Since scholar Carter G. Woodson established Black History Week in 1926, and President Gerald Ford expanded the commemoration of African Americans' contributions to a month in 1976, February has provided the United States with an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the rich history and culture of African Americans.
Thirty-three percent of Americans identify themselves as racial or ethnic minorities, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data, and their impact—cultural, demographic and economic—is felt in communities across the nation. Within these communities, more than 3 million minority-owned businesses—18 percent of the 23 million U.S. businesses, Census figures show—play a vital role in the daily commerce and success of our economy.
The NGLCC has long recognized the important contributions communities of color make to the business world and is committed to ensuring the organization is representative of all the diversity that encompasses the LGBT and allied business community. With this in mind, the NGLCC is proud to announce that it will launch the NGLCC Communities of Color Business Initiative (CCBI).
The CCBI will be designed to more actively engage LGBT ethnic and racial minority communities. Specifically, the initiative will work to increase networking opportunities for ethnic and racial minority LGBT business and professional communities, and will serve as a clearinghouse of information regarding best practices and successful strategies for business owners, professionals and students.
"In our mission to accurately represent the LGBT and allied business community, it is extremely important that we make sure ethnic minority-owned LGBT businesses are aware of the resources that are available to them through the NGLCC, and how participation can serve as a vehicle to grow their companies," said Justin Nelson, co-founder and president of the NGLCC.
Regular tele-learning sessions and webinars, as well as programming at the NGLCC national conference, will be part of the initiative.
The CCBI will have a steering committee chaired by Catherine Pino, an NGLCC board member and principal of D&P Creative Strategies, LLC, and Cordey Lash, regional sales director for IHG. The steering committee will help guide the NGLCC as it develops and implements this important initiative.
For more information about participating in the Communities of Color Business Initiative, contact Joanna Dees at jdees@nglcc.org or 202-234-9181.
