The Pride Chamber in Orlando is rolling out an academy for LGBTQ college students and professionals who want to brush up on their business basics in the new year.
The Emerge Business Leadership Academy will meet every Tuesday for two hours, from January through December of 2025.
Classes are small with only 20 to 30 students each and touch on a variety of topics from public speaking and management skills to financial management.
The Pride Chamber’s Vinnie Silber said the goal is to give LGBTQ college students and young professionals the tools and support they need to launch their own business.
“For example, if you're a psychology major and you wanted to open up your own practice, but through your coursework, you're not provided those basic foundational business courses, this would be a program to help you start that process,” said Silber.
Classes are in person at the chamber and the program will also provide participants with access to Pride Chamber events, including opportunities to find mentors and to network in an LGBTQ-friendly environment.
“This will give them a foundational introduction to starting your own business, owning your own business, or for somebody who even is in the business world but wants to advance within their organization, but may need a little bit extra to prove to themselves and others that they can do this,” said Silber.
“When it’s over, they can come back to their management and say, ‘Hey, listen, I want to move up. I've taken these courses, here's the certificate of completion. I want to take the next step'.”
Silber said there’s never been a more important time to offer this academy than in 2025, when homophobia and transphobia is on the rise, throughout the country and in Florida. It’s just another way Orlando can continue to be a beacon of hope in dark times for the LGBTQ community.
“You know, we're very fortunate that we live in Orlando, which is very open, very friendly, very accepting. We also have an Orange County mayor that is accepting. So in that aspect, we are very fortunate, but this is our opportunity to show our support for LGBTQ+ and ally individuals who want to go into the business field and be able to have a network of individuals who are in that same family and can be a support system for them,” said Silber.
The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce found LGBTQ businesses face a number of unique challenges including discrimination, barriers to accessing capital, and a shortage of mentors and networking opportunities that are LGBTQ-friendly.
But with support, these businesses thrive. The group found 1.4 million LGBTQ businesses in the US, contributing $1.7 trillion back into the U.S. economy every year.
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