Historic Announcement Includes LGBT Owned Businesses

Historic Announcement Includes LGBT Owned Businesses
The City of Houston is the first city in Texas to include LGBTBE^® Certified Businesses 

By Tammi Wallace, Co-Founder, President & CEO

Making History! Mayor Sylvester Turner signed an Executive Order today declaring that the City of Houston will now include Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Business Enterprises (LGBTBE^®) Certified businesses in contracting and procurement opportunities. This historic announcement marks Houston as the first city in the State of Texas to include LGBT owned businesses as part of City of Houston contracting and procurement. The Executive Order promotes an inclusive policy to offer fair and equal access to LGBT certified businesses.  Watch the historic announcement here.

Thank you to Mayor Turner for paving the way in Texas and for his commitment to the LGBT business community and economic inclusion. 

The LGBT business community plays a vital role in the local economy and is an important part of the diverse fabric of our city. Because of Mayor Turner’s leadership, LGBT business owners will now be able to bring their full and authentic selves when engaging with the City of Houston and that is good for our city and economy. LGBT business owners will no longer have to hide who they are and fear losing valuable economic opportunities and resources through the City of Houston.  It's important for LGBT suppliers to be counted, it's important for inclusion and it's important for our city.

As part of the announcement, the formal collaboration with the City of Houston Office of Business Opportunity, Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce and the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) was documented in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Inclusion of the LGBTBE^® Certification means that LGBT entrepreneurs will have access to economic opportunities, tools and resources through the City of Houston.

As the most diverse city in the country, the City of Houston is sending a strong message that our great city is open to all including LGBT owned businesses. It’s important for LGBT suppliers to be counted, for inclusion and for our city.

The Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce has been working tirelessly since its launch to raise the visibility of the LGBT business community and the LGBTBE^® Certification including educating business owners, elected officials and other key stakeholders. The Chamber has increased the number of LGBTBE® Certified businesses every year since the launch of the organization and that number continues to grow!

The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) is the certifying body for the LGBTBE^® Certification. As an NGLCC Affiliate Chamber, the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce collaborates on the certification with the NGLCC. As Justin Nelson, NGLCC Co-Founder & President said…

“LGBT entrepreneurs in the Houston region will now have the opportunity to create jobs and develop innovations that benefit all who live there. History has been made here in Houston, and this victory for inclusivity has once again proved our core values that ‘diversity is good for business’ and that ‘if you can buy it, a Certified LGBTBE^® can supply it.”

The Greater Houston LGBT Chamber is proud to be an Affiliate Chamber of the NGLCC and partner with the organization on our mutual mission of economic inclusion for the LGBT business community. We are grateful to the NGLCC not only for their collaboration with the Chamber but for their work on behalf of the LGBT community. We are honored to stand beside you.

As a result of Mayor Turner’s Executive Order, LGBT owned businesses will have full access to supportive programming and capacity building resources through the City of Houston Office of Business Opportunity. The Executive Order and MOU create a strong local collaboration between the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber and the Office of Business Opportunity.

Are you ready to get your business LGBTBE® Certified? Learn more through the Chamber’s LGBTBE® Resource Page. Watch the Business Builder Webinar, How to Get LGBTBE^® Certified held on March 9, 2021, with the City of Houston Office of Business Opportunity and the NGLCC here.

Click here to watch the Signing Ceremony.

Review the press release about this historic announcement here.

See the Executive Order below or click here to view full size.

LGBT Business Inclusion Executive Order Signing Ceremony with Mayor Sylvester Turner