LGBT Professionals Connect the Dots With 'dot 429'

dot429, a new social networking community designed to help LGBT professionals connect with one another, is holding its inaugural Los Angeles networking event at the Avalon Hotel on March 20 at 11am.

The LA event follows dot429’s launches in San Francisco, Chicago and New York. Celebrity chef Mirko Paderno, of LA’s Oliverio Restaurant, will serve brunch to some of the city’s most connected LGBT luminaries – from financiers to film makers, and designers to doctors.

“Our aim with dot429 is to give LGBT professionals a better way to connect with each other,” says CEO Richard Klein. “Many LGBT people face discrimination in the workplace and in their daily lives. dot429 wants to counteract that through a network of structured mentorships, the creative exchange of ideas, and professional support.”

Historically, powerful LGBT professionals have not had a way to connect with one another easily. Visibility in the work place has only recently become an option for many, and dot429 ushers in the next step of professional networking. It provides an on and offline platform for the LGBT community to connect with one another, and expand their existing circles. “We want dot429 to be both a great place to connect and also a place that stimulates the mind and creates conversation,” explains Chief Creative Officer Sabrina Riddle.

dot429’s signature live events will connect people who have professional goals in common. These events include monthly networking brunches and a series of intimate dinners targeted at specific interests and professions. At first these events will take place monthly in regions with high concentrations of LGBT professionals – like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago – and will then spread nationwide.

dot429 will donate a portion of the proceeds from the LA event to The Trevor Project, a non-profit organization that operates the only nationwide, around-the-clock crisis and suicide prevention helpline for gay and questioning youth.

The site goes live online this month – featuring member profiles, articles written by industry leaders, listings of exclusive networking events, mentoring opportunities, and other ways to connect. The website will be free and open to all members and supporters of the LGBT community. Basic membership will include access to articles, mentoring support, and invites to mixers and parties. In addition, premium memberships will allow greater access to online tools, priority entry to events, and additional benefits for a quarterly fee.

For more information, visit www.dot429.com

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