Sign up for The Advocate's email newsletter. Our operating understanding was that the Thrive event was permissible because of its business and economic development focus. Unfortunately, this evening, we learned that we could not host the event and remain in compliance with the executive order.
We deeply regret having to make this change. It had hosted the first such summit, held last year. Wallace and Gary Wood, founder and president of the consulting firm Integrus Solutions, founded the Greater Houston chamber in Wallace has a full-time job running the chamber now, but she still runs her small business as well, In Focus Strategies, also a consulting firm. Wallace has a background that includes 14 years in corporate America, serving as chief of staff for a state representative, and work with nonprofits.
In the corporate world, Wallace, a lesbian, had to be closeted for much of the time. Far-right forces have put pressure on corporations to end DEI programs as well, and some have done so , but the number of companies with them is at a record high.
Some of the corporate diversity professionals who attended the summit said their companies are considering simply changing the name of the department.
Doing away with DEI initiatives is not only discriminatory but bad for business, she says. When diverse business owners succeed, we all succeed, and our economy wins.
