HRBOR Gets Some National Exposure

Last week the Daily Press - the newspaper that covers the Hampton-Newport News-Williamsburg area of Hampton Roads - did a story on Hampton Roads Business OutReach's ("HRBOR") January Third Thursday networking event which was hosted in part by the boyfriend. Since the Daily Press is owned by the Chicago Tribune Company, low and behold, a story on HRBOR appeared in today's Chicago Tribune. As a founding director of HRBOR, it makes me proud that work is getting out about HRBOR on a larger scale. Here are highlights from the Tribune's story:

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In the newly released film "Milk," historic footage shows San Francisco police arresting groups of gay men and carting them off to jail.

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It was a very different scenario in Hampton on Thursday night at the Hampton Roads Business OutReach monthly gathering at a downtown wine shop. This time, Mayor Molly Joseph Ward was on hand to welcome this fast-growing association of gay and lesbian business professionals and their supporters to her city.

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From an initial meeting two years ago, the group, which calls itself HRBOR, has grown into more than 150 members on both sides of Hampton Roads. Using social networking and other support strategies, HRBOR is working to strengthen ties among the business community of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered individuals. On the third Thursday of each month, the group gathers to socialize, exchange business cards and learn about anti-discrimination in the workplace and other employment issues affecting the LGBT community.

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"It's still legal to fire someone in the state of Virginia based on their sexual orientation," said board member Cindy Cutler, a loan officer with Countrywide Home Loans. "This is something we're opposed to. "For members who don't feel comfortable being out in their workplace, HRBOR provides a setting where they can be themselves and interact with like-minded professionals, said HRBOR President Shannon Bowman, who owns Khaboom Advertising in Norfolk.

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Hampton Roads Business OutReach — a networking organization of business professionals in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community — meets on the third Thursday of every month at different locations throughout Hampton Roads. More information is available online at www.hrbor.org.

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Among HRBOR's members now are three banks - including RBC Bank which will host the etworking event in February, the Contemporary Arts Center in Virginia Beach, the Peninsula Fine Arts Center in Newport News, and WHRO, the local public broadcasting network. In fact, each month membership grows and local politicians from the city in which the host member is located are now attending.