Spotlight On: Stephanie Mahnke, Executive Director, Tennessee Pride Chamber
June 2025 — In an interview with Invest:, Stephanie Mahnke, executive director of the Tennessee Pride Chamber, discussed the challenges and opportunities for LGBTQ businesses in Tennessee, explained its advocacy efforts, and how it supports its community in the face of a DEI backlash. “Despite corporate pushback against DEI initiatives, consumers continue to prioritize spending at inclusive businesses.”
What have been some significant milestones and achievements for the chamber over the last 12 to 18 months?
The most notable achievement was increasing our membership last year by approximately 12%. This was my first year as executive director of the chamber, so it was exciting, and we learned from the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce that we were the only LGBT chamber in the nation to raise our membership last year. This growth occurred against the backdrop of corporate DEI backlash and the politicization of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Despite these challenges, we continued to expand, making it a significant achievement. We now have 525 members, including recent additions such as Kroger. Major corporations are recognizing the importance of inclusivity and aligning with our mission.
Another significant milestone was the release of our Tennessee Pride Travel Guide. This was our first publication, created in collaboration with Nashville’s tourism agency, the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp (NCVC), and a marketing firm. We distributed around 10,000 copies of this guide across Tennessee, with a focus on Nashville. The guide highlights inclusive businesses, allowing travelers and locals to strategically support them.
How would you describe the landscape for LGBTQ business owners and professionals in the state, particularly given the national political outlook?
Our community has been on the chopping block, and LGBTQ professionals and businesses have been under significant pressure since the early weeks of the new administration. We have been heavily targeted, and this is reflected in our work at the chamber. Much of our focus has shifted toward legal compliance and education, as many misconceptions surround DEI. People often fear what they do not understand, so we strive to clarify these concepts.
Legislatively, we have transitioned into a more active advocacy role. We are now at the state legislature every week, addressing laws that impact our businesses. For example, we recently helped defeat HB 884, which would have shut down businesses in Nashville and Middle Tennessee hosting drag performances. These establishments are vital to our community, contributing substantially to the local and state economy. The bill also threatened Pride festivals, which are crucial for promoting inclusive businesses and providing revenue for vendors. Losing those would be a major setback.
While many economic leaders discuss housing, healthcare, childcare, and transportation, the LGBTQ community is still fighting for basic economic equality. Many individuals are unable to access comprehensive workplace benefits or achieve financial stability due to systemic barriers. Our focus remains on addressing these legal and social challenges as it all ties into economic equality because people should have the same chance at being financially stable.
What are the broader economic contributions of the LGBTQ community in Tennessee?
The most recent data indicates that LGBTQ Tennesseans contribute approximately $14.4 billion to the state economy annually. This is a figure that cannot be ignored. Despite corporate pushback against DEI initiatives, consumers continue to prioritize spending at inclusive businesses.
In September 2024, during the peak of corporate DEI backlash, I reached out to major corporations such as Nissan, Bridgestone, Amazon, and Asurion to gauge their stance on inclusivity, especially as some who are backing away publicly may be supporting differently behind the scenes. Each affirmed their commitment to these values, recognizing that failing to foster inclusive environments leads to employee attrition. Replacing employees is costly – up to approximately $8,000 per employee, with even higher costs for executive-level positions – so retaining talent really matters.
What initiatives has the chamber taken to promote LGBTQ-friendly tourism?
The Tennessee Pride Travel Guide was a major initiative, and we are preparing its second edition, set to launch in July 2025, especially as more businesses have expressed interest in participating this year. Additionally, we are organizing an inclusion crawl, which will be a week-long event from June 9-15, highlighting inclusive businesses that will offer discounts or donate a percentage of proceeds to LGBTQ organizations.
We are also running a campaign to increase LGBTQ certification for businesses. If a business is at least 51% LGBTQ-owned, it can obtain this certification, which enhances visibility and opens doors to contracts and partnerships. This effort spans Knoxville, Memphis, East Tennessee, and rural areas, ensuring statewide representation.
The chamber recently launched a legal defense fund. Are there any lessons the chamber has learned from this that might help others?
We launched our legal clinics in 2025 and the legal defense fund. I will say honestly, the majority of the work is supported by pro bono lawyers who have continued to offer support, and many of the participants in the legal clinics are trans professionals, hoping to cut through the confusion. I believe this administration’s current legal climate is intentionally confusing, and there are many discrepancies between federal and state laws. Everyone has questions, and being able to sit down with lawyers to address those concerns has been invaluable.
The Pride festival leaders faced the most challenges with case law, while others had simpler questions, such as, “Can I enter the country again?” We also started legal clinics because we recognized the importance of in-person time with lawyers. We launched one on Feb. 1, and it was incredibly successful. Major law firms signed up, and we had to turn people away because so many lawyers wanted to help. It was a beautiful event where attendees received the answers they needed.
What are the greatest opportunities for LGBTQ-owned businesses and their allies in the current economic climate?
The flip side of being targeted is that it often generates momentum. People get fired up. After the election results came in, we received a surge in donations. Individuals stepped up, wanting to get more involved. The support has been overwhelming.
Recently, I was reminded of why we continue advocating, even when we lose. A mother with a trans son approached me and said, “I know we lost that bill, but when my son saw you all fighting, he knew someone was fighting for him.” That was a powerful reminder that we do not advocate just to win. We do it to show up and demonstrate that we are still fighting. That is our job, and we will keep doing it.
We have also partnered with the Hispanic Chamber because this is not just our issue. It is about fighting for inclusion everywhere. These challenges have strengthened our community, and these moments are great opportunities to connect intersectionally and show that we are still here. Speaking with elders who have lived through previous struggles, many have said, “We have been through this before.” What gives them hope is seeing people channel their history and anger into advocacy.
Looking ahead, what are the chamber’s top priorities over the next few years and what is your outlook for LGBTQ representation and economic influence in Tennessee?
We have a three-pronged strategy to counter the current climate. First, we are heavily promoting LGBTQ-inclusive businesses, ensuring the public knows who is still courageously doing this work. Second, we are investing in employee resource groups. They are the bridge that spreads culture from the middle out, and we want to provide them with the necessary resources despite budget cuts. Third, we are focusing on legal compliance. Cutting through the confusion means clarifying what businesses can and cannot do to avoid discrimination lawsuits. We are ensuring small businesses have access to legal guides and resources.
Regarding the outlook, I remain positive. Corporations, including Target, are reaching out to us, expressing their commitment to continued investment, even if it is behind the scenes. Many are choosing to lay low publicly but are finding indirect ways to support. This is a significant source of hope. We are also seeing new engagement from companies like Kroger, which we had not worked with before, and we are meeting with Costco. Our membership continues to grow, and we are excited about the future.
Right now, we are doing a lot of triage and defense work, but starting in the fall, we plan to shift toward more accelerator programs to actively build LGBTQ-inclusive businesses, and not just sustain existing ones. For example, there are many vendors in the Knoxville area who need guidance on starting their businesses, and we aim to support them.
Additionally, we are launching our certification program for allied businesses in the fall. This will help them gain visibility with contractors and expand opportunities for inclusive businesses. It is not just about minority certifications anymore, we also want to recognize and elevate allies who are committed to inclusion.
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