll worker application for your local jurisdiction. Once you submit your application, your local election administrator will contact you if your service is needed.
Sign up here: 👇
https://powerthepolls.org/lgbtqhouston
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NOT A CHAMBER MEMBER? JOIN TODAY!
With over 550 members, it’s a great time to be part of our growing and thriving Chamber community! Learn more about membership benefits and levels.
| | There is still plenty of time to explore
2025 sponsorship opportunities! | | | | |
Check out the Chamber's 2025 Sponsorship Opportunities Guide. 📣 Sponsor an Upcoming Event – Spotlight Your Brand!
There’s still time to get involved in exciting events this year, with events such as the Fall Community Conversations Luncheon, Holiday Food & Supply Drive, and Holiday Celebration.
Check out the 2025 Sponsorship Opportunities Guide to unlock powerful ways to promote your brand, engage with the LGBTQ+ community, and support the Chamber’s mission. From signature events to visibility campaigns, sponsorship is a win-win for your business and the community!
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Stay up to date on the latest happenings!
Follow the Chamber on social media!
Are you engaging with the Chamber Member Groups?
Also, check out the Facebook and LinkedIn Member Groups where members can post information about their organizations. Are you a new Chamber Member? Post up an intro video and let us know about you and your member business or organization!
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Baylor College of Medicine
Cadence Bank
UPS
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Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce
www.houstonlgbtqchamber.com
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