Washington D.C. (11/20/13) –The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) will honor MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts with the NGLCC/American Airlines ExtrAA Mile Award for his longstanding commitment to promoting equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people at the sold out NGLCC National Dinner: Imagine on November 22 in Washington, D.C.
Speaking recently to Russian and global media before hosting the Miss Universe pageant in Moscow, Thomas Roberts expressed support to Russia’s LGBT citizens harmed by the recent anti-“gay propaganda” laws:
“I know the law is very vague and still hard to interpret for many people,” said Roberts. “But it is discrimination and that’s definitive. And I don’t think that the LGBT population in Russia or anywhere should be marginalized to that degree. We are not asking for special protection. We’re just asking for equal respect.”
In addition to honoring Roberts, NGLCC will award select individuals and organizations for their courage and dedication to the LGBT business community. The event brings together more than 800 entrepreneurs, local affiliate leaders, corporate allies, and government officials from around the globe, including representatives from Fortune 500 companies.
“The NGLCC is celebrating the people and the organizations that recognize not only the influence of Certified LGBT Business Enterprise® (Certified LGBTBE®) suppliers, but also the overall economics of inclusivity,” said Justin G. Nelson, NGLCC President and Co-Founder. “Recognizing the work of passionate leaders, both LGBT and allies, is an integral part of ensuring the marketplace and the workplace are open and accepting of LGBT people.”
Learn more about the awards and this year’s honorees:
- NGLCC/American Airlines ExtrAA Mile Award: Thomas Roberts
- Corporation of the Year: Capital One
- Supplier Diversity Advocate of the Year: José Nido, Vice President, Global Supplier Diversity, Wyndham Worldwide
- LGBT Supplier of the Year: ZippyDogs
The capacity crowd will also enjoy live entertainment from breakout country singer and songwriter Steve Grand and live dance mixing from Las Vegas DJ Nick Ayler at the after party.
“With the help of more than 50 sponsors, including presenting sponsor IBM, we put on a premium celebration for our honorees,” said Chance Mitchell, NGLCC CEO and Co-Founder. “NGLCC is about connecting organizations, clients, and vendors to elevate and applaud best practices in supplier diversity and our work bringing diverse communities together.”
Learn more about the National Dinner, the honorees, and supplier diversity by visiting www.nglcc.org/events/nglcc-national-dinner.
For a complete list of finalists and for previous years honorees, please contact Laura Berry, Communications Director, at 1-202-234-9181 or lberry@nglcc.org.
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About the NGLCC
The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) is the only national not-for-profit advocacy organization dedicated to expanding the economic opportunities and advancements of LGBT business community. As the national certifying body for LGBT-owned businesses, with 140 corporate partners and 52 local, state, and international affiliate chambers, NGLCC is the largest LGBT business development and economic advocacy organization in the world. Learn more at www.nglcc.org!
