LGBTQ Business/Professional Networking @ Renaissance House (Pittsfield, MA)
About this Event
LGBTQ Business/Professional Networking @ Renaissance House (Pittsfield, MA)
3rd Wednesdays, 5:30-7:30pm
247 South St
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Join LGBTQ Business, Professional, & Community Leaders from all over the Berkshires at this special monthly networking event at the Renaissance House, a center for community creativity, collaboration, and empowerment. Besides offering participants the opportunity to introduce themselves, their businesses, and the new offerings they will be launching this spring and upcoming Pride season, we will hear from a panel of real estate experts about what factors are affecting the emigration of LGBTQ people from Boston, NYC, and across the country to the Berkshires, and how economic, demographic, political, and local trends are encouraging some LGBTQ peopl to move to the Berkshires while encouraging others to leave.
We'll also be talking about how to foster conditions that help the most diverse group of LGBTQ people to be able to live and thrive in the Berkshires. The Renaissance House and the community creative endeavors and conversations it fosters are inspired by the Harlem Renaissance and its embracing of opportunity, creativity, and collaboration in art, housing, work, and cultural & economic developmet for all parts of the community, not just those born into privilege.
ABOUT OUR PANELISTS
Keytoria Jenkins is a dedicated public servant and community advocate who serves as a postmaster for a local United States Post Office and is a licensed realtor. Driven by a commitment to guiding individuals through the often-complex home buying and selling process, she became a realtor to ensure that all people—especially those from underrepresented and historically marginalized communities—have equitable access to home ownership as a pathway to financial stability. In addition to her professional roles, Keytoria has contributed to several committees focused on health equity and inclusion for people of color and actively collaborates with local organizations to support revitalization efforts of Pittsfield. Her work consistently centers on fairness, access, and empowerment in both housing and community development. Together with her partner, Keytoria is renovating a 1890s Victorian home in Berkshire County, known as the Renaissance House. This project is envisioned as a vibrant, multi-purpose space for creativity, community, housing, education, artistry, and activism. Through this initiative, she aims to help revitalize the downtown area by uplifting underrepresented voices and fostering meaningful engagement through arts and education.
Dr. Charell McFarland is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker with advanced training in both practice and leadership, holding a Master of Social Work from Howard University and a Doctorate of Social Work from Capella University. She is the founder of Community First Therapy and Consulting, LLC, a mental health agency that provides services across Massachusetts, Maryland, and Vermont while also training master’s-level interns and licensed clinicians. Her work is grounded in a strong commitment to health equity, with a focus on addressing disparities related to socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation. Beyond her clinical and organizational leadership, Dr. McFarland is deeply invested in community development and creative expression. Alongside her partner, she is renovating a 1890s Victorian home in Berkshire County, known as the Renaissance House. This space is envisioned as a hub for creativity, community, housing, education, artistry, and activism. Through this initiative, she aims to contribute to downtown revitalization by uplifting underrepresented voices and fostering meaningful community engagement through the arts and education.
ABOUT THE MONTHLY LGBTQ BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING EVENTS: Berkshire LGBTQ+ business owners and professionals are coming together at a different queer-owned business each month to get to know one another and increase the community’s capacity to respond to political, economic, and demographic challenges that are especially impacting our rural LGBTQ+ community and its businesses. It also provides another opportunity to celebrate new LGBTQ+ businesses and leaders setting up shop in the Berkshires because of the region’s long-term and growing public support of diversity and equity.
The monthly networking events are designed to foster connection, collaboration, and creative dialogue among local LGBTQ+ business owners, professionals, community leaders, and allies. The networking events offer a platform to reflect on the rich history, the vibrant present, and the promising future of LGBTQ+ business in the Berkshires. Each gathering will feature insights on vital topics from LGBTQ+ business owners, entrepreneurs, and allied leaders in the region.
QUOTE: “The Berkshires are becoming a magnet for new business and innovation because diversity is a long-held value in the region AND is good for business,” said Alexandra Eberhardt, Executive Director of the Mass LGBT Chamber of Commerce. “We are seeing LGBTQ+ leaders moving here from more repressive parts of the country because they are not just tolerated, but welcomed. Diversity and creativity are contagious.”
IF YOUR LGBTQ-OWNED BUSINESS WOULD LIKE TO HOST A NETWORKING EVENT: if your Berkshire-based queer-owned business would like to host a monthly networking event, please email Angie Montalvo-Greene or email Bart Church
: Mass LGBT Chamber of Commerce & Q-MoB also offer a monthly LGBTQ Business & Professional Networking Event in the Pioneer Valley
SPONSORS: This event is jointly sponsored by Mass LGBT Chamber of Commerce, Q-MoB, and e, with funding support from the and .
“In this time of tumultuous change, it’s vital that our local LGBTQ+ business owners and professionals come together to support one another and work in solidarity with our many allied businesses, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations to create opportunity and community," said Q-MoB Executive Director Bart Church.
THANK YOUS: The Co-sponsoring organizations are grateful to the following organizations for their strong support of the Berkshire LGBTQ Business, Professional & Community Leaders Networking Series:
- for a Venture Grant to Q-MoB to foster intergenerational collaboration in the LGBTQ community
- , Central Berkshire Fund, & Barrett Fund (North Berkshires) that supports Q-MoB's efforts to build community among LGBTQ business, professional, & community leaders.
- for all their support of new and established LGBTQ businesses in the Berkshires
- , which remains the most comprehensive listing of LGBTQ businesses and organizations in the Berkshires
CARPOOLING/RIDE-SHARE: If you need a ride or are open to carpooling, please indicate that when you are registering, & our ride coordinator will try to match you with people nearby who are interested in carpooling or offering rides.
REACHING US DAY OF THE EVENT: If you have trouble finding us, will be late, or need to cancel the day of the event, please call/text Bart at 413-344-8162
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00
