Hoboken, Jersey City Empower Veteran, LGBT, Disabled Biz Owners

HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop signed matching executive orders on Wednesday at Hoboken City Hall that will help empower local businesses run by LGBT, veteran and differently abled residents.

According to a news release from Hoboken municipal officials, both cities had previously adopted policies to help support women and minority owned businesses. Wednesday’s executive orders expand upon those to include businesses owned by veterans, members of the LGBT community and people with disabilities.

The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) stated that prior to Wednesday's executive orders, neither city had specific inclusionary efforts for LGBT, veteran or disabled person-owned business entities. However, both cities now recognize such inclusion as a best practice.

According to city officials, qualifying businesses can receive certification from one of various third parties, indicating that at least 51% of the business is owned by a woman, a racial or ethnic minority, a veteran, a member of the LGBT community or a person with a disability.

The NGLCC is designated in the executive orders as the third-party certifying LGBT-owned businesses. Disability:IN is designated as the third-party certifying businesses owned by people with disabilities, Hoboken officials said.

Multiple national organizations certify businesses owned by veterans, including the Department of Veteran Affairs, the National Veteran Business Development Council, the National Veteran Owned Business Association and others, city officials said.

“We are excited to come together as neighboring communities to help empower members of underrepresented groups in the local economy,” Bhalla said. “Hoboken and Jersey City are tied together, with many local businesses having presence in each, and residents of each city often spend a lot of time and resources in the other. Together, we are committed to sending the message that our region is an open and welcoming place to all with equal economic opportunities for everyone, regardless of identity.”

“This is a historic moment for our business inclusion movement and our community,” Fulop agreed. “We’re happy to join our neighboring City of Hoboken in another step forward in equality by signing this executive order.”

Fulop continued:

“This recognition of LGBT, veteran and disabled person communities, who might otherwise be underrepresented as small business owners, promotes intentional inclusion in our city where we aim to represent every one of our residents. These businesses will now have additional access provided to them through partnerships that will provide independent mentorship and leadership training, scholarship programs, development and networking opportunities, and other business development tools. We hope all qualifying businesses take advantage of this unique opportunity to become some of the first in the state to register.”

Jill Houghton, president and CEO of Disability:IN, said that people with disabilities are natural innovators and entrepreneurs, and that equal contracting opportunities will enhance their ability to be self-sufficient."

“Thanks to the leadership of Mayor Bhalla of Hoboken and Mayor Fulop of Jersey City, more diverse New Jersey entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to create jobs and develop innovations than ever before,” NGLCC co-founders, President Justin Nelson and CEO Chance Mitchell said in a joint statement.

“This historic precedent will help push the New Jersey State Senate to pass A3162/S1570, which has already passed the Assembly, to include LGBT, disability, and veteran-owned firms into statewide contracts,” Nelson and Mitchell said. “These executive orders also offer other major cities, including nearby New York City, a replicable framework to expand their procurement and economic development programs, which is a win for every community and every economy. It makes sense that this kind of inclusion is taking off here, as the northeast is one of the largest concentrations of NGLCC Certified LGBT Business Enterprises and LGBT-owned companies, who collectively add to the $1.7 trillion dollars the LGBT business community puts into the national economy. Progressive, inclusive leadership, like Mayors Bhalla and Fulop have displayed, will ensure greater access to the American Dream for every American.”

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Photo: City of Hoboken