Empowerment doesn’t start with motivation. It starts with recognition. Historically, Black women have always been at the center of keeping community and commerce together. Long before entrepreneurship became a buzzword, Black women were selling plates out of kitchens, creating products out of necessity, and building institutions to answer the needs of their communities. This work was never rooted in ego. It was rooted in utility, care, and survival.
Cleveland has long been shaped by that leadership. In the early twentieth century, Edith Wilkins founded the Wilkins School of Cosmetology, transforming it into an international training hub for beauty professionals from the United States, the Caribbean, Canada, and Africa. Her school did more than teach a trade. It created economic independence, community gathering space, and opportunity for women who had few alternatives. Artha Woods, a Cleveland businesswoman, founded the Artha-Jon Junior Models’ Guild, providing young Black women access to professional development, branding, and confidence long before those concepts were mainstream.
That lineage continues today. Here in Cleveland, we are seeing an abundance of Black women opening businesses across food, wellness, beauty, and service-based industries. That’s not surprising given that nationally, Black women are among the fastest-growing groups of entrepreneurs, owning an estimated 2–3.5 million businesses and generating between $60–$100 billion in annual revenue. Their growth is not accidental. It reflects resilience, vision, and an unwavering commitment to community.
What makes this moment powerful is not just the volume of businesses, but the why behind them. In my experience working alongside Black women founders and leaders, I consistently see women operate from a place of purpose and need rather than individual gain. That approach builds trust, loyalty, and sustainability, even in the face of disproportionate barriers.
We see this reflected in the women building here right now. Tynisa Acoff, founder of Food with Purpose, is working to heal the world by creating services that vitalize and revitalize the body. Laura Ashley, owner and CEO of LaJAshley, is a chemist who developed a natural hair care line rooted in science and intention. Ameerah Herbert, founder of Noir Med Spa, is advancing access to care-centered rejuvenation. Robbie Lathan, founder of Ginger and Honey, started the skincare brand alongside her sister and co-founder, Roe Lathan, building it out of their kitchen using natural elements grounded in authenticity and purpose.
These examples matter because the data is clear. As many as 81% of Black-owned small businesses fail within the first 18 months. Every woman mentioned here has sustained her business for 3+ years. That is not coincidence. That is proof that when Black women are properly invested in, intentionally positioned, and supported with access, they sit at the root of innovation and creation.
Empowerment is simply not symbolic. It is intentional. It creates the conditions where creativity can thrive and where access to real resources allows people to grow, scale, and sustain. Don’t let your support stop with the applause. Continue to show up and show out for those who have been showing up for us for centuries.
Black and BIPOC women have always been masters of innovation, and history continues to tell us so. That reality must be recognized with serious intention and sustained investment. When Black and BIPOC women are resourced within systems designed for their success, they innovate, they create, and they build pathways for everything and for everyone to thrive.
