Nashville LGBT Chamber Signs the Tennessee Thrives Pledge

The Nashville LGBT Chamber is a proud supporter of Tennessee Thrives. Tennessee Thrives is a coalition of approximately 300 businesses and business organizations that are committed to maintaining a thriving economy for a Tennessee that welcomes all hard working people.

Tennessee has experienced real economic loss after HB1840 that passed in 2016, a bill that allows counselors to deny services to clients based on their principles. North Carolina has provided the best (or worst) example of how discriminatory legislation can hurt the economy. There are sources that estimate North Carolina’s loss at over $4 billion after passing HB2, a law that discriminates against transgender people. PayPal, NCAA competitions, the NBA All-Star game, and Deutsche Bank are just a few of the measurable losses for North Carolina in less than one year.

One objective of Tennessee Thrives is to make legislators think twice before proposing or passing bills that put the state’s ability to attract talent, visitors, or corporate investment at risk. As of the launch of the Tennessee Thrives website, www.tennesseethrives.org, over 190 companies have signed the pledge.

We believe that equal treatment of all Tennesseans and visitors is essential to maintaining Tennessee’s strong brand as a growing and exciting home for business innovation, economic development, a best-in-class workforce, and dynamic entertainment, travel and tourism industries.

In order for Tennessee businesses to compete for top talent, we believe our workplaces and communities must be diverse and welcoming for all people, regardless of race, sex, national origin, ethnicity, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.

As signers of the Tennessee Thrives pledge, we are committed to promoting an attractive, prosperous, and economically vibrant Tennessee. A united Tennessee is a thriving Tennessee.

Tennessee Thrives has been in the works for about a year. It is based on models in other states like Georgia (Georgia Prospers) and Texas (Texas Competes). Executive Director of the Nashville LGBT Chamber, Lisa Howe, came back from the 2015 Out & Equal Conference with the idea for a business coalition in Tennessee to help combat anti-LGBT legislation and other discriminatory legislation proposed in our state. “I had been researching Georgia Prospers during the 2016 legislative session. I brought the idea to our members in May as soon as some of them were making official statements against the Bathroom Bill and the Counseling Discrimination Bill. It was clear that if we were to take this project on, alone, that the LGBT Chamber programs and events would suffer. It was also clear that the most effective business coalition could not be led by any one group. We were happy when strategic partners stepped up and put forward the resources to make Tennessee Thrives become a reality.”

Howe added that Tennessee Thrives is a tool that can be used to combat legislation that may be discriminatory and directed at, not only the LGBT community, but also the immigrant or Muslim community or any other minority community.  “I would not say that Tennessee Thrives belongs to any one person, organization, or city.” adds Howe. “It truly is meant to be owned by and representative of our diverse business community all across this great state.”

LGBT Chamber members and partners are encouraged to go to the website and add their support to Tennessee Thrives.

LGBT Chamber members and partners who have signed:

AlphaGraphics Music City                    Nashville Film Festival

AmosEvents                            Nashville Repertory Theatre        
Asurion                            Nissan                    BAM! Social Business                        NPS Pharmacy            Baker Donelson                        Over the Top Linens            Bass Berry & Sims                        Palmer Solutions            Belcourt Theatre                        Pareto Realty                

C615                                Provence Breads & Cafe

Chattanooga Outlook                        Quest Events Nashville

City Winery                            Raymond James Financial

Classic Party Rentals                        Ron Sanford Productions

Clearing the Way Home                    Sinema Restaurant + Bar

CPA Consulting Group                    The Chef and I

Cummins                            The Computer Butler

Dell                                The Doug Jeffords Company

Element Salon                            Vanderbilt University

Genesco                            Village Real Estate

Get it Done Solutions                        Waller

Grand Avenue                            Yuletide Office Solutions

HCA

Hilton

Hotel Indigo Nashville Downtown

J.D. Events & Festivals

Listen Live Learn, LLC

Medicopy Services

Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Nashville CARES