­

City Spotlight  – Many Faces. One Dream.   program lands in Columbus 

Understanding that a city with a high number of LGBT individuals might need a specialized business development program, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the National Black Justice Coalition took its Many Faces. One Dream. program to the city of Columbus, Ohio, in September. MFOD is an economic empowerment tour for LGBT communities of color.
Read more ›

By |November 9th, 2015|Featured Posts, Government, Public Sector|0 Comments

HRC hails historic EEOC ruling on employment discrimination

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, praised the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for its July 16 ruling affirming that it considers employment discrimination based on sexual orientation to be prohibited under the sex discrimination provisions of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. “Discrimination has
Read more ›

HomeStreet Bank makes first SBA loan through NGLCC/SBA’s LGBT Business Builder initiative

By Brenda Matamoros  Mark Mason, chairman, president and CEO of HomeStreet Bank, along with his wife Tracy and daughter Chloe, joined more than 90 HomeStreet employees who marched in the recent Seattle Pride parade to show their support of the LGBT community.   The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community has had much to
Read more ›

SBA and NGLCC unite to foster LGBTBE growth and opportunities

Recognizing the business imperative to embrace diversity, the U.S. Small Business Administration  and National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce launched the first initiative of its kind focused on LGBT business owners. LGBT Business Builder will bring together expertise and resources from staff at SBA district and regional offices, NGLCC’s 38 U.S.-based affiliate chambers and
Read more ›

New SBA administrator reframes mission, easing access to funding and markets

Maria Contreras-Sweet, SBA Administrator COVER STORY By Melissa Lowery The U.S. Small Business Administration is on a mission to modernize the organization and let small business owners know that they are standing by to provide support at every stage, from startup to expansion to globalization. Recently appointed Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet is leading the
Read more ›

ENTREPRENEURS EXTRAORDINAIRE – Thankful for help from community and SBA, Savannah entrepreneurs return the favor

By Suzanne Squyres TailsSpin’s Jeff Manley and Jusak Yang Bernhard with Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet of SBA.jpg Against many odds, Jusak Bernhard and Jeff Manley have a successful business. Leaving behind award-winning careers in the entertainment industry and their home in Los Angeles, they moved to Savannah, Ga., where they opened TailsSpin Pet Food & Accessories. On the first day of business, the store tallied a single sale of 89 cents. Now in its seventh year, it employs 26 people and has three locations, one of which sparked the renaissance of a once-derelict strip shopping center.
Read more ›

IN THE NEWS – Attorney General Eric Holder, staunch LGBT civil rights advocate, tenders his resignation

  Eric HolderU.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced his resignation on Sept. 25, 2014, and will step down as soon as the U.S. Senate confirms his successor. A stalwart supporter of civil rights of LGBT individuals, he said that one of his greatest accomplishments was aiding in “the promise of equality for our LGBT brothers and sisters and their families.” The country’s first African-American attorney general, Holder’s tenure at the U.S. Department of Justice includes the implementation of reforms to the criminal justice system and enforcement of major civil rights initiatives, including lawsuits against Texas and North Carolina for obstructive voting laws.
Read more ›

Stars align for Atlanta small business owner

Tasha Reid Tasha Reid is not one to back down from a challenge. After playing basketball at a Division I college, she went on to play professionally for a team in Barcelona, Spain. After earning an MBA degree, she worked as a real estate agent and radio talk-show host. Today, Reid is the
Read more ›

Eric Holder discusses advances in LGBT equality at HRC gala

Eric Holder, U.S. Attorney General At the annual gala of Human Rights Campaign Greater New York, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder had an appropriate venue and audience to announce changes in federal policies to "ensure that same-sex marriages receive the same privileges, protections and rights as opposite-sex marriages.” During the event at the
Read more ›

HRC survey

finds more cities working toward LGBT equality In addition to the Corporate Equality Index, the Human Rights Campaign issues the Municipality Equality Index, an annual scorecard on cities and their support of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals who live and work locally. The study ranked each city on nondiscrimination laws, relationship recognition, employment and
Read more ›