Ambassador of the Month: Morgan Miller

The Ambassadors are proud to recognize Morgan Miller as August's Ambassador of the Month.

 

Kansas City, MO | Monday, August 30, 2021 -

The Mid-America LGBT Chamber of Commerce is elated to announce Morgan Miller as August’s Ambassador of the Month. Morgan is a kindred spirit that has always been willing to step up and help a fellow Kansas Citian, even when the pandemic directly affected her industry. There is no challenge too big for Morgan to overcome and her ability to pull people together is unparalleled. Over the past 12 months, Chamber leadership witnessed the drive and leadership Morgan possesses as she took an idea and turned it into the very first coalition of the Chamber. The Chamber recognizes Morgan Miller as more than an ally to the LGBTQ+ community, but an advocate, and thanks her for her amazing contributions to our community.

 

Morgan’s idea to create WECo, the Wedding & Events Coalition of the Mid-America LGBT Chamber of Commerce, is not only groundbreaking to the Chamber but aims to revolutionize the wedding and events industry in the Midwest. This Coalition will serve as the first database in the Midwest that will require their wedding and events vendors to take diversity, equity, and inclusion training to earn a certification from the Chamber. In the words of Morgan “no longer will anyone getting married have to worry about whether a vendor will work with you based upon whom you are marrying.” It should come as no surprise that Morgan Miller was awarded the Allied Business of the Year in 2019.

 

Learn More about Morgan...

Morgan received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Photography from the University of Central Missouri in 2003. Shortly thereafter she started working as an Assistant to the Photographers and Stylists at Hallmark Cards. This was an amazing experience for Morgan and her experience at Hallmark was like paid Grad School. Before going full time into the wedding industry, she worked in the independent film scene and still does (BTS) behind-the-scenes photography now and again.

 

Morgan joined the Chamber 5 years ago and has been an Ambassador for 3 or 4 years. ..but honestly can't remember because she claims “the time has just flown by.” In 2019 Morgan was awarded one of the Chamber’s most prestigious recognitions, the Allied Business of the Year award. Outside of the Ambassadors, she currently sits on the Membership Committee and is the founder of WECo the new Wedding and Events Coalition mentioned above.

 

Why did you join the chamber or get involved if your organization was already a member?

Working in the wedding industry for the past 18 years, I saw firsthand how the LGBT community needed allies and advocates for marriage equality. Prior to 2015, I was shipped all over the country for my client’s weddings. It wasn't that they always wanted a destination wedding, but for some of my clients it was their only option; as it was illegal for them to wed in their home state. From that moment on I wanted to help amplify their voices and show their love stories.

 

After years of talking about it, being lockdown during the pandemic, finally allowed me the time to sit down and figure it out, and thus The Wedding and Events Coalition was born. I compiled a team of 8 Board Members who all currently work in the Wedding and Events Industry, under the leadership of Suzanne Wheeler and generous help from Steve Hills, Bryce Reeves, and countless others we presented our idea to the Board it was passed unanimously in June. The Wedding and Events Coalition, or WE Co., will be the only database in the Midwest that will have LGBT-friendly wedding and events vendors. We will require the vendors to take Diversity and Inclusion training before they will become Certified by the Chamber. No longer will any couple have to worry about if someone's going to work with them based upon whom they are marrying. It's a really good feeling leaving the industry in a better place than which it was found.

 

Why did you join the ambassador program?

I just love the organization and its members so much, I wanted to get more involved so I could spend more time with this group of people. So the evolution was a natural one.

 

What advice would you give to someone curious about getting involved with the Ambassadors or the Chamber?

Just do it.

 

What benefits have you received from being an ambassador?

I feel like I've gotten to know so many more people this way, not to mention the many job opportunities I've landed by just showing up and networking. I also feel like the Ambassador program has given me space to grow and test out my leadership capabilities.

 

Why do you think businesses should join the LGBT Chamber of Commerce?

Our Chamber is only a few years old, but it's in the top 5 in terms of size in the entire nation. That's something to be very proud of. I also think we do a pretty great job of supporting our members.