Starting January 1st, Florida’s new restrictions on government support for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives will take effect. It’s another move by Governor DeSantis that will have a direct impact on communities like ours here in Greater Fort Lauderdale.
We’re already seeing the effects. Organizations that have supported our Chamber for years have reduced or eliminated their financial support. Partnerships we’ve counted on are changing, and resources that helped promote our area as an LGBTQ+ destination are becoming harder to find.
But what hasn’t changed is the importance of our community to the local economy.
Greater Fort Lauderdale welcomes more than 1.3 million LGBTQ+ visitors each year, generating over a billion dollars in economic activity. Those visitors stay in our hotels, eat in our restaurants, shop in our stores, and support businesses throughout Broward County.
At the Greater Fort Lauderdale LGBTQ+ & Allied Chamber of Commerce, we’re working to make sure that doesn’t change.
We’re putting together a new LGBTQ+ Visitor & Community Guide, expanding our relationships with media partners, and working with other Chambers and organizations to get the word out nationally that Greater Fort Lauderdale continues to welcome LGBTQ+ visitors and businesses.
I’m also spending a lot of time meeting with local business owners, hearing their concerns, and talking about how we can work together. We can’t depend on the same support we’ve had in the past, so we need to find new ways to support each other.
Tallahassee isn’t going to stop us from telling our story.
We have a lot of great businesses here and a community that has spent decades making Greater Fort Lauderdale a place where people want to visit, live, and do business.
We’re not about to let that change.
We’re here. We’re open for business. And we’re not going anywhere.
