I’m back from the NGLCC Conference in Miami and I’m getting re-settled!  It’s great to be home.  Ruby got an A+ and a gold star from her pet sitter so is this mommy proud or what???

What an amazing conference.  One of the high points for me was attending the Successful Business Woman’s Presentation, where we learned from a distinguished panel of lesbian professionals that professional success requires great commitment, passion, talent, ability to overcome the inevitable adversities and, even, a bit of luck here and there.  For example…

• All of the lesbians on this panel continually make ‘trade-offs’ for their success.  And many stated that they knew even as a child that they’d have to ‘make it on their own’ because they were lesbian. 
• Married with Children and The Big Gay Sketch Show’s Amanda Bearse shared that managing a career, business AND being a full time single mom is very challenging, even when you have the resources needed to get the support you need (like she says she’s been fortunate to have as a result of the prosperity she’s been able to amass from her status as a celebrity).
• Elizabeth Birch shared her struggles going from poor to where she is today and the ‘price’ she’s paid personally and professionally, as a business owner and mother of two children.  Probably the most touching moment of the panel happened as she shared some of her most vulnerable feelings regarding the break up of her previous relationship and the impact on herself and her family. 
• If you’d like to learn more about Elizabeth Birch (and hear what people think about her and her contributions to the growth and success of the Human Right’s Campaign), be sure to watch the HRC ‘farewell to Elizabeth’ video created for her when she left HRC a few years ago.
• Mary Catona, owner of her own successful trash collection firm, shared her personal and professional challenges on the road to success, which have included being the victim of physical violence.  Despite the many adversities Mary has encountered, Mary has persevered and continues to prosper, personally and professionally.  In 2007 Office Depot named her their Businesswoman of the Year.  Mary is a black belt in karate and is now pursuing her third degree black belt!
• Both Elizabeth and Amanda met during their tours with the UP! With People troupe in the 1970′s!
• You’ve got to check out here! TV’s DL Chronicles!  The creators of this show are two 30 year old gay men who’ve been together 10 years.  The Chronicles will open your eyes to the entire ‘Down Low’ story, instead of the narrow and negative one you’ve probably heard about.
• NGLCC is getting ready to launch a business networking site called BIZ!

In addition…

• Tropical Storm Barry kept the skies grey and the ground wet, but, hey, I live in Florida and I didn’t miss the sun!
• South Beach is as cool (or, on the day I visited, as hot and steamy) as ever.
• Love bugs are really nasty to a car’s paint job!

Okay, I’ll say more about the conference when I have a chance to upload some of the pictures and catch up on my rest, so, stay tuned!

Barb Elgin

There is a clever, national event being planned that you might want to learn more about. An event, my colleague, Justin Nelson, over at the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, says is unlikely to be successful because of logistics AND could actually be a detriment to GLBT businesses that close down for the day to participate. He’s also concerned that a “failed boycott would send the wrong message on economic clout and community solidarity, not to mention asking LGBT business owners to close their doors only diminishes their returns.”

What do you think? Is it safer for purchasers to participate? Can you afford to be absent from work that day to participate? Would you be in danger of losing your job and if so, how does that affect your decision about whether to participate or not? If you are a GLBT-owned business or business that specifically serves the GLBT community, what is your take on this issue?