MEDIA RELEASE
Date: June 11, 2020
Contact: Suzanne Brown
Phone: 903.237.4000
Email: sbrown@longviewtx.com
The Longview Chamber is proud to announce they are partnering with The U.S. Chamber of Commerce to host a national townhall on June 25th as part of an ongoing initiative to address inequality of opportunity through education, employment, entrepreneurship, and criminal justice reform. “The senseless death of George Floyd has called renewed attention to the inequality and injustice in America. We stand in solidarity against racism and advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in our society and economy,” said Suzanne Clark, President of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “As a nation, we must address this issue with a robust plan of action.”
“”The Longview Chamber, a nationally recognized 5-Star Chamber, is proud to help the U.S. Chamber of Commerce fully leverage state and national relationships by continuing this dialogue across industry sectors. Inspired by its mission to lead people and lead prosperity, the Chamber will soon announce more information on how to participate in the national townhall meeting.” President and CEO, Kelly Hall, of the Longview Chamber stated “it is up to us as individuals to lead conversations to gain clarity and understanding on how to break unhealthy cycles of inequality.”
These steps will build on many of the Chamber’s recent efforts including the workforce development work around our Career Ready Plus initiatives and our partnerships with area school districts and higher education. The Chamber’s proactive work with Ware Elementary over the past few years is a prime example of how the business community works with vulnerable population segments of our community. We must work together to address the inequities and injustices to prepare our future workforce.
Hall continued, “The Chamber believes that the moral case for greater diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace is indisputable. There is overwhelming evidence that greater diversity benefits the American economy through creativity, innovation, and productive outcomes. At the Chamber, we know what a job means to a family and to a community. We will leverage our expertise and relationships to help develop solutions that will enhance diversity, equity and inclusion in our economic system.” Hall concluded, “We call on all business leaders to join us in creating equality in opportunity for everyone.”
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The Longview Chamber of Commerce (LCC) is regarded as the leading business resource in Gregg County. We are a member-driven organization that regularly assesses the needs of local business owners and executives. Our programs, products and events are created to deliver the strategic business solutions our members need. Our mission is to engage in and promote projects that have a positive impact on the Longview Trade Area.