During 2022, our Lancaster Chamber team had the honor of partnering with 10 traditionally underrepresented businesses, to form our first Underrepresented Business Partnership. Historically speaking, our Lancaster Chamber has not had a great deal of BIPOC business owners, women business owners, or LGBTQIA+ business owners. The Underrepresented Business Partnership is an acknowledgement of our past, but more importantly, a necessary step for the present, and an action plan to lead us into the future.

We had the opportunity to learn from these 10 great business leaders throughout 2022, as well as help facilitate a space for a few of these business owners to present to fellow member organizations. We assisted in three ribbon-cutting ceremonies with our 2022 UBP, five of the business owners presented at a Lancaster Chamber event, and we scheduled new headshots with PhotOlé Photography for each business. Additionally, we held our first Hispanic Business Lunch last year, and a member of our 2022 UBP, Aaron Camara of Monarch Enterprises, was the host for this event. Though there are many additional great moments that we experienced last year as a group, our Lancaster Chamber team understands that we have much more learning to do in this space. As we pivot to 2023, we must also mention Timbrel Chyatee, owner of Chyatee, as she went from our 2022 UBP, to a board member of our Lancaster Chamber in 2023!

This year, we are incredibly proud to be partnered with 5 fantastic businesses for our 2023 Underrepresented Business Partnership. We have the privilege of working alongside of Patients R Waiting, Communication Essentials, TPC Media Group, Unique Lancaster Experiences, and we have Beauty By Judelyne with us for a second year, as Judelyne Bataille is serving as a co-lead for this 2023 group. While the number of businesses within our UBP has been adjusted from 10 to 5, we are certain that the opportunities to connect with each of these businesses on a deeper level, will be much more manageable for our small Lancaster Chamber team. Thank you to our DEI Committee, as well as our Legacy Fund supporters for helping make this partnership possible, and thank you to the 15 businesses that have made this UBP idea a reality. In conclusion, we ask that you please walk with us, as we proudly continue our journey of becoming a chamber which is truly representative of its community.

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