Future Forward is fast approaching. Inside: everything you need to know before you go, how to lock in the exclusive Alliance room rate at the voco before the block closes, and a first look at the full speaker lineup taking the stage. Plus 35% off your continuing education, a look back at our chapters’ Pride season, a note from President Tommie Wehrle, a warm welcome to our newest members, and the latest news from around the community.

Here's what's in this month's newsletter:

• A note from President Tommie Wehrle
• Future Forward 2026: everything you need to know before Chicago
• Book your stay: the exclusive Alliance room block (closes Sept 24)
• Meet the speakers: the full Future Forward lineup
• Save 35% on continuing education with The CE Shop
• Chapter spotlight: our chapters showed up for Pride
• Welcome our newest Alliance members
• Chapter events across the country
• Reading list: news from around the LGBTQ+ community

As we move into August, I want to begin with one simple phrase: thank you.

I acknowledge every Chapter Volunteer, Chapter Delegate, Committee Member, Elected Officer, Board of Directors, and our dedicated Staff who have given so much of themselves these past years, and this one in particular.

Taking a moment to be proud of all the support for chapters, strengthened relationships within your local and state associations, served your communities, created educational programs/events, and continued moving our mission forward. This all has been done while working with limited resources, balancing careers/families, and navigating challenges that would have caused many organizations to pause. Instead, you have been unstoppable.

We have had to stand strong through some very dark times, never losing sight of the Alliance's purpose, vision, and mission. Your commitment is the reason we continue to move forward.

There is still much to navigate, areas that are in need improvement, while resources are limited, we will continue to do what we can to improve. I know it can be frustrating; I imagine we all have been frustrated too, please remember this, when I took the oath of President, I said: there is no "us versus them." There is no Chapter versus National, because National is all of us. The Alliance belongs to every member, every Chapter, every volunteer, every leader, and every person who believes in our mission. There is absolutely no one in any role within the Alliance who is against anyone else. We may not agree, or align on how something is done, or miss the mark in response to internal issues, but that does not equate to anyone being against you. We are all called to the Alliance for the same purpose, please keep that in mind.  

Many of you have told me that one of the reasons you supported me for President was because I have what you called "a voice of reason." I use that voice to listen, understand all sides, work collectively to resolve, move forward, find solutions that best serve our members, our Chapters, the communities we represent and the Alliance.

For those who have been with the Alliance since the beginning, it's understandable why it sometimes felt as though we had already arrived. Our first National Conference, and conferences, thereafter, were incredible. We welcomed remarkable sponsors, enjoyed an unforgettable event, parties, and notable guests from our Community like Carson Kressley. We celebrated together in a way that made it seem as though we already arrived as a mature national organization. Looking back, I like many now realize we were still in our infancy. Which is why we have had to step back, regain our footing, and in many ways start over. This doesn’t mean we failed, the opposite actually, we are rebuilding this organization from the grassroots up, creating the foundation that will support the Alliance for decades to come. While some things from the past may not have worked as we had hoped, we have learned from those experiences, and today we are building something stronger, more sustainable, and more meaningful than ever before.

As a grassroots organization, we need every one of you. We need to continue growing our membership, expanding our partnerships, and welcoming new sponsors who believe in our mission. To those Sponsors who have stood beside us through every challenge, thank you. We are still here because of your belief, your generosity, and your unwavering support.

Last year we had to cancel, we missed the chance to reconnect as a Community however this year we are full on. It won’t look like conferences in the past, it will be an extraordinary, “Future Forward Business & Networking Conference, where the emphasis is not on entertainment, but on each of us thriving, networking, moving our business and our communities forward.

If you have not yet registered, please do so. We are doing extraordinary work, there will be bumps along the way, however that doesn’t diminish the work, the roles each of us play in this organization. Thank you all again.

Tommie Wehrle
2026 National President
LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance

Future Forward 2026 — the Alliance’s national business and networking conference — lands October 13–14 at the voco Chicago, Downtown Riverwalk, in the heart of one of America’s great LGBTQ+ cities. Two days built for agents, brokers, and industry leaders: main-stage sessions, breakout strategy, an expo hall, a Welcome Reception, and the kind of connections that move your business — and our community — forward.

Here's how the two days shape up:

• Tuesday, Oct 13 — Breakout sessions run 1:00–5:45 PM, followed by the Welcome Reception at 7:00 PM.
• Wednesday, Oct 14 — Breakfast at 7:30 AM, then a full day of main-stage sessions from 9:00 AM to 5:45 PM.

We’ve secured an exclusive room block at the voco Chicago Downtown – Riverwalk, our conference hotel, and our private booking link guarantees the best nightly rate — starting at $289/night. Rooms are held for the nights of October 12–15, so you can arrive early and stay through the close of the conference without hunting for a room downtown.

The block closes September 24 at 5:00 PM CT, and rooms are limited — once they’re gone, they’re gone. To book, register for the conference first, then use the exclusive hotel link in your registration confirmation to reserve at the Alliance rate.

The stage is filling up. Here’s who’s bringing their energy, expertise, and stories to Chicago this October — and this is only the beginning, with more announcements still to come.

Courtney DeMarco   Host & Emcee · she/her

With 30+ years across real estate, title, and mortgage lending, Courtney — known to many as “Keeping Up with CoCo” — is one of the Alliance’s highest-rated speakers. She’ll bring her infectious energy to every moment, from opening session to closing remarks.

Grant Muller   Main Stage · he/him

Keynote speaker, certified high-performance coach, and best-selling author of Top of Heart®, Grant shares science-backed strategies for building the real, meaningful relationships that move business — and lives — forward.

The Real Estate Dolls   Main Stage · she/her

Jamie Zapata and Kasandra Alicea, the viral South Texas duo whose luxury home tours have captured millions of views, are redefining visibility and representation in real estate — and bringing that energy to Chicago.

Camryn Cisneros   Main Stage · she/her

Army veteran and Manager of ONE eXp at eXp Realty, Camryn leads a global portfolio of 16 affinity networks serving 50,000+ agents across 20+ countries — growing eXp’s Pride Network from under 1,000 to 20,000+ members.

Tyler Mount   Main Stage · he/him

Tony Award-winning Broadway producer and founder of Henry Street Creative, Tyler has elevated nearly 1,000 real estate professionals across 14 countries through transformative branding and storytelling — bringing Broadway-caliber engagement and practical marketing strategy to the stage.

Middy Matthews   Breakout · she/her

The REALTOR® who replaced selling with training, Middy brings 30+ years of athletics, coaching, and real estate expertise to redefine how agents build authentic relationships — and to challenge conventional thinking at Future Forward.

Kristine Milkovich   Breakout · she/her

Nationally recognized REALTOR®, speaker, and coach, Kristine is a three-time Inman Community Leader and host of Superpower with Kristine Milkovich, bringing her authentic, purpose-driven approach to leadership and community.

Need to knock out your continuing education? Through the Alliance’s partnership with The CE Shop, you get 35% off all courses — online, self-paced, and available 24/7, with state-specific CE and engaging electives covering everything from fair housing and ethics to AI in real estate, personal safety, and social media compliance.

Use code ALLIANCE at checkout to claim your 35% off. No membership required — the discount is open to everyone, so pass it along to your network, too.

• What Is the State of LGBTQ+ Fair Housing Rights? —  Equal Rights Center
• Bipartisan Bill Introduced to Extend Fair Housing Act Protections to LGBTQ+ People —  National Low Income Housing Coalition
• Over 100 Organizations Launch a Fair Housing Week of Action —  National Fair Housing Alliance
• Protect People. Protect Safe Housing. Protect the Equal Access Rule. —  GLAAD
• Pride Month Reminds Us What Housing Is Really About —  National Low Income Housing Coalition

Alliance chapters are keeping the energy going this August with events from coast to coast. Start the month with the Alliance San Diego Annual Real Estate Symposium on August 6, then join Alliance Minnesota on August 12 for Beat Real Estate Burnout. Alliance Oregon hosts Speed Networking on August 13, Alliance Illinois helps you sharpen your online presence with Get Found. Get Connected: AI Search & Digital Profile Optimization on August 20, and our Referrals to Revenue webinar closes out the month on August 25!

The LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance is a 501(c)6 non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the LGBTQ+ community on their path toward - and the enjoyment of - homeownership.

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