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Marquita Thomas
Chamber of Commerce CEO | Diversity & Inclusion Advocate | Connector of Certified Small Businesses
Marquita Thomas is the President & CEO of the California LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, a role that showcases her extensive experience in chamber leadership and advocacy for diversity and inclusion.12
Professional Background
With over 22 years of experience in lead generation marketing and chamber leadership, Marquita has established herself as a prominent figure in the business community.1 Her expertise extends to supplier diversity and LGBTQ business inclusion, areas where she actively advocates and promotes awareness.4
Advocacy and Representation
Marquita is known for her work in representing the California LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce at significant events. In June 2024, she attended the California Diversity Awards in Sacramento, highlighting her commitment to diversity matters and California business.3
Social Media Presence
Marquita maintains an active presence on various social media platforms, particularly LinkedIn, where she frequently shares updates and insights related to her work:
- Her LinkedIn username is indeed marquitathomas.12
- She often uses hashtags such as #representation, #diversitymatters, and #supplierdiversity in her posts, reflecting her focus areas.234
Professional Description
On her LinkedIn profile, Marquita describes herself as a "Chamber of Commerce CEO | Diversity & Inclusion Advocate".2 This succinctly captures her primary roles and the causes she champions in her professional life.
Marquita Thomas's leadership at the California LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce and her advocacy work position her as a significant figure in promoting diversity, inclusion, and LGBTQ business interests in California's business landscape.
Highlights
Exciting progress for LGBTQ+ business inclusion in California! 🌈
Just met with Inglewood Mayor James Butts to discuss including LGBTQ Business Enterprises (LGBTBEs) in the city's procurement process. While Inglewood doesn't currently have such a program, Mayor Butts showed interest in exploring this opportunity.
This initiative builds on our previous success. In 2019, working alongside then-president of Public Works Kevin James, we successfully advocated for LGBTBE inclusion in the City of Los Angeles' procurement process. Now, we're aiming to extend this progress to Inglewood.
The California LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce remains committed to creating economic opportunities for our community across the state. We're eager to work with Inglewood's leadership to develop a framework that supports LGBTQ-owned businesses and fosters a more inclusive economy.
Stay tuned for updates as we continue to push for equity and representation in government contracting!
#LGBTQBusiness #Inclusion #EconomicEquity #Inglewood #California
As Founding President & CEO of the California LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, I'm thrilled to share the success of our inaugural LGBTQ Certification Summit, co-sponsored by the City of West Hollywood
A heartfelt thank you to our exceptional panelists and moderator:
State Contracting Panel: Danetta Jackson, California Department of General Services Chandara P., California Department of Insurance Dalia Demian, Caltrans
Access to Capital Panel: Jamie Winters, Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) Leigh A Kearns, U.S. Small Business Administration Jabari Grant, City National Bank Mark Morales, AmPac Business Capital
Supplier Diversity Panel: Anne Wanjiru Muchiri (MJur), SoCalGas Jeanette Diaz, San Gabriel Valley Water Karyn Son, LADWP
Our event was masterfully moderated by KTLA's Omar Lewis.
This half-day summit provided LGBTQ+ small business owners with invaluable insights on certifications, supplier diversity, procurement opportunities, and business development.
We're committed to supporting and elevating California's LGBTQ+ business community. Thank you to all who participated and made this event a resounding success.
Thank you to Carla Perkins, Lance Dorsey Jr., MBA and Anne Muchiri for participating in our matchmaking session and to LGBTQ-owned and operated Micky's Weho for hosting the after party.
Lunch was provided by Small Bites by Brandi, an LGBTQ-owned and operated small business.
Photos by Jon Viscott, an LGBTQ business owner.
#MinorityContracting #SupplierDiversity #LGBTQBusiness #DiversityProcurement #InclusiveBusiness #SmallBusinessGrowth #EconomicInclusion
