The nation’s first LGBTQ+ co-working community could soon be a reality in the Triangle

RALEIGH – Harmony, North Carolina’s LGBT+ Allied Chamber of Commerce, will now have dual locations in Raleigh Founded and at American Underground.

According to a statement, the organization is moving toward an “ultimate vision: creating the nation’s first LGBT+ coworking community.”

Formerly RBPN, the organization is the official affiliate chapter of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC). The organization operates in the 50 eastern-most counties in North Carolina, and is now seeking a pathway to launch what a statement referred to as “an inclusive coworking community specifically designed for LGBT+ businesses and professionals.”

Such a facility is believed to be the first-of-its-kind in the nation, the organization noted in a statement.

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Here’s the vision

Imagine: an inclusive coworking space. There are offices, meeting rooms, business resources, retail or pop-up opportunities to test ideas, and an event space that could provide a gathering spot for the LGBT+ community and its allies.

That’s how Kade Kimber, the president of Harmony, described the vision for the organization in a statement shared with WRAL TechWire.

But, first, the organization will develop its plans, and conduct fundraising for the space. Already, Durham and Raleigh are among the best cities in the nation for coworking, a recent analysis found.

In the meantime, the organization will be partnered with Raleigh Founded and American Underground. That partnership means that the organization’s staff and board may access both spaces. Members of the Harmony organization will receive a 25% discount under the partnership, for both coworking facilities, and members of both Raleigh Founded and American Underground, which is owned by WRAL TechWire parent company Capitol Broadcasting Company, will also receive a 25% discount on membership in Harmony.

“We could not be more excited to partner with our friends at Raleigh Founded and American Underground,” said Kimber, in the statement. “There is a natural alignment between our organizations that is only going to benefit our respective memberships, each of which embrace and embody the diversity that enriches the Triangle.