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Ten years ago, Tammi Wallace helped launch what would become one of the most influential LGBTQ business organizations in the country. Today, as the co-founder, president, and CEO of the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce, she’s celebrating what she calls “a decade of impact” as well as her recent Houston Business Journal cover story.

Wallace brings nearly 15 years of corporate experience at Bank of America and Mellon Bank, a background in grassroots politics (including serving as the chief of staff to former State Rep. Ellen Cohen), more than two decades of LGBTQ community leadership, and entrepreneurial experience of her own. That intersection, she says, is what allows her to see not just the tactical work, but the long game of LGBTQ economic inclusion.

Ten years in, Tammi Wallace sees clearly that the Chamber represents not just connection, but power—something that motivates her to help Houston’s LGBTQ community thrive economically in the coming decades.

OutSmart: What does the LGBTQ+ Chamber’s 10-year anniversary mean to you personally?
Tammi Wallace: We are calling this a “decade of impact,” particularly when you think about everything we’ve been through.

It means resilience. Resilience is in the DNA of the Chamber. Think about the last 10 years: political headwinds, Hurricane Harvey, the Texas freeze, celebrating our 5-year anniversary during the pandemic, then Beryl, the derecho. There’s been literally so much every year.

But we have grown, and grown stronger. We do this for the community. If there’s one thing this anniversary means to me, it’s resilience and always showing up, especially when times are hard. That’s the most important time to lead. This is my “mission match,” and it’s literally what gets me up every day.

When you think back to your first year, what did you not expect?
I didn’t expect everything we would face. We certainly expected political headwinds, but not to the scale we experienced. We’re an LGBTQ+ organization in Texas, so this is what you do—you show up for the community, even when times are hard.

Of all the impact you’ve had over the past decade, what are you most proud of?
Part of the magic we’ve created is a space where people can walk through the door, and that armor we wear every day as LGBTQ+ people just drops. You don’t have to worry about that.

We hold multiple events monthly. At a recent Third Thursday breakfast, we had a record-breaking 163 people in the room. People know they can count on the Chamber. They can show up, be in community, be supported, and be who they are. I’m incredibly proud of that.

Then there’s intentional spending. We’ve worked to educate large companies about reaching back to support small businesses—keeping dollars circulating in our community, which creates economic power.

What has been the toughest moment?
Hurricane Harvey. We weren’t even a year in. We had around 100 members. My co-founder, Gary Wood, and I said, “We’ve got to reach out to every one of them. ‘Are you okay? What do you need?’”

We made our members front and center, and we still have members who remember that the Chamber called them during Harvey.

How has Houston’s LGBTQ business landscape changed?
We’re at tables and sitting in seats and have a voice in places we didn’t before, whether it’s the FIFA Human Rights Committee, the Final Four Strategic Committee, or roundtables with city and congressional leadership. People understand that when it comes to business in this city, the LGBTQ+ Chamber is driving economic impact.

We’ve also created what we call an LGBTQ+ economic ecosystem, which is 577 members strong. That includes corporate partners, small- and medium-sized businesses, professionals, young professionals, and about 55 nonprofits.

What does economic opportunity and equity look like in practice?
It looks like the City of Houston recognizing LGBTBE® Certification. It looks like working with City Council members to create an LGBTQ+ economic empowerment coordinator in the Office of Business Opportunity. It looks like promoting supplier inclusion so our businesses have access to real contracts and opportunity.

Tammi Wallace with Chamber co-founder Gary Wood

The equity piece is an uphill battle. While we are building an economy where everyone belongs, we have a lot of work to do to create economic parity and address economic gaps. But that fuels us to keep going, no matter who is in the White House or the governor’s mansion.

What’s next for the Chamber?
We’re working on a broader economic inclusion model that will expand our ecosystem even further. The goal is driving economic opportunity, closing economic gaps, and building economic power.

Consumer buying power is one example of how marginalized communities move from being marginalized to being recognized as a power. It’s not power for power’s sake. It’s power to move the community forward.

How can Houston’s businesses and allies show up now?
Become a member of the Chamber. We have options for everyone. About a third of our members are allies, and we welcome them.

For more info, visit houstonlgbtchamber.com