MassLive recently asked readers to identify people who are leaders from the LGBTQ+ community throughout the state, working to make a difference in their own area of interest, be it politics, education, business or the arts.
Profiles of these leaders will be published through the rest of February. These are people our readers have identified as inspirational, who may be doing good acts for their communities. They are being recognized for their accomplishments, leadership and commitment to inspire change.
Thaís De Marco is being named as an LGBTQ+ leader in Massachusetts.Thais De Marco
Thaís De Marco
Age: 45
Community: Works across the state. Lives in Melrose, Brookline
Her story: Thaís De Marco serves as deputy director at the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce, a statewide nonprofit organization powered by hundreds of LGBTQ-owned businesses and the Commonwealth’s largest, most innovative and profitable corporations. Their goal according to the website — cultivate inclusive relationships to drive economic impact.
“LGBTQ+ business owners find it much easier to seek assistance and input from organizations whose stance on our rights is front and center and unequivocal,” De Marco said. “The very purpose of the chamber is to ensure members of our community have access to every resource and opportunity to grow and thrive.”
De Marco joined as a staff member in January of 2020 to lead membership work. Since joining, the chamber has grown from 97 to 518 businesses, with new members joining every week, she shared.
On top of the commitment to LGBTQ-owned businesses, the chamber has kept a close relationship with its corporate partners and offers them the support they need to be better employers and allies. This includes community work through job fairs that give LGBTQ+ job applicants face-to-face time with companies committed to a diverse workforce.
De Marco immigrated to the United States from Brazil, and was born into a multi-racial family. Her grandfather was a photographer. While De Marco didn’t like having her photo taken, she soon came to understand she could avoid the camera’s lens if she joined her grandfather behind the viewfinder.
Soon photography would become a lifelong passion. In 2014, De Marco decided to start her own photography business. At that time, she had been working in economic justice and asset building for low-income and immigrant populations. A facet of one of the programs she ran was small business development, which became helpful when she decided to get into photography full-time in 2017.
De Marco was found by the MALGBTCC in 2018, when she was hired to photograph one of the first events held by the chamber.
“I immediately joined as a founding member with my own business and continued to work with the organization on photography needs,” she said.
In January of 2020, she joined the team “on a temporary basis” to work on a blueprint for membership growth, fully intending to go back to full-time photography. However, she fell in love with the small businesses. In 2024, De Marco is still there now serving as deputy director.
In her words: “Be creative. The best possible answer to a situation, question, or conundrum is often one that has yet to be identified. Find common ground whenever possible, but don’t compromise on your core values. And, most importantly, lead with both your heart and your head, always. That combination is, I think, what’s generally required to make a lasting difference in the world.”
We’re always open to hearing about more inspiring people. If you’d like to suggest someone else who should be recognized, please fill out this form.
