2013 started and ended with more promise for equality than I could have imagined. Lesson learned — we have to dream big.

From the Human Rights Campaign Inaugural Ball in January celebrating the second term of President Barack Obama and Vice President Joseph Biden all the way to the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce® National Dinner in late November, LGBT equality has been in the news and on the minds of many Americans. From coast to coast at Affinity Inc Magazine, we have been in support of business equality and economic opportunity for the LGBT community. Our first full year in print and online has given our readers a unique perspective of the businesses, government entities, nonprofit enterprises and the people behind them working toward full equality during one of the most historic periods of this generation’s civil rights struggle.

This issue of Affinity Inc Magazine underscores the high points of business equality for 2013, provides full coverage of the NGLCC’s National Dinner and, most important- ly, recognizes our very first Business Equality Excellence Champions for 2014. These champions are getting LGBT business equality right across their enterprises and taking that example to the broader American community. Great companies and their brands impact people — people who work for them, people who do business with them and people who buy their products and services. Great companies, i.e. those with strong diversity programs, help to build great communities.

As brilliant LGBT business and community leaders, LGBT business organizations like the NGLCC and Out & Equal Workplace Advocates and the individuals and corporate allies supporting business equality continue to forge new ground for the LGBT busi- ness community, we must not only dream big, we have to invest in them generously. Affinity Inc Magazine’s resolve to generously support and promote business equality for the LGBT community is big, and we will continue to dream big throughout 2014.

All the best!

Robin Dillard, Publisher