Joint Statement by the Co-Founders of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce on Donald Trump’s Comments on Immigration
The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) stands with our long time organizational partner the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) and applauds NBCUniversal and Macy’s for cutting ties with presidential hopeful Donald Trump over controversial comments he recently made about Mexican immigrants.
As a businessman, Mr. Trump should understand the value of diversity and see it as an engine of economic growth. While well-intentioned Americans can certainly have differing opinions over immigration, inflammatory and divisive language has no place in our public discourse.
Macy’s and NBC’s decisions to disassociate with Trump represent corporate America at its finest. From our partnerships with over a third of Fortune 500 companies, we know that major corporations are often leaders in workplace, market and supply chain inclusion. Companies have nothing to gain by isolating consumers, which is why we increasingly see companies working to build inroads with diverse communities. The actions by Macy’s and NBC reflect this trend. This is further evidenced by celebrity chef José Andrés’ brave decision to pull out of his partnership on the new Trump property in Washington, DC.
As Mr. Trump looks to open a new luxury hotel in Washington, DC, he would do well to consider that hundreds of trade associations and non-profit organizations, including NGLCC, are headquartered in the nation’s capital. Mr. Trump’s actions will have serious consequences here in Washington and at his other hotel properties around the country. Organizations will think twice when deciding where to host annual conferences and events, which collectively generate millions of dollars in revenue. NASCAR and the PGA have already pulled major events from Trump properties, signaling that organizations and companies are unwilling to be associated with Mr. Trump’s distasteful words.
