OUR HISTORY

OUT Georgia Business Alliance has a long and storied history, with deep roots in a number of local community organizations.

In the late 1980s, our friends at 4th Tuesday organized an Expo designed to promote LGBT-owned businesses in Atlanta, Georgia.

In 1994, our organization was established when 4th Tuesday’s leadership, in partnership with the Atlanta Executive Network (AEN), created the Greater Atlanta Business Coalition (GABC), a 501(c)(6) nonprofit recognized as one of the first LGBT Chambers of Commerce in the US.

In 1998, GABC’s first Community Awards Dinner was held showcasing the positive contributions of member businesses and organizations in our community.

In 2002, the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) was founded to serve as the business voice of the LGBT community and is the largest global advocacy organization specifically dedicated to expanding economic opportunities and advancements for LGBT people. NGLCC is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and is the exclusive certification body for LGBT-owned businesses, known as Certified LGBT Business Enterprises® (Certified LGBTBEs®).

In 2003, GABC updated the organization’s name to the Atlanta Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (AGLCC) and formally joined the NGLCC as only local affiliate chapter in Georgia.

This relationship with the NGLCC further expanded AGLCC’s ability to provide local and national networking, educational, and development opportunities to member businesses, corporate partners, and nonprofit organizations in the Atlanta community.

In 2007, the AGLCC was selected as NGLCC’s National Chamber of the Year.

In 2008, the AGLCC held the first-ever LGBT event at the world’s largest aquarium, the Georgia Aquarium. That event was the 2008 Community Awards Dinner.

In 2014, the AGLCC won Best in Programming from the NGLCC for our AGLCC University educational series.

In 2016, the AGLCC was selected again as NGLCC’s National Chamber of the Year and launched the Procurement Spotlight series to connect Certified LGBT-owned Business Enterprises with corporate supplier diversity professionals and opportunities.

In 2017, the AGLCC held its first LGBT Business Summit | Rise of the Rainbow Economy. The Summit is now an annual event and one of the largest gatherings in the Southeast focused on empowering LGBT business inclusion and development.

In 2018, the AGLCC won Best in Programming from the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) for our educational series AGLCC University and our LGBT Business Summit.

In 2019, the Atlanta Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce celebrated its 25th anniversary and announced a rebrand from the AGLCC to the new OUT Georgia Business Alliance.

“The AGLCC is now the OUT Georgia Business Alliance, expanding and embracing a bold new challenge to wrap our arms around the LGBTQ+ and allied business community across the entire state of Georgia.”

“Through the power of economic empowerment and advocacy, we are intentionally working for a thriving, loud, equitable, inclusive, and more fully representative Georgia, with a bright spotlight on the FULL spectrum of this Rainbow Economy.