AD17 Candidates Forum

Small businesses are the lifeblood of San Francisco’s diverse cultures and economy. Prior to the pandemic, small businesses in San Francisco often faced great hurdles in getting started and surviving. The challenges can be even greater for historically disadvantaged communities. The pandemic has exacerbated conditions for small businesses on many levels. What will our representatives in the state legislature do to help small businesses recover and thrive?

All four candidates running to replace David Chiu in representing the eastern half of San Francisco in the State Assembly:
Bilal Mahmood, David Campos, Matt Haney, and Thea Selby - will meet up on Thursday February 3, at 6pm PST for this special online forum on the needs of small businesses, with a special focus on businesses from historically disadvantaged communities. Candidates will have the opportunity to discuss their records and policies as they relate to the broad set of issues important to small businesses in San Francisco.

The forum will be moderated by small business owner Manny Yekutiel (Manny’s). This free event is open to the public and pre-registration is required. All pre-registered participants will be sent a Zoom link one hour in advance of the event. 

This special forum is co-sponsored by the Golden Gate Business Association, the Hispanic Chambers of Commerce of San Francisco, the San Francisco Filipino American Chamber of Commerce, and the San Francisco Council of District Merchants Association.

February Make Contact

Join us for our February Make Contact Sponsored by WellsFargo

Special Guest: Matt Zweier from GGBA member California Department of General Services 
 
Learn how to pursue contract opportunities with California State Government and become a preferred bidder as a certified Small Business (SB) or Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE).
 
Followed by networking with other GGBA members. 

Message from Leadership:

By Terry Beswick–
Recently, I found myself sitting at one of a few dozen tables in a crowded banquet room in Florida.

Taking place between COVID variant surges, it was the hybrid, condensed edition of the annual conference of the National LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), normally with thousands of people in attendance, but this time about 400. And having just recently assumed the role of Executive Director of the Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA), the affiliate LGBTQ chamber of the San Francisco Bay Area, I recognized very few of the masked, vaxxed people in the room.

Vaxxed and boosted myself, I’d decided the conference was worth the risk of travelling during a wily pandemic. I needed to figure out what this LGBTQ chamber of commerce business was all about… 

GGBA Member Spotlight

New GGBA member business Café Gabriela was opened in 2010 in Downtown Oakland by Penny Baldado, a formerly undocumented, trans-masculine, and queer immigrant from the Philippines. Before the pandemic, Penny employed four full-time staff, who were paid a living wage and received full medical and dental insurance. After sustaining an 85% decrease in revenue, Penny laid off their last full-time employee in June. But with a recent $100,000 grant from the National LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) and Grubhub, they plan to use proceeds for rent and marketing and are now beginning to rehire employees...

Welcome to our New Board Member

“I’m proud to announce that I recently joined the Golden Gate Business Association Board of Directors. The GGBA Board is an all-volunteer working board serving the nation’s first LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce. I’m excited to support our mission to champion opportunity, development, and advocacy for our LGBTQ & Allied business community in the San Francisco Bay Area.”

Job Opening:

We're looking for a great new Membership Coordinator to join our GGBA team. You'll be leading the coordination of our membership activities across the San Francisco BayArea, where we champion opportunity and development for our LGBTQ and allied business community. It is a part-time, remote working position with flexible hours for a talented coordinator in the SF Bay Area.

More Opportunities

The San Francisco Business Times is seeking nominations for several recognitions, including the top LGBTQ-owned businesses in the Bay Area and the most influential LGBTQ business leaders and companies, and the GGBA is partnering in this effort to ensure that our community is recognized. This year’s lists will be part of a special “Business of Pride” edition of the San Francisco Business Times publishing June 10. Deadline for nominations: Friday, March 18, 2022.

• LGBTQ-Owned Businesses in the Bay Area 2022 - Top 50. If you are a successful LGBTQ business owner, or you want to nominate someone who is, submit your nominations here. Outstanding LGBTQ Business Leaders in the Bay Area 2022 

• Outstanding LGBTQ leaders and companies in the Bay Area who are making a difference in the business world. Submit your nominations here. 

For questions about the Business of Pride, contact SF Business Times Special Projects Editor Diana Murphy at: dmurphy@bizjournals.com