MDGLCC

Greater Miami LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce

President’s Newsletter

May 2025

Dear Greater Miami LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce members and future MDGLCC’ers!



Changes...

As I prepare for my upcoming retirement, I find myself reflecting on the incredible journey I've had with the Greater Miami LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce. Serving as your president has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. You are not often presented with an opportunity to help build something from the ground up, and given the time to see it through to a positive conclusion. And though MDGLCC has a wonderful future ahead, it will be under capable new leadership. 

MDGLCC has been a platform for advocacy and support for our community and has fostered countless relationships and partnerships that I will cherish forever. I am proud of what we have accomplished together and excited to see how the chamber will continue to grow and thrive. Though Diego and I will be out experiencing the world and creating new adventures, we often return to check in. We love Greater Miami and Miami Beach and have many wonderful friends here. It is not goodbye, but see you soon.

As part of the organizational growth that is to come, I am excited to welcome Lisette Garcia as our new Executive Director. Her passion for our community and her vision for the future will undoubtedly lead us into a new era of success. I have full confidence in her ability to guide the chamber and continue our mission to support LGBTQ businesses and individuals in Greater Miami. Having worked with Lisette the past three years, she has shown the ability to multitask, has demonstrated compassion and an understanding of what our members need, and can foster community within our corner of Florida. I have made my desires known to Lisette and the board that it is time to “blow up” the model and engineer change, especially in light of the political environment and the challenges that lie ahead for the LGBTQ and Allied community.

I also want to congratulate Vincent (Vinny) Becchinelli, who moves to full-time under the MDGLCC organizational umbrella. Vinny has been running the LGBT Visitor Center in Miami Beach, part of our MDGLCC Foundation, Inc. Beginning June 1^st, Vinny will also begin working for Lisette on the Chamber side. 

So, as we move forward, it does take a village. I call upon all of you to step up your activism, support for MDGLCC, and engagement to ensure that the Greater Miami LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce continues to be a beacon of inclusion here in Miami-Dade. It will take all of us working together to ensure that we hold onto the progress we have made and continue to move the needle of the $1.4 trillion US LGBT Business Economy forward.

Thank you for your support and camaraderie over these past 25 years. While I may be stepping down, I will always remain an advocate for our community and look forward to seeing all the amazing things that lie ahead for the chamber.

Upcoming Events

Pride month looms just around the corner in June, as we have many events planned. So, put on your MDGLCC networking hats, and register away!!! Please visit www.gaybizmiami.com to see what we have planned. Among the highlights are Pride at the Park with the Miami Marlins on May 30th, and our State of Our Community Luncheon at the Miami Airport on June 18th.

Support Certified LGBTBE Businesses

One of the essential benefits of membership in MDGLCC is access to certification (and your $899 fee is waived). We encourage all members to support our certified LGBTBEs (LGBT Business Enterprise). By choosing to work with these businesses, you not only help to strengthen our community but also promote diversity and inclusion in the marketplace. Let’s uplift and showcase our certified members by highlighting their services and contributions.

JOIN THE CHAMBER

If you are not already a member, then WHY THE HELL NOT? Join Today!

As always, be safe, stay informed, and have a prosperous May.

About this newsletter: I try to convey important themes happening at MDGLCC, and provide information and opportunities not covered in our other newsletters. 

Census Bureau Statistics Shed Light on Self-Employment by Sector and State During Small Business Week

The nation’s 29.8 million nonemployer businesses – those with no paid employees and are subject to federal income tax – made up $1.7 trillion or about 6.8% of the 2022 U.S. economy, according to the 2022 Nonemployer Statistics (NES) recently released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Most nonemployers are self-employed individuals operating small unincorporated businesses, which may be the owner’s principal source of income.

NES can be used to uncover facts about U.S. nonemployers, like how California had the largest number of nonemployer establishments (3,502,950) but ranked 16th per capita, that Texas had the most nonemployer construction establishments (376,379) or that Delaware nonemployers had the highest average receipts ($85,950) in the country.

In contrast, there were 8.3 million U.S. employer businesses (those with paid employees) in 2022, according to the Census Bureau’s 2022 County Business Patterns.

CLICK for More Info

Accelerating sustainable and inclusive growth for all

Our aspiration is three-fold:

•Sustainability: Become the largest private sector catalyst for decarbonization. 

•Inclusive growth: Build inclusive economies, institutions, and workforces that reflect our communities.

•Responsible practices: Lead with integrity and set the standard for accountability and compliance in our profession.

Click to Download the Full Report