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Boston to launch LGBT Chamber of Commerce for local businesses

Written by gaytourism

Boston will see the official launch of the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce early next week.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston will host the launch of the chamber on Monday (24 September).

The stated aim of the business group’s stated aim was to ‘to create an inclusive economic growth state by promoting opportunities among LGBT-owned and allied businesses, corporations and professionals,’ according to the Boston Business Journal.

Attendees will include representatives of the state’s businesses run by members of the LGBTI community and their corporate allies.

Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker and regional mayor Alex Morse will also be in attendance.

‘An easy decision’

Grace Moreno, the chamber’s executive director, said in an interview in June that the chamber’s mandate ‘is putting more revenue in the pockets of LGBT-owned businesses.’

Moreno added that the chamber would benefit companies seeking to connect with the LGBTI community ‘from a human resources perspective, from a perspective of hiring talent, from a supplier diversity perspective and who want to gain best practices of how to include LGBT in the equity and inclusion process.’

Jim Heppelmann, president and CEO of software firm PTC Inc. which is headquartered in Boston, said that becoming a founding member of the chamber was ‘an easy decision’.

‘Diversity and inclusion are essential to any organization’s creativity, growth, and success, and we recognize their role in helping to drive the innovative and nurturing spirit that makes us not only a great place to work, but also a company people can feel proud of doing business with,’ Hepplemann added.

Hot-button issue

LGBTI representation is currently a hot topic for the people of Massachusetts in the lead up the the US midterm elections on November 6.

Among the questions on the ballots, voters will be asked whether they want to keep or repeal a law protecting transgender people in the state.

This is in reference to Senate Bill 2407 from 2016, which is designed to prohibit discrimination of people in public areas regardless of their gender identity.

Groups advocating repealing the law have released transphobic political ads which are being broadcast in Massachusetts, which suggests that sexual predators will take advantage of laws which are designed to protect the trans community.

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