Members and Supporters,
Six months ago…I thought I would be starting off our June newsletter celebrating Pride and highlighting what was to be our first Pride in Business Luncheon and biggest Chamber fundraiser of the year to celebrate the LGBTQ+ Business Community during Pride month. Two months ago, that changed with COVID.
One month ago…I thought I would be starting off our June newsletter celebrating Pride and acknowledging a very different Pride month for the LGBTQ community in light of COVID. Three weeks ago…that changed.
Two weeks ago…I worked with our board to pen our statement on the death of George Floyd to condemn the loss of his life others who have lost their lives to senseless violence that are repeatedly directed at the African American community, all communities of color and LGBTQ people.
Enough is Enough
. Read the Board’s full statement
here
.
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We highlight the expanded rainbow flag above that recognizes inclusivity by including transgender representation and black and brown people of color representation. So, while we are celebrating a radically different Pride month this year, we hearken back to Stonewall Uprising, where a riot ensued over a half-century ago, and remember the courage and bravery of those individuals whose protests created the catalyst for the modern-day LGBTQ liberation movement.
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And, last but not least, during PRIDE month, we reflect on the
49 lives lost
in the
Orlando
PULSE
nightclub shooting on June 12, 2016 exactly four years ago today. Our thoughts are with the families who lost loved ones during that tragic day and the 53 people who were wounded in this senseless act of hatred and violence against the LGBTQ community. #OrlandoStrong
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With everything going on in our world, connection is important now more than ever. Check out the list of upcoming events including those with other LGBTQ Chambers across Texas to connect with members and supporters. Join us for an upcoming event…whether member or guest…we welcome you.
We remember, we honor and we celebrate.
With Pride,
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Tammi Wallace
Co-Founder and President & CEO
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TEXAS DIVERSITY EQUITY & INCLUSION CONFERENCE
JUNE 16, 17 & 18
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We are proud to partner with the
North Texas LGBT Chamber of Commerce
and the
Texas LGBT Chambers of Commerce
on the
Texas Diversity Equity & Inclusion Conference
. This outstanding conference hosted by the North Texas LGBT Chamber is in its fifth year. You are invited to participate in the conference June 16-18 along with other business owners, leaders and corporate partners from across the State of Texas.
Chamber members and supporters are eligible for a conference discount.
General admission tickets are $50/day or $90 for the three-day conference. Chamber members can use the discount codes below to receive the reduced admission fees.
- LGBTDEIDay20 – This code may be used on any single day registration. The resulting price is reduced to $20.
- LGBTDEI20 – This code may be use for the Full Conference registration. The resulting price is reduced to $50 for the three days.
Learn more about the conference and register
here
.
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WHERE CAN I GET PPE?
Do you need PPE for your business? The Chamber members below are now offering an array of PPE options via their websites.
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Check out their products
here
. No minimums and you can order with or without company logos.
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PAYROLL PROTECTION PROGRAM
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There are still
PPP
funds available from the SBA for businesses to utilize to support operations during COVID-19.
The deadline to apply for a PPP loan is still June 30, 2020.
Our corporate partners including
Amegy Bank
,
Bank of America
,
East West Bank
and
Regions Bank
are supporting business owners with PPP lending. If you need a contact with any of these corporate partners to apply for PPP, please contact the Chamber Office at
info@houstonlgbtchamber.com
or 832-310-3002.
Check out the Chamber calendar for upcoming SBA PPP
Webinars.
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NOW IS A GREAT TIME TO GET LGBTBE® CERTIFIED!
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If you missed our recent webinar, “How to get LGBTBE® Certified,” you can check out the recording
here
. Did you know that if you’re a member of the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber that your LGBTBE® certification fee is waived by the NGLCC? That’s right! A win-win…you get all the benefits of local membership and a national certification.
Membership is local and certification is national!
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REGISTER FOR THESE UPCOMING PROGRAMS
Due to COVID-19, the Chamber has moved all events for June and July to an online format.
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It was a busy month! In May, we kicked off another full month of online programming including learning opportunities and networking.
On May 5, the Chamber hosted an informative and timely webinar, "
Ask the Expert: Digital Marketing in Times of Crisis,"
presented by
T
iffany Tosh
and
Simone DiSalvo,
with Chamber Sponsor,
REFUGE Marketing & Consulting,
and moderated by Thomas Lopez.
Participants learned more about the LGBTBE® certification and how to get certified from our presenters,
Sabrina Gill Kent
with the
National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC
)
and
Brian Hall
with our corporate partner,
Shell Oil Company,
during our
How To Get LGBTBE® Certified - LGBTBE® Certification 101
workshop on May 20
.
We closed out the month with another Ask the Expert webinar, "
Coping with Stress: How can we take care of ourselves during a global pandemic?"
presented by
Sanna Khoja
and
Kristen Suleman
of Chamber Member,
Ajana Therapy & Clinical Services,
and
moderated by Jason Rocha.
Thank you to all of our presenters for sharing your expertise.
Check the
events calendar
for registration information for upcoming webinars and networking events.
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BANK OF AMERICA – SUPPLIER DIVERSITY SMALL & DIVERSE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
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Our corporate partner,
Bank of America
, once again steps up to support small and diverse businesses with the 2020 cycle of
The Supplier Diversity Small & Diverse Business Scholarship Program
. The Program is designed to provide targeted training and development support to certified small and diverse business owners. The scholarship is sponsored by Bank of America, funded by contributions from its vendors, and is managed and administered by Communities Foundation of Texas.
Scholarships of up to $10,000 are intended to help recipients enhance the business operations functions within their companies, better positioning them to compete for increased business.
Eligibility
- Applicant’s business must be currently certified as a small or diverse business by a recognized certifying agency
- Business owner must have a minimum of three (3) years’ experience running their company
- Business must employ at least three (3) full or part-time employees
- Business must have an annual sales volume between $300,000 and $50,000,000(USD)
Application Key Dates for 2020
Summer
- Applications: June 1 – August 14*
- Recipients notified: September 14
Fall
- Applications: September 1 – October 30*
- Recipients notified: November 30
*Note: No applications for the 2020 cycle will be accepted after midnight (Central) on this date
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The Chamber is proud to welcome our newest members who joined in recent weeks.
Thank you for supporting the Chamber and the LGBTQ & Allied Business Community!
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Business Connect Level Members
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THANK YOU RENEWING MEMBERS
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Thank you to the following members who have renewed their membership. We appreciate your continued support of the Chamber!
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Executive Membership
Premier Wireless, a leader in Mobile Technology, provides cost effective solutions designed to increase your company’s profitability leveraging cell phones, tablets, GPS, push-to-talk & more.
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Business Premium
Business Connect
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CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEWEST
LGBTBE® CERTIFIED MEMBERS!
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Congratulations to
Cinergy Works
for recently receiving their LGBTBE
®
certification!
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Are you interested in learning more about how to get LGBTBE® certified? Check out the certification details by clicking here. Chamber Learn more about the how your business can become
LGBTBE
®
certified.
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FEATURED MEMBER HIGHLIGHT - PATRICK DANIEL LAW
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From time to time, the Chamber features our
President's Circle
members who have made a significant investment in the Chamber. This month, we are highlighting
Patrick Daniel Law
and their
The Legal Lens
exclusive live series celebrating Pride success stories.
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The Legal Lens is exclusively on the Internet as a weekly live chat show every Tuesday on Facebook and Wednesday on Instagram (typically at 4 pm central time). The show is hosted by Attorneys Patrick Daniel and Randy Canché. The hour LIVE show allows viewers to submit questions regarding the topic of the day. To further engage with viewers, Patrick and Randy invite an industry expert to join the conversation LIVE. Regardless of the type of law that Patrick Daniel Law practices, the vision goes beyond – to make it an everyday duty to educate, inform and fight for any human being that deserves justice.
The fight for equality in the LGBTQ+ community has been well-documented. Their courage and ability to overcome challenges deserve to be celebrated, but for some, it can be easy to forget that the community is more than a parade or a mass of people. Each member has a story to tell, and Patrick Daniel Law is here to make sure their story is heard.
Hear more
from Attorney Randy Canche, with Patrick Daniel Law, about
what it means to celebrate Pride month.
Check out The Legal Lens upcoming
schedule
during Pride month. Check out the live shows on
Facebook
and
Instagram
. Learn more about Patrick Daniel Law at
www.patrickdaniellaw.com
.
If you’re looking for
a law firm in Houston and need a personal injury attorney now, text an expert Houston attorney at: (713) 903-7588.
Thank you to
Patrick Daniel Law
for your support of the Chamber and the LGBTQ & Allied Business Community!
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NGLCC XLR8 CERTIFIED LGBT Business ENTERPRISE® (LGBTBE®) CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
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The
NGLCC
is launching the XLR8 initiatve to fund, train and elevate LGBT-owned businesses. In partnership with Wells Fargo and Dell Small Business,
XLR8
is designed to help LGBT-owned businesses grow and succeed in a highly competitive market. The program will provide online executive management education programs, teaming with academic institutions, private sector companies and subject matter experts who can work with these owners on a project of importance to their company that will result in tangible and measurable outcomes related to the education received through the XLR8 program. Learn
more
about the program and apply.
XLR8 will focus on:
- economic and business recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic
- management and leadership innovation
- access to capital and financial literacy
- pre and post event mentoring
- team development
- marketing, communications, and branding
2020 XLR8 Timeline
- Friday, July 10, 2020 | Applications for NGLCC XLR8 Cohort II close
- Thursday, July 30, 2020 | NGLCC VIRTUAL XLR8 Cohort II Launch
- Friday, September 11, 2020 | Applications for NGLCC XLR8 Cohort III close
- Thursday, October 1, 2020 | NGLCC XLR8 COHORT III Launch
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BRINGING EMPLOYEES BACK TO WORK
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Join our strategic partner, the
U.S. Small Business Administration
for an upcoming webinar on “
Bringing Employees Back to Work.
”
Many employers are beginning to prepare for re-starting normal work operations. Join employment law experts for a discussion of issues employers may encounter as they bring employees back into the workplace or recall employees from layoff or furlough and strategies to minimize risk in the process.
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PRIMARY RUN-OFF - JULY 14
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Know Before You Go:
Your personalized sample ballot is ready for you online at
HarrisVotes.com
.
So, get ready to cast your vote during the July 14 Primary Run-off!
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SILVER CORPORATE PARTNERS
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BRONZE CORPORATE PARTNERS
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PRESIDENT'S CIRCLE MEMBERS
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Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce | 832-510-3002 | info@houstonlgbtchamber.com | houstonlgbtchamber.com
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