The 2021 Global Icons
Celebrating women across the Diaspora who are INSPIRATIONAL, COURAGEOUS/CONFIDENT, ORIGINAL & NECESSARY.
My name is Ekene Ajene Onu, The Iconic Woman’s Coach.
My goal with this list of 100 Global Icons is to celebrate the efforts of all these women but also to allow us all to be inspired and encouraged to rise into our own Iconic selves as we read their stories.
To each of the women on this list, I say a heartfelt Thank You! For all that you do, thank you!
Ayanna Presley
Ayanna Soyini Pressley is an American politician who has been serving as the U.S. Representative for Massachusetts's 7th congressional district since 2019. Her district includes the northern three-quarters of Boston, most of Cambridge, and parts of Milton, as well as all of Chelsea, Everett, Randolph, and Somerville.
As a member of the Democratic Party, she ran unopposed in the general election defeating the ten-term incumbent in the primary election. She was the first black woman elected to the Boston City Council and to be elected to Congress from Massachusetts.
She raised the bar on confidence and courage high when she made public her struggles with alopecia in a video for The Root. She said "I am making peace with having alopecia, I am very early in my alopecia journey but I'm making progress every day. It's about self-agency, it's about power, it's about acceptance."
She inspires us on all levels. Her confidence, her courage, her tenacity, and her honesty are some of our favorite things about her.
Aba Kwawu
When she began to make plans for her life, she had planned for a future in Medicine, one that perfectly fit into the dreams her Ghanaian immigrant parents had for her. Thus, following her graduation from the University of Pittsburgh in 1997, she moved to Georgetown and began a career in Genetic Studies at the Lombardi Cancer Center. However, she had a deeper passion for working in Fashion, so she worked part-time at Benetton to satisfy this passion.
Soon, her career in science left her feeling overwhelmed, and she left it to apply for Grad school in London. Despite her family’s displeasure at this turn of events, she went on to get an MA in Fashion Marketing, and Business, and her family came around.
For the next couple of years, she began to put in the work that built the TAA PR brand, a lifestyle public relations, marketing, and special events firm specializing in fashion, hospitality, entertainment, and design. Since the agency’s inception, it has set the standard for results-oriented strategic communications, experiential marketing, branding, market research, and social media services for new and established clients. Over the last 13 years, the agency has built an impressive track record of representing the highest-profile fashion retailers, award-winning restaurants, boutique hotels, culture and lifestyle purveyors, and upscale event productions.
Aba is the recent Regional Director for the Fashion Group International of Greater Washington, DC. The Fashion Group International is a global, non-profit, professional organization with 5500 members in the fashion industry, including apparel, accessories, beauty, and home.
Aba’s work is necessary as she has steadily grown her team to match the top-notch work her company delivers, and she describes her staff as gracious ladies who work hard. She is a reminder that women-filled spaces do not have to be confrontational; she says, “There are no huge egos here. No one is vying for their name in lights. I could care less about that. We just love doing really interesting projects. Nice girls do win! I always say that to them. Let your work and reputation precede you.”
Alex Elle
Alexandra Elle is an author, podcaster, certified breathwork coach, and writing-to-heal facilitator. Her work inspires many to begin their healing process, using writing as an outlet, and through her Podcast ‘Hey Girl’ she spotlights the stories of women across the diaspora.
She is necessary because, in a world where many are seeking how to let go of their pain and trauma, Alex teaches how to process trauma using literature. She is on a mission to build self-care practices and a stronger sense of community through literature and language.
Her relationship with Writing began with therapy as she explored healing through journaling. Writing-to-heal teaches others to find their voices through storytelling rooted in truth without shame. Quarterly, Alex teaches workshops, online courses, and retreats centered around assisting others in finding their voices through storytelling rooted in truth without shame.
Peace Hyde
Peace Hyde is a British Ghanaian education activist, media entrepreneur and motivational speaker.
She is the founder of Aim Higher Africa, a non-profit organization that is focused on providing quality education and entrepreneurship development for unemployed youths in impoverished communities across Africa.
This impactful work saw her shortlisted by Barack Obama as an Obama Foundation Leaders Africa fellow and also awarded with the Africa Social Impact Award at the UK House of Parliament.
She is currently the Head of Digital Media and Partnerships and West African Correspondent for leading business magazine Forbes Africa.
Her name is synonymous with style, womanhood and leadership and we celebrate her today and always.
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford is a Licensed Psychologist, Speaker, Author, Media Personality, and the host of the wildly popular mental health podcast, Therapy for Black Girls.
She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Xavier University of Louisiana, her Master’s degree in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling from Arkansas State, and her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from The University of Georgia.
Her work focuses on making mental health topics more relevant and accessible for Black women and she delights in using pop culture to illustrate psychological concepts.
She is the Founder of Therapy for Black Girls, an online space dedicated to encouraging the mental wellness of Black women and girls.
Her work has been featured in The Oprah Magazine, Forbes, Bustle, MTV, Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Refinery29, Teen Vogue, and Essence. Dr. Joy lives in Atlanta, GA with her husband and two sons.
So often the stigma surrounding mental health issues and therapy prevent Black women from taking the step of seeing a therapist but she developed Therapy for Black Girls to present mental health topics in a way that feels more accessible and relatable.
Emi Mahmoud
Emtithal “ is a Sudanese-American Poet and Activist. In 2015, she won the Individual World Poetry Slam Championship and in 2018 became UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador which saw her travel to refugee camps in Kenya, Greece and Jordan to draw wider attention to the situation of refugees.
She uses grassroots activism to organize, motivate and mobilize thousands towards change across the world.
From refugee, to Ivy Woman, to World Champion Poet and Goodwill Ambassador, Emitithal is unstoppable. Her poetry and incredible experience has been a force that stirs hearts and stirs change in every space she enters.
Her unforgettable voice has been heard at several high-level events including The World Economic Forum in Davos (2020 and 2018), The UN Assembly (2016-2019), Google Zeitgeist and Google Engage in 2018 and 2019.
Jackie Windham
Jackie Windham created the TMW Guasha Healing Technique for trauma survivors, athletes of all levels, professional entertainers, and everyday humans with chronic pain to improve mobility, flexibility, speed, takeoff, and extension and prevent injuries or relieve pain from repetitive daily activities.
Jackie spent fifteen years bodybuilding and muscle training with world-renowned Albert Beckles and subsequently delved into ergonomics education and extensive massage therapy training. She is one of the first certified trigger point therapists in southern California certified by the NAMTPT.
Her work is inspiring as she has helped many people in trauma A results-based, multi-dimensional healer, Jackie was disenchanted with clinical practices who wanted her to withhold healing from her clients in favor of more sessions and money. She created her technique focusing on the physical and emotional trauma stored in the fascia of our bodies which often leads to undiagnosed pain, exhaustion, and immune system dysfunctions.
By intuitively combining certified massage styles, spiritual healing, and traditional Chinese medicine Jackie has curated a thriving practice of love, dance, and healing.
Joselyn Dumas
Joselyn Dumas is a Ghanaian Television Host and Actress. She was a practicing Paralegal in London but relocated to Ghana in pursuit of her dream to be a Television personality.
She made her debut on Television as the host of Charter House’s Rhythmz, an entertainment show where she interviewed celebrities. She moved on to host The One Show that aired from 2010 to 2014 and now has her own show, At Home with Joselyn Dumas which airs across Africa and Europe.
Joselyn’s act in “Perfect Picture” made a lasting impression that led to key roles in several other movies but her unforgettable character as Jennifer Adams in the sensational “Adams Apple” shot her up the list of top tier actresses to work within Ghana and Africa.
As the Founder and CEO of Virgo Sun Company Limited, she co-produced its first movie “Love or Something Like That Which was endorsed by the UNAIDS. Her company keeps working on amazing projects.
Joselyn Dumas is a big believer in giving back to society. Her philanthropic work has seen her participate in a STEM Initiative and also establish The Joselyn Canfor-Dumas Foundation that addresses the needs of vulnerable Ghanaian children and enhances their lives.
Christina Stembel
Christina Stembel is the Founder, CEO, and “Gruntswoman” of Farmgirl Flowers — a socially conscious eCommerce flower company in San Francisco. In 2010 the company was founded in Christina's living room. Her company is rapidly growing at a staggering 200–400% each year.
Christina’s impact is inspiring because she saw an industry with little disruption and enough room for innovation, and she brought a wonderful brand to life. Launching such a unique idea would have also required a great deal of courage, and as she continues to grow the brand, it is exciting to see the more innovative ways she ensures that flower lovers receive the flower combinations they desire.
Dr. Caroline Leaf
Dr. Caroline Leaf is a communication pathologist, a cognitive neuroscientist & the author of multiple books which have helped hundreds of thousands of people learn how to use their minds to detox and grow their brains to succeed in every area of their lives.
Since the early 1980s, she has researched the mind-brain connection, the nature of mental health, and memory formation. She was one of the first to study how the brain can change (neuroplasticity) with directed mind input within her field. Her work is necessary as it has provided many with the tools they need to work on their mental health and other mentally-based disabilities. She is courageous because working with the mind can be a daunting task, but she confidently shows up and does the much-needed work.
During her years in clinical practice and her work with thousands of underprivileged teachers and students in her home country of South Africa and the USA, she developed her theory (called the Geodesic Information Processing theory) of how we think, build memory, and learn, into tools and processes that have transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), learning disabilities (ADD, ADHD), autism, dementia, and mental ill-health issues like anxiety and depression.
Erica Key
Erica’s story is inspiring because she took an idea that a previous boss rejected and created the Eating with Erica brand. Since 2013 she has provided Atlanta with information on all the amazing places to grab a bite, depending on your preferences. Today, she is a nationally-acclaimed blogger & content creator who is constantly searching for new and iconic ways to create her content and share her insight with other bloggers and influencers.
Her love for restaurants and diverse meals comes from a childhood spent with a father who made sure she was well-traveled and a mother who preferred dining out on the weekends instead of cooking. Her family contributed by anticipating her dinner suggestions and encouraging her research on restaurants for their weekly outings.
Erica Key is the editor-in-chief and founder of Eating with Erica. She has worked with Good Morning America, Ciroc Vodka, Draper James, Lexus, Verizon, Samsung, Bath & Body Works, Sephora, Lamarca Prosecco, Double Cross Vodka, and more.
She is necessary because her work, driven by her love for unique dining experiences, brings the spotlight to her community as she helps visitors and citizens discover fascinating out-of-home dining experiences. She courageously goes beyond culture, nutrition, and opinions to show that food unites everyone.
In her words: “My goal for “Eating with Erica” is to expand everyone's foodie horizons, showcase talented, hard-working chefs, spotlight fabulous restaurants, introduce the latest spirits on the market, and provide people with a go-to guide for everything food.”
Danai Maraire
Danai Maraire is a relationship coach, social media influencer, an ex-Hollywood freelance entertainment reporter, producer, blogger, and correspondent living and working out of Los Angeles. She has worked at E! Entertainment Television as an associate producer in the Original Specials department, then at BET as a West Coast producer for their Entertainment News Magazine show "The Black Carpet" when it aired. During her time in Hollywood, she also produced multiple episodes of the behind-the-scenes video program “Access Granted”; she has covered everything from red carpets to music videos.
Currently, she thrives as a relationship guru through Black Marriage Movement, where she talks about love, building healthy relationships, and successful marriages through her live broadcasts.
Funmi Ford
Emmanuella Oluwafunmilayo Ford or Funmi Ford is a unique and creative stylist, lifestyle, and fashion blogger based out of Birmingham. The brand began as an artistic outlet; however, the company took on new heights in 2019 to help its audience discover their unique style as they pursued their dreams.
Fumi Ford is an inspiring woman who started using fashion to connect and make friends as a child. Today she uses it to stand out in a noisy world and teaches others to do the same; this is also why she is necessary. Faith plays a vital role in her brand, and as a Motivational speaker, she also uses words and prayer to help uplift others.
Mala Bryan
Mala Bryan is a Fashion Model and Entrepreneur who is redefining beauty standards in the playroom with her Malaville Dolls, a line of stunning Afro-Carribean Dolls that reflect and embrace the beautiful variety of black people and their unique features. Her dolls come in a range of skin tones and have afro/curly hair which resembles what natural afro hair actually looks and feels like. She has added more diversity in the doll market and her dolls have gathered amazing reviews from children and parents all over the world.
Mala’s experiences in her modeling career informed Malaville Dolls because it was painful in part because she was told to just accept that she would receive fewer castings than her peers because of her skin color and hair texture. Her ability to transmute that pain into a product line that changes that narrative for girls is remarkable and worthy of celebration.
In Mala’s words “Young black girls should love their natural hair and their dark skin and beautiful brown eyes. When one is comfortable in their own skin, there is no limit to what they can achieve”.
Shining the light on Albinism has been one major highlight on her doll line. She created Alexa to disrupt the false myths around Albinism, provide ample representation for kids with albinism while creating a positive dialogue around it.
Her dolls are all about representation and she’s done it excellently.
Nicole Walters
Her audacious move to quit her job while streaming live on Periscope in front of 10,000 people is nothing short of Iconic. Nicole Walters is now a multi-million dollar entrepreneur, renowned Business and Income Strategist, and CEO of Inherit Learning Company.
She is also the host of a podcast focused on entrepreneurship and frequently speaks on the art of business building to audiences around the world. She has amassed over 200 million views from her online content and contributed to publications like Forbes, Yahoo! Finance, and Entrepreneur magazine. She also had a TV show on the USA network with more shows in production. She leverages her humor, her family life, and her down-to-earth, girl next door energy to drive her business with joy and fun.
Indra Nooyi
The story of Indra Nooyi inspires its listeners to do more. She is a role model who rode to the heights as the Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo and the first woman of color and immigrant to lead a Fortune 50 company. She made her mark by transforming the company into one with a long-term vision, vigorous pursuit of excellence, and a deep sense of purpose. In her first sustainability report as CEO, she commented, “When I was a child in India, my mother would ask my sister and me a simple but compelling question: ‘What would you do to change the world?’ Today, I know my answer would be that I want to lead a company that is a force for good in the world. A company that delivers strong financial performance while embracing purpose in everything it does.”
She is necessary because her work and impact have given her a platform to speak on women, equity, inclusion, and evolving the global economy to support families.
Today, Indra is now a member of the board of Amazon, where she chairs the audit committee. She sits on the supervisory board of Philips, where she is also a member of the nominating and corporate governance committee. She is a member of the International Advisory Council of Temasek, an independent director of the International Cricket Council, and a member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. She is on the Dean’s Advisory Council at MIT’s School of Engineering and a member of the MIT Corporation. She also serves on the boards of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the Partnership for Public Service. She has penned her life story in her first book, “My Life in Full: Work, Family, and Our Future.”
Bongiwe Selane
The inspiring Bongiwe Selane is the award-winning producer behind the very popular movies: ‘Happiness is a Four-Letter Word” and “Happiness Ever After.” She has produced several mediums, including commissioned serial content for Africa’s largest pay-TV broadcaster, multiple short films, a feature film, and a documentary series.
Her credits and accolades include Culture Shock, the 2013 SAFTA winner for a ‘best reality show’; Best South African Short Film at The Durban International Film Festival in 2015 for Unomalanga and The Witch, Great Africans – documentary series for Africa Magic Entertainment, and the NFVF’s Female Only Filmmakers Project, a series of 26 short narrative films by women filmmakers. Happiness is a Four-Letter- Word is her debut feature film, released in February 2016. The film went on to break South African box office records, ranking in just over R14 million (over 1 million EUR) at the local box office.
She is an alumna of the Durban Film Mart, La Fabrique Cinema de L'Institut Francais Cannes, as well as Produire Au Sud. In 2018, Creative Europe Media awarded a full scholarship to participate in the EAVE Producers Workshop (European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs).
Andrea and Robin McBride
Growing up, Andrea and Robin McBride knew they wanted to work in the wine industry. 20 years later, they own The McBride Sisters Wine Collection, the largest Black-owned wine company in the United States.
Part of their story reads like a movie, they were raised across the world from one another. Sisters with the same father and different mothers and they each didn’t know the other existed. Somehow planted within them separately was a love for wine from an early age, and they grew up in two of the world’s most iconic wine growing regions, Monterey, California and Marlborough, New Zealand. The sisters connected and created and McBride Sisters Wine was born.
As they started out on this journey, so did their reality as two fierce, female and forward thinking leaders in an industry that is historically defined by tradition and gender. However, like countless groundbreaking women before them, Andrea and Robin saw every obstacle as an opportunity to chart their own path rather than follow the standard formula. They have overcome many challenges including racism and sexism and still they rise.
The McBride Sisters is a business with an in-depth understanding of community as it relates to black people in the world today, and they use their platform to uplift and uphold black culture.
The fun, fab and eco-friendly SHE CAN collection and its related SHE CAN Professional Development Fund was stirred by the tremendous zeal of all women to make their dreams a reality and constantly break down any barriers before them.
Minda Harts
Minda Harts is the CEO of The Memo LLC, a career development company for Women of Color, and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Public Service of NYU’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.
In 2020, Minda was named the #1 Top Voice on Linkedin for Equity in the Workplace and also named one of the top 40 Women Public Speakers by Real Leaders.
Secure The Seat is her weekly career podcast for today’s professional women of color. She has been a featured speaker at American Express, Nike, Amazon, Google, LinkedIn, Universities, Colleges, and various Corporations.
Minda has also been featured on MSNBC's Morning Joe, Time Magazine, and Essence Magazine.
Minda is the award-winning and best-selling author of The Memo: What Women of Color Need To Know To Secure A Seat At The Table. In this memo, she gives insight into the challenges peculiar to women of color in professional settings and tops it off with actionable takeaways. Her approach to this unique subject matter makes her book stand out from the rest. It is a must read for women of color.
In 2018, she was named one of 25 Emerging Innovators by American Express and nominated as a Change Maker at The White House State of Women Summit in 2016. She has just announced her new book, “Right Within” How to heal from racial trauma in the workplace.
There is no doubt that Minda is paving an Iconic path that generations will always remember her for and be thankful.
Kelilah Wright
The Jamaican-born, Brooklyn-bred businesswoman is a trained architect who built an inspiring business from her love of fashion and design. Her brand MESS in a Bottle is inspiring and crafts cool quotes on apparel and other merch.
She is courageous because she creates for entrepreneurs who need to leave a corporate job where they have felt unfulfilled. Working with entrepreneurs looking to bring their dreams to life is never a walk in the park; however, she is willing to help them on this journey and to do this work.
Kalilah is necessary because she is on a mission to help every entrepreneur figure out their MESS by helping them put their visions and ideas to paper. Together, they create a system that would make this vision monetizable. She also connects to her audience via motivational speaking and one-on-one consultation
Tenicka Boyd
Tenicka is a social justice activist, thought leader, speaker and writer on concerns and issues of marginalized communities as she looks for solutions to ongoing problems. A community organizer by training, Tenicka sits at the intersection of activism, progressive politics and culture change, to disrupt systems that continue to marginalize people from the criminal justice system to the movie industry.
She sits on several boards and has appeared on dozens of media platforms, including Fox 5 New York, NBC, and Capitol New York. She has written several op-eds featured in the New York Daily News, the New York Post, Politico, and Crain’s business magazine.
She uses both her left and right brain thinking because she is also fully expressed as a lifestyle and fashion influencer. With over 220k followers on Instagram, her fashion and travel features inspire and bring beauty to the world.
Tera Carissa Hodges
In 2006, Tera launched a faith-based empowerment brand and since then, she has made her mark in the spaces of Media, Sales & Public Relations. She has amassed a wealth of experience, which has allowed and equipped her to host events for personalities like Bishop T. D Jakes during the launch of his book titled “Instincts”. She has been featured in “Black Woman Redefined” amongst celebrities such as Soledad O'Brien, Sherri Shepherd, and her media company LR Global Media Group has won the Walkers’ Legacy Power Award.
Through her Media company, she has coached women, celebrities, public figures, politicians, religious leaders, and other notable figures in many areas,.” including Faith, Media & Business. Also, she takes speaking engagements both at home and abroad through her company. She is fiercely committed to empowering women in every area of their lives and has taught women to face their demons rather than give in to life challenges. Tera has coached over 1000 people from over 25 countries. She is a Philanthropist, a Humanitarian & a woman of God.
Haben Girma
Haben Girma is the first Deafblind person to graduate from Harvard Law School and is also a Human Rights Lawyer who is on a mission to advance Disability Justice and spread awareness on the lived experiences of disabled persons in the world.
President Obama named her a White House Champion of Change. She received the Helen Keller Achievement Award, a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, and TIME100 Talks. President Bill Clinton, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Chancellor Angela Merkel have all honored Haben.
Her work is inspiring and necessary because she believes disability is an opportunity for innovation, and she teaches organizations the importance of choosing inclusion. The New York Times, Oprah Magazine, and TODAY Show featured her memoir, Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law.
Moe Odele
Moe Odele is an international lawyer who focuses on technology, social impact, and Decentralized Finance. She is the founding partner at Vazi Legal, an organization that provides pro bono legal aid to address police misconduct, harassment, and brutality in Nigeria, and Scale My Hustle, a social enterprise that focuses on helping entrepreneurs build better-structured businesses.
Her impact is felt globally as she continuously inspires a generation of young people to set grand dreams and work towards achieving them. She is a major proponent of inclusive finance for women, and has a career that has spanned three continents with a background in private practice, public service, academia, impact investing, and human rights advocacy.
Moe is an international finance and technology attorney with expertise in technology, business, and human rights, innovative financing, impact Investing, ESG advisory (due diligence & integration), and social entrepreneurship.
Nicaila Mathews Okome
Nicaila’s brand “SideHustlePro” is the first and only podcast to spotlight profitable black women entrepreneurs who have scaled their side hustle successfully. Founded by the Jamaican-born, Bronx-bred marketer, it is inspiring because Nicaila understands what it means to take a business from side-hustle to a globally acclaimed brand; as she did this with her brand. Today, she is an entrepreneur with 3+ million podcast downloads to her credit.
In 2016, when she created SideHustlePro, it was a blog post, and she drafted a strategic plan which evolved into the podcast we have today. Choosing to be determined regardless of setbacks, she sourced for and found sponsors for her podcast, tested the waters, and found it was fine to quit her job. Since then, she has built a flourishing career as a full-time Podcaster and Entrepreneur.
She has also taught millions how to draft that strategic plan that turns their sweat into money, and she continues to change the narrative about black wealth by showcasing successful women on her podcast to share their ideas, business stories and ultimately light up the way for others.
Udo Okonjo
Udo Okonjo is a powerhouse of a woman who has built a brand as a sought-after global transformative speaker who helps to ignite and reveal the possibilities, especially about helping women. Her expertise, which lies in female leadership development, financial freedom for women, real estate, entrepreneurship, and business development, is necessary to help many women begin the inner work to become their best selves.
She has a passion for speaking at and engaging on local and global platforms on topics ranging from leadership to the advancement of women in business and more. Udo Okonjo is also a mentor to Africa’s top CEO’s to whom she provides hands-on consulting on personal development, business, and wealth mastery.
Ify Yvonne
Ify, is a pharmacist and also a beauty and lifestyle influencer who has amassed great popularity for her makeup tutorials, fashion advice, personal blogging entries and get ready with me videos. She has more than 90,000 subscribers to her YouTube channel
Even though she has a professional career as a pharmacist, she discovered a new path of success and has taken the social media world by storm through her fashion and makeup tutorials. She is #blackgirlmagic and through her YouTube channel taught women to embrace the beauty and grace that comes with being black.
In this time when lots of people are battling to embrace who they are, Ify Yvonne has stepped up the game with her "black is beautiful" mantra. Her fashion, beauty and lifestyle tutorials teach women to enjoy womanhood with a touch of grace.
Kelly Burton
Kelly is a political scientist, serial entrepreneur and change agent. She is the co-convener at Black Innovation Alliance, a national coalition of ecosystem leaders dedicated to increasing Black access to the innovation economy, she is the founder of Bodyology - a tech-based apparel company dedicated to creating clothes for active women on-the-go. She is the founder of Nexus Research Group, a social impact firm that works with foundations and large-scale non-profits to help them catalyze change in local communities
Most recently, she created Founders of Color, a digital platform committed to help minority entrepreneurs grow and scale their businesses.
One thing all these have in common is humanity and soul! Kelly is always looking for ways and creating avenues to help put people of color and underserved communities on the map.
Dr. Nicole LePera
Trained in Clinical Psychology at Cornell University and the New School for Social Research, Dr. Nicole LePera also studied at the Philadelphia School of Psychoanalysis.
She is inspiring because. While in private practice as a clinical psychologist, she often found herself frustrated by the limitations of traditional psychotherapy and wanted to help her patients find long-lasting solutions to their problems. This led her to develop a united mental, physical, and spiritual health philosophy that helps people develop the necessary tools to heal themselves.
Her work is necessary and is a much-needed paradigm shift because it empowers individuals to break free from trauma cycles and create who they want to become.
Cathy Pedrayes
Cathy is the #MomFriend of TikTok! She is a former scientist turned Lifestyle Expert who uses her understanding of safety and all things Life to provide advice on living safer lives. After sharing a video about the random items she keeps in her first aid kit, she developed the reputation, preparing her for everything from eye punctures to diabetic emergencies. The video reached over 2 million views on TikTok, and the comments flooded with "you're the mom friend of the group.'
She is necessary because her personality trait, which highlights a need to stay safe and keep those around, has led her to help tens and thousands of people learn of ways to protect themselves and their loved ones. Her content includes daily safety, and life hacks that friends could share and parents teach their children. She is inspired by 15 years of Martial Arts training, her Latina roots, traveling to new cities, and living in the USA.
Koshie Mills
Koshie Mills is a thought leader whose mission is to ensure that all Americans of African descent can visit Africa at least once in their lifetimes, especially Ghana, which was the point of No Return for most slaves.
This mission came following a one-month visit to Ghana with her family; it also inspired her global multimedia company and movement, Heirs of Afrika inc, previously known as The Diaspora Dialogues, where she is a Host and an Executive Director.
The company recently held the 4th annual International Women of Power awards show attended by distinguished, powerful & inspiring black women. She is also the CEO of K3PR Marketing Agency.
Angel Anderson
Food is a universal language that unites the world. Angel took her passion for food and transformed it into something iconic and profitable.
Angel is a mother, home cook, activist and educator with a knack for blurring the line between food and fashion and she has used that love for food and life to create a contagious brand.
In 2015, she walked by a vacant storefront with no plan or desire to be a small business owner and decided on the spot to turn it into a spice shop. She didn’t initially recognize that her passion for food would be the path to her purpose - but when she eventually did, it all came together.
Having hosted over 450 free pop up shops for black business owners, this space has become a DC staple for this DC native. Her love for fashionable flavors and natural talent in the kitchen landed her a spot in the Top 40 of MasterChef's Season 8.
Angel brings gourmet, exotic and tantalizing spices, infused oils and other culinary delights to customers in a hip, quaint and comfortable atmosphere. The aesthetics and energy at The SpiceSuite are welcoming, engaging and fun.
She believed in her passion and worked hard to bring it to life. She advises entrepreneurs to “always start now and perfect later. You can start with what you have, even if all you have is a dream. Start small. Scale at a pace that makes sense for you.”
Lola Ogunnaike
Lola is an American entertainment journalist. A former entertainment writer for the New York times, Lola has since worked as a freelance media reporter and the host of Couch Surfing, a celebrity interview series produced by Purple.
Her professional life has seen her work as a key Television Correspondent with international media outfits like the New York times, CNN, MBC, MSNBC, BET, MTV, VHI and Aljazeera.
She uses her interview sessions to motivate her listeners. As a Veteran Media Personality, she has interviewed former First Lady Michelle Obama, renowned actor George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Lupita Nyong'o, John Stewart and Oprah Winfrey. Lola’s career in journalism boldly beacons other black women into the industry.
Representation matters, and with her enviable media career, she has shown a roadmap for women in the entertainment industry, a road map that says "sisters, this is how it's done".
Sade Awe
The result of Sade’s expertise and enthusiasm is the timely development of The Inner Circle Experience. Mingling experience with her greatest passion - the Luxury Industry - Sade has built an organization that, above all, prizes connectivity, collaboration, and excellence the globe over. Luxury is an experience, and Sade has the discerning ability to evoke emotive responses, along with creating practical experiences, for the development of something entirely new: an Experience to propel the elite upper-Luxury Industry echelon of professionals to new heights. This is Sade’s purpose. This is Sade’s passion.
She is inspiring and necessary because her passion birthed an experience that would encourage, pamper and inspire the Industry’s most successful creatives. This Experience has also gone on to help professionals hone their already in-depth knowledge and reveal information that would elevate their businesses to a fresh, astounding level of success.
Audria Richmond
Audria is the CEO and Founder of Uncloned Media LLC, an award winning Brand and Marketing Consultancy for top notch brands who want to command first rate profiles.
With her incomparable formula of innovation, unquenchable creativity and tech-savviness, Audria has helped her clients rake in over $1 million in profits and she isn't done yet.
In 2010, Audria's photography business located at one of Memphis popular streets shut down. In 2012, her second business, a cold pressed juice company crashed too. Frustrated at not being able to sustain her businesses, she tried her hand at corporate America but was severely bullied, her strategies were not appreciated but motivated her, she didn’t give up! She picked herself up, put the lessons learned into practice and founded Uncloned Media, one of the most sought after consultancies in the world today.
She is the ingenious author behind the signature Uncloned Series, a brilliant series on marketing strategy and business success, which has turned into a motivational movement inspiring thousands of business owners.
Her unfailing business strategies have redefined and reawakened thousands of businesses.
Melissa Butler
Melissa Butler is an American Entrepreneur/Founder of the cosmetic brand The Lip Bar. Born and raised in Detroit Michigan, she completed her bachelor’s degree in Business Finance at Florida A&M University.
She started out as a Licensed Stock Broker on Wall Street but did not enjoy the job and decided to start a business. Her frustration with the lack of affordable vegan lipsticks in bright colours led her to create The Lip Bar.
In 2015, Melissa gained mammoth popularity when her pitch for The Lip Bar was rejected and ridiculed by the judges on Shark Tank. However, she wasn't dissuaded. Melissa went ahead to contact potential corporate buyers for The Lip Bar and finally struck gold when she connected with a buyer at Target.
In Melissa’s words, “Everyone deserves to have representation. Without it, we are left seeking validation”. It was her belief in health and inclusion that led her to make lipstick in her kitchen and develop The Lip Bar.
Today, her cosmetic brand is an Iconic favorite, due to its originality.
Arese Ugwu
Arese Ugwu is a Nigerian author, speaker and finance expert. She earned a bachelor degree in Business and Management from Aston Business school Birmingham and a masters degree in Economics Development from University college of London (UCL). Arese is also an alumnus of Lagos Business School, INSEAD Abu Dhabi and the London Business School Executive Education Programme.
She worked in the financial sector for eight years and has successfully risen to the rank of Head of Wealth Management at Partnership Investment Finance. She is in charge of building the company's wealth management division through business development and growing existing customer base.
Arese is also an associate member of WIMBIZ and has been on the planning committee since 2015. Her book series and subsequent TV series “Smart Money Woman” has become must-get content for African girls on a journey to financial freedom".
Her dream is to change the African description of poverty by financially educating this generation.
Rachel Cargle
Born in Akron, Ohio, Rachel Cargle is a public, academic writer and lecturer whose activist and academic work is rooted in providing intellectual discourse, tools, and resources that explore the intersection of race and womanhood.
Her social media platforms engage a community of over 1.8 million, through which Rachel guides conversations, encourages critical thinking, and nurtures meaningful engagement with people all over the world. Her upcoming book, I Don’t Want Your Love and Light with The Dial Press/Penguin Random House, examines feminism through the lens of race and how we are in a relationship with ourselves and one another.
Sarah Jakes Robert
She is Inspiring because, through her work, life & ministry, she redefines how the world perceives the modern woman of faith. She has created messages and movements that have spread globally through her ministry and defied religious, socio-economic, cultural, and even gender-based barriers.
She is Courageous & Original because she went from a 14-year old mother to a woman whose story and work have helped many people redefine themselves. She has the unique gift of connecting with those on a mission to make peace with their past, maximize their present, and deepen their relationship with God.
She is Necessary because she created Woman Evolve, a ministry that focuses on “incubating every woman to her fullness.” Since its creation, it has successfully reached and guided thousands of women towards healing, wholeness, and love for themselves and others.
Samke .S. Mhlongo
Samke Mhlongo is a Wealth coach, and the founder of TNC Wealth Partners, a consultancy specializing in employee financial wellness.
She does this as a financial wellness consultant via face-to-face consultations with individuals on their personal and business matters; as a media commentator on television and radio (she was the voice behind the financial wellness features on Metro FM and Talk Radio 702; and has made guest appearances on local and international media outlets including Channels TV (Nigeria), K24 TV (Kenya) and CNBC Africa); as a writer of various articles and a children’s entrepreneurship workbook; and in the classrooms as a training facilitator.
She has been named United Nations MIPAD Top 100 Most Influential Persons of African Descent, Entrepreneur Magazine Top 50 Black African Women Entrepreneurs to Watch 2018, and Brand SA “Play Your Part” Ambassador
Sophie Morgan
Sophie Morgan’s story as an award-winning disability advocate begins when she was paralyzed in a car crash at 18. Despite how traumatizing the incident was, she adopted and maintained a resilient spirit, and today she is one of the first female TV presenters in the world with a physical disability.
She is radically changing the representation of disability on television - most recently joining ITV’s Loose Women as a guest panelist - she is best known for presenting the London 2012, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
Sophie also fronted her own Channel 4 series Living Wild: How to Change your Life, led ground-breaking documentaries such as Dispatches and Unreported World, and hosted the consumer series Luxury for Less.
Off-screen and on the airwaves, Sophie hosts and is the executive producer of the podcast Equal Too: Achieving Disability Equality. Featuring stimulating conversations around key issues surrounding disability, the series sets new standards for how we think about and discuss the subject.
Her incredible journey from a life-changing accident to one of the most influential disabled leaders in the country is nothing short of inspiring and courageous. She is necessary because her impact and platform allow more persons with disabilities to take on the world in a purposeful and awe-inspiring manner. Her story shows that taking on life’s obstacles and challenges is absolutely possible and bring out the best in us.
Sophie has been voted in the Top 10 of the most influential people with a disability in the UK.
Essie Bartels
Essie Bartels’ journey to spices is inspiring. Beginning in her mother's tiny kitchen in Ghana, she created one of the unique Spice brands out of West Africa, taking the beauty of spice to the rest of the globe as she blended it with her love for travel and exploring new places.
She is courageous because she held on to her dreams as a little girl and built the life she desired, showing a unique space for everyone in the world. Essie plays around with exotic meals and palates, tests cuisines, and practices recipes to create the homemade spices that make up the EssieSpice products.
She is necessary because she creates iconic homemade sauces which take the beautiful recipes handed down through three generations to the rest of the world. She also participates in various cooking seminars, classes, and demonstrations to spread her knowledge to others. She has been featured in several national and international publications, including TIME, Bon Appetit, Food Network, and Shape.
Laolu Onabanjo
Laolu Onabanjo is a travel and food content creator, and the unique voice behind the ‘Bouguelations’ quotes are fast becoming popular on Instagram.
She is inspiring because, through her work, many women are reminded to be ‘Bougie,’ which essentially is to ‘be a woman who moves through life confidently and truly lives on her terms and in her truth.’ She is courageous because despite being aware of the many negative connotations surrounding the word, such as ‘being stuck up or arrogant, she chooses to create more content that reveals the truth about the Bougie woman.
She is original because from her voice to her method of presenting these videos and affirmations, she constantly finds unique ways to connect with her audience of Bougie women. She is necessary because her work increasingly introduces many young women to a world of luxury on a budget, rest, and relaxation. In her words, the Bougielation quotes are “relatable, every day verses to guide people to live their absolute best lives on their terms,” and they often serve as self-care reminders and affirmations for many women.
Dee C. Marshall
Dee. C. Marshall is a highly sought after international speaker, author, executive coach, leadership trainer and CEO of "Diverse and Engaged" a diversity resource firm specializing in developing programs and initiatives to engage, support and develop diverse population.
She holds a bachelor of science degree in Business Administration from Centenary University, a master degree in human services and counseling at Regent University and a PhD on human letters. Prior to the establishment of her firm "Diverse and Engaged" she worked for a decade at wall street for Merrill Lynch, prudential securities, Moody's Inventor Services, Johnson & Johnson. Not only that, she managed one third of advertising sales for over a dozen categories of business at New York times.
Her expertise in creating result oriented programs for diverse populations through her firm "Diverse and Engaged" spells originality. Dee is a united way New York board fellow and certified credentialed coach. Due to her laudable service to women, she has received several prestigious awards which includes; Top 25 black women in business, who's who New York city, NAA IP community service award, Delta women of achievement award, National sales network New York, New Jersey strategic leadership award, National Association of Female Executives Award etc.
She is also a philanthropist and gives her talent and time to numerous major nonprofit organizations such as; The women's center for education, The New York's women foundation, Board of advisors for Rutgers small business development centres etc.
Lauren Martin
Lauren Martin is the author of The Book of Moods.
She is also the operator and founder of Words of Women - an online and physical community created to help other women grow and develop. It provides Edutainment content to its audience, and since its inception, it has transformed the feeds and lives of its 300,000 women followers across Instagram, Facebook, and Newsletter subscribers
Gaynelle Winston White
Gaynelle is the founder of Philthy Ragz a clothing brand that provides an all in one fashion experience for the everyday woman that seeks edgy and timeless fashionable pieces.
She has always been a fashion enthusiast. Growing up, she created fashion shows with her sister in her family’s living room with clothing made of sheets that were mixed with her mother’s clothing much to the amusement of the women at home.
12 years ago, Gaynelle started selling reconstructed T-shirts from the trunk of her car this was a catalyst that launched her into a career in fashion design.
Philthy Ragz has grown into an exceptional clothing brand that broke out of the stereotypical fashion mould to cater to women with curves who seek to make a statement. She saw a void in the market place and filled it in fearlessly.
True originality comes from embracing one's abilities and fulfilling a vision irrespective of every limiting factor. Gaynelle’s brand is a clear illustration of the development of a vision.
Gaynelle's story is empowering and sets every discouraged heart aflame with hope. She just doesn't clothe women with sophistication and allure, her journey also silently pushes and teaches women to never shy away from starting small, a business principle that always stands the test of time.
Stephanie Ogunbayo
At Home with Toyin is the brand run by Stephanie Ogunbayo, a critical care nurse currently working as an ICU travel nurse.
She is a mother, dog lover and content creator whose content heavily centralize the beauty and warmth of family.
Her love for travel led her to launch her travel company Alayo Luxury Travel and she is on a mission to help spread positivity, teach more women to love themselves and enjoy the process of motherhood.
TY Bello
TY Bello is one of Nigeria’s most recognized artists. She came to public attention in the early 2000s as a member of the music group Kush. She has also built a reputation as one of Nigeria’s foremost photographers and is a talented photography collective Depth of Field member.
Her evocative portraits never fail to rouse strong emotions and have made her one of the most applauded and keenly sought-after portrait photographers in the country. Indeed she has the unique distinction of having photographed three sitting Nigerian Presidents.
TY’s creative gift produces engaging yet timeless music. She launched her successful solo album Greenland in 2005 with instant hits like Greenland and Ekundayo. Her Nigerian jubilee tribute, The Future, became what Nigerians prayed for in the 2011 general elections.
TY’s songs and photography–exhibited in Nigeria and worldwide- have earned awards both at home and abroad.
Mo Abudu
The Nigerian media space is incomplete without a mention of ‘Mo Abudu.’ Mosunmola Abudu is a Nigerian Media Mogul, philanthropist, and former Human Resources Manager & Consultant who has been described by Forbes as "Africa's Most Successful Woman" and rated as one of the "25 Most Powerful Women in Global Television" by The Hollywood Reporter.
Her impact is necessary as she has inspired many amazing young people to pursue their dreams in the media space. She understands the power of storytelling, and she saw a need to tell more stories. She courageously created various platforms like the ‘Moments with Mo’ show and the movies where she shared these stories and gave many a platform to tell their stories.
The show attracted high-profile guests such as African Leaders like the President of Nigeria, Mohammadu Buhari; the President of Rwanda, Dr. Paul Kagame; former First lady and US Secretary of State Mrs. Hilary Rodham-Clinton; former Managing Director of IMF Christine Lagarde; former Nigerian Presidents, and Heads of State Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, General Ibrahim Babangida, African Business mogul and Philanthropist Mr. Mo Ibrahim, Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka amongst many other notable icons.
Amin Ameen
Behind the influential name " Everything Na Art" is Amin Ameen. She is a Brand Strategist, Entrepreneur, and Engineer. She is the founder of 'Everything Na Art' and 'Lagos Slow-Motion' two online projects that showcase the beauty in creating art and visuals without limitation.
She left Nigeria at the age of two with her parents and moved to New York where she got a Bachelor Degree in Chemical Engineering and a master degree in Meteorological and Mechanical Engineering.
Her two social media projects reveal that she is a scientist and an artist all beautifully moulded into one. Her media project has helped thousands of people adopt a healthy orientation towards life and it's accompanying struggles. With Everything Na Art, she has taught people that life's most bitter experiences are art works from nature which could be turned into an inspiration, a lesson and a test that could be diligently turned into a testimony
Ukamaka Itemezi - Community Icon
Ukamaka is a community icon nominated by her community for her impact.
She is an HSE Expert, and a multi-talented woman who has taken her multiple skills and reinvested them into helping brands and businesses achieve their goals through Digital Marketing & Graphic Design.
During the peak of the pandemic she ensured that her brand and those of her clients did not suffer.
Michelle Marbie Davies
Infusing her bright smile and happy demeanor into the content she creates, Michelle is an amazing cook, conversationalist, and the life of the party. To her, the kitchen is more than just where the food is prepared, it is also where people can talk, laugh, bond, and create special memories, and the presence of good food just makes it even better.
This caused her to launch Marbie’s Kitchen, where she cooks and she shares some yummy recipes and Marbie’s Musings, her podcast where she makes conversations. Her social media community is a fast-growing one as more people find her smile infectious, her recipes yummy, and her conversations interesting.
Anita Quansah
Anita Quansah is a British African, born in London with roots in Nigeria and Ghana.
Her Nigerian grandmother was a famous textile designer whose designs were worn by politicians, kings, and queens of Eastern Nigeria. Anita describes her mother and grandmother Clara as the world’s best woman from whom she got her special gifts and .”encouraged her to reach for the stars.
To harness her gifts, Anita got a degree in textile design from Chelsea College of Arts and Design, London. Afterward, she worked for several elite fashion houses and,, with courage and creativity coursing through her veins,, launched her brand and has since then gone international.
Anita made a lone voyage to the UK at the young age of 12 to pursue her dreams, armed with nothing but hope and courage. After years of hard work, Anita's brand gained the attention of elite design houses such as Christian Lacroix, Diane Von Furstenberg, DKNY, and many more. That was just the beginning of her success.
Later she gained international recognition in all worldwide editions of Vogue and Elle, CNN, Wall Street international magazine, Essence, and many more publications. Museums and galleries worldwide have also exhibited her works, such as; Museum Volkenkunde Leiden Netherlands, Bead and Art exhibition at the Rietberg Zurich, among others. She has received several awards,, including Accessory designer of the year 2019, Vogue Italia's "who is the next rated " award.
Nedra Tawwab
Nedra Glover Tawabb is a therapist, content creator and author who is committed towards helping people create healthy relationships. Her book "set boundaries, find peace" has therapeutic influence on readers across the world. She is a licensed therapist and a highly sought after relationship expert. She is the founder and owner of the group therapy practice "kaleidoscope counseling".
Nedra has recently been featured in the New York times, the Guardian, Psychology today, Self and Vice and has appeared on numerous podcasts including therapy for black girls. She runs a popular Instagram account where she shares practices, tools and reflections for mental health and hosts weakly Q&As.
Through her sessions, many people have learnt to build healthier and mutually beneficial relationships. Persons with traumatized childhoods have found warmth and guidance through her soothing therapy.
Zim Flores
Zim Ugochukwu is an entrepreneur, activist, CEO and founder of the award winning boutique travel company "Travel Noire".
After earning a B.A in biology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Zim commenced work as a biologist and successfully cloned a gene with similarities to a genetic disorder. A courageous scientific move which earned her mammoth accolade.
Her entrepreneurial exploits have taken her to cities around the world. She has been included in Forbes under 30 list and was named by Glamour magazine as one of the 25 young women changing the world. Zim was also named as one of Oprah Winfrey's super 100 soul leaders.
Zim's travel agency gives us fashion with a touch of class. Her influence on social media platforms has taught many to enjoy life and not just exist. She is also an activist, advocating for women's rights and education.
Amanda Dambuza
Amanda is inspiring because through her work and impact she has presented entrepreneurship to many women in a sustainable light. She is courageous because despite her circumstances, detailed in her books Therefore I Rose and Baked In Pain, she still stands strong as a globally celebrated businesswoman and humanitarian. She is necessary because through her work she prepares a new generation to be brave, determined, and hopeful, she does this through her children’s book A Brave Girl named AYAH, an educational story that tackles various topics and gives hope.
Amanda has interests in Information Technology, Property, and Leadership Development. She is also a Non-Executive Director sitting both on listed and private boards. She is also the Executive Producer and Creator of Vastly Sage Talkshow on YouTube. A highly sought-after mentor, she created Vastly Sage Mentorship on YouTube and the annual Vastly Sage Brunch.
Some of her awards include the 2017 overall winner of the international business woman award, Veuve Clicquot ELLE Boss, having won the entrepreneurship category as well. Amanda was also nominated as one of the top 50 women through Inspiring Fifty 2019, an initiative in cooperation with the Kingdom of the Netherlands, for the most inspiring South African women in the technology and innovation sectors.
Amanda was also nominated for the 2019 Gender Mainstreaming awards as a Positive Role Model. Amanda has done leadership development and speaking engagements for a number of organizations including Discovery Vitality Life UK, Unilever, Air Liquide, Nampak, SHELL SA, SA HomeLoans, Standard Bank, Barloworld, Deloitte, Rand Merchant Bank, South African Reserve Bank, Absa, and Barloworld to mention just a few. In 2019, she was invited to deliver an inspirational talk in Dakar Senegal at the EVE program attended by delegates from over 27 countries.
Amanda has also delivered a keynote address on behalf of New York-based Lumiere Sciences to an audience from 7 countries. She also had the honor of being a guest speaker at the 2019 World Economic Forum tackling the topic of Together We Lead for Mastercard. As a well-rounded leader, entrepreneur, humanitarian and motivational speaker, she is sought after for conferences, summits, and webinars.
ACP Chinonyerem Welle - Community Icon
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Nonye Welle is a Community Icon nominated by her community for her work and impact. She is a highly accomplished police officer, medical doctor & counsellor who currently manages an expertly-run hospital in Abuja. She takes a special interest in caring for survivors of sexual abuse. In both her professional and personal capacities, she has often gone the extra mile to ensure that sexual abuse survivors receive mental, emotional, physical and legal assistance.
She has courageously fought to protect their interests and keep them safe in a country where they are sadly often re-victimized. Through her powerful role modelling of integrity, grace, professionalism and compassion, she is changing the narrative of what police officers represent in the Nigerian society, an example that is deeply needed. She also provides counseling to girls and women of all ages, enlightening them on how to take better care of their health and well-being.
Aminah Abdul Jillil
AMINAH ABDUL JILLIL is the founder and designer at her self-named Luxury Shoe Brand which was launched in August 2012. Her shoes gained global acclaim for being bold, creative, and feminine, and today they have been distributed in over 50 countries.
She began her life exploring other creative outlets, eventually going on to become a professional dancer in Los Angeles, and even performing with artists such as Britney Spears and Janet Jackson. In 2019, she received the ’Accessory Designer Of The Year’ award from ESSENCE Magazine and her designs are entirely unique because she is on a mission to try something different and give her customers some extra creative flavor.
Aminah’s unique bow pumps are special to shoe lovers everywhere, so much so that other shoe brands began to create replicates. However, she has kept the creativity by introducing studded and coin-adorned flats, embellished pumps, among others.
Anifa Mvuemba
Her fashion brand Hanifa was created for women without limits, and she epitomizes this line. During the heart of the pandemic, the brand needed to forego its first New York Fashion Week show in February 2020, however, Anifa was not going to lose her moment without doing something. So, she took hours of design software programs and by May had created a most iconic digital fashion runway - a virtual presentation complete with dress forms that would walk down the runway as if a model was wearing them. This way she launched The Pink Label Congo collection, which was inspired by her Congolese roots via her Instagram Live and it made her a breakout sensation.
Anifa is a courageous and creative woman who saw a problem and took the opportunity to pivot, in her words “[Throughout the pandemic] we saw losses and closures, and for me, it was a survival moment”. Today, the Hanifa brand is has been featured on InStyle, CNN, Forbes, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue & Essence.
Dominique Baker
Dominique is a Canadian-based fashion and beauty influencer with a strong voice in Ottawa’s black community. After launching her blog Style Domination in 2015, she went on to grow a global fanbase and she soon left her career as a Canadian public servant to focus on building a career as a content creator. Dominique's blog has become so successful that she has been featured in Flare magazine, the Ottawa citizen & Ottawa magazine.
Dominique shares her life through beautiful imagery and compelling story-telling that speaks to her fans on a personal level. She’s been featured in The Guardian, Flare, The Kit, and Cityline. She also hosts events for Dress for Success, the Gem Conference, and has been named a United Way Person 2 Know for the past three years.
She is also a Philanthropist who loves to give back to society and she tackles each day with a smile and so much excitement! Her social media has become a rock-sure destination for beauty advice and reviews, fashion, and lifestyle. Her beauty lifestyle blog encourages women to face their days looking their best by making the very best out of their God-given assets as women, a healthy orientation that has helped thousands of women.
Ayo Mairo-Ese
Ayo Mairo-Ese (nee Thompson) is a multiple award-winning Broadcaster, Event Compere and Public Speaker.
She is the co-host of the widely acclaimed breakfast show on Smooth 98.1FM ‘Smooth Breakfast”. She began her career in media on TV with Cool TV in 2014 as a co-host on the popular talk show ‘The Blog’. As part of her duties, she produced content for the daily show.
She went on to co-host a daily news and lifestyle program ‘Hello Nigeria’ on the same TV station (rebranded as WazobiaMax TV) where she had the opportunity to engage notable guests - thought leaders, captains of industry and other local and international high-profile guests.
She has had the privilege of interviewing CNN’s Richard Quest, Hollywood Actor, Eric Roberts, International Gospel Artistes Don Moen, Travis Greene, Sonnie Badu and Nathaniel Bassey. In addition, she has been privileged to interview Dr Frederick Faseun, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, Tonye Cole (Co-Founder Sahara Energy), Tara Fela-Durotoye and Ade Bakare.
Furthermore, in radio broadcasting, Ayo co-hosted the primetime Breakfast Show on 99.3, Nigeria Info FM 'Morning Crossfire' (a 5-hour interactive daily show discussing a cocktail of topical issues including Politics, Economics, Social Issues, as well as Life and Style, with audience engagement).
In 2016, Ayo won The Future Awards Africa Prize for On Air Personality of the year (Radio), the ELOY award for TV Presenter of the year and the 19ROM (Role Model) Awards for TV Presenter of the year.
As an Event Host, Ayo has hosted big-budget events and productions including the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) Awards, Access Bank / Diamond Bank Brand Identity Launch, Annual UBA CEO Awards, Stanbic IBTC’s Arts and The Acts Event (for High Networth Clients), Arise Women’s Conference, Stanbic IBTC Young Leadership Series and the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Awards.
Passionate about women, she serves as a ‘Super Mentor’ for the First City Monument Bank (FCMB) SheVentures program for women in business and is a role model to women and young people serving as an advocate for promoting and empowering Nigerian women, using her media platform to support women as much as possible. She is also a sought-after Speaker at conferences.
During her time at Nigeria Info FM, she was the host and Producer of The Woman – a weekly show that featured women with inspirational and motivational stories. She is an Ambassador at War Against Rape initiative and Founder of Praying Women Circle (PWC).
Mildred Okonkwo
Pastor Mildred co-pastors David City Center (DCC) with her husband Pastor Kingsley Okonkwo. She's fondly called mama by members of the congregation due to the soft spot she has for young women. She is a graduate of English Arts, and International Law & Diplomacy.
She founded "Just Us Girls" which started as a column dedicated to relationships which was contained in the ministry’s newsletter called "Bliss". Overtime, Just Us Girls has evolved into a channel of healing, learning and a channel of hope. Pastor Mildred organizes an annual Just Us Girls'' and When Women Worship conferences to empower women and girls. She's also the founder of "Ruth's gift" a haven for single mums.
Pastor Mildred is an advocate for women and champions
Arian Simone, Ayana Parsons & Keisha Knight Pulliam
Built by women of color for women of color, Fearless Fund is a company that invests in women of color-led businesses looking for pre-seed, seed level, or series A financing. They aim to bridge the gap in venture capital funding to allow women of color founders to build and scale their businesses. Fearless Fund is built by women of color for women of color.
Its co-founders are Arian Simone, Ayana Parsons & Keisha Knight Pulliam.
Arian Simone is the President and CEO. She is a serial entrepreneur, PR & Marketing, specialist, philanthropist, angel investor, and author. She received her MBA from Florida A&M and has over 17 years of entrepreneurial experience: from pioneering and growing a successful PR and marketing firm to founding Fearless Magazine and the Fearless Platform in 2010, with a mission of inspiring millennial entrepreneurial women. Her background has allowed her to foster significant relationships in the entertainment industry with billion-dollar corporate clients such as Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures, Walt Disney Pictures, and more.
Ayana Parsons is the Chief Operating Officer of Fearless Fund. With nearly 20 years of experience as a corporate executive and an organizational consultant, Ayana leverages her expertise in consumer markets, international business strategy and operations, top team effectiveness, board effectiveness, and inclusive talent management to help drive organizational growth and transformation. Previously, Ayana served as the Global Head of Retail, Consumer Goods, and Lifestyle Industries at the World Economic Forum. Ayana graduated summa cum laude with a BS in Management and her MBA in Marketing from Florida A&M University.
Keshia Knight Pulliam is an American actress and producer, known for The Cosby Show (1984), House of Payne (2006), and Madea Goes to Jail (2009). She was previously married to Ed Hartwell. She is an investor who is passionate about seeing businesses created by women of color go on to receive global acclaim and break through the market.
Tabitha Brown
Tabitha Brown’s story of going from a small-town girl from Eden, North Carolina, with big dreams to becoming “America’s Mom” is an inspiring one. She is an Actress and Vegan food Influencer whose popularity has been ensured by kind, loving, honest, and fun personality. Her food review videos have led her to be featured on Ellen, GMA, Sara & Keke, Buzzfeed, Tasty, Now This Food, and Goodful, just to name a few.
She is Necessary because, in a world where people are quick to respond in a cut-throat manner, Tabitha has made it her thing to spread love and light by choosing to express even her displeasure with grace and kindness. Her smile and determination to spread love to all is something admirable!
Natasha Mayne
Natasha Mayne is a Family and Matrimonial Attorney, Founder of The Mayne Law Firm, P.A., and Natasha Mayne Inc., a consulting firm focusing on helping clients unlock their innate greatness.
Dubbed the Vogue Attorney for her taste in stylish, luxurious, fashion, Natasha dazzles and inspires with heartfelt advice and stories to empower, impact and position women to live their best life.
Her principal message is that believing in the Omnipotence of God, living a faithfully confident life while making bold decisions will lead to unbreakable and unshakable greatness.
From hosting and speaking at hundreds of corporate and non-profit organizations throughout the United States, Natasha keeps making great strides and lives a bold, colorful and extraordinary life.
Sai Sankoh
Sai Sankoh is a world renowned Fashion and Luxury Lifestyle Expert. She is also a Personal Stylist, Shopper, Blogger, Media Influencer, Editor, Producer.
She is the Founder of BIAF Media, an online media company that provides its audiences with curated content that covers various niches like the glitz and glamour of Africa, celebrity lifestyle, luxury travel, haute couture and design.
She was inspired by women and men alike who despite incredible challenges launched businesses out of nothing. With sheer grit, focus and passion, Sai founded Because I am Fabulous, an umbrella with a variety of digital platforms that focuses on fashion, travel, and media with the ambitious idea of expanding into physical brands.
She was working as a nurse when she started writing about fashion. While working as a nurse, she began to design beautiful dreamy caftans, sourcing out the finest silks while travelling to exotic destinations.
Sai is very passionate about art, beauty, fashion, design, traveling and, of course, shopping. She blends vintage fashion with contemporary trends with her major inspiration from the Africa.
Her personal style sees her incorporate bold Sierra Leonean traditional elements and a bit of an urban vibe.
Sankoh has been covered by countless international fashion and business media such as Vogue Italia, Essence, The Atlantic, Gawker, WWD, Ebony, Refinery29, NYTimes, Allure and many more.
Patrice Washington
Known as the Money Maven, Patrice C. Washington is the Founder and CEO of Seek Wisdom Find Wealth, a personal finance training and development firm focused on moving you from debt management to money mastery. Her work has been necessary for empowering many with the knowledge they need to become financially healthy.
As the financial voice of the nationally syndicated Steve Harvey Morning Show, she empowers millions weekly. Her timely and well-received wisdom on money matters has featured national brands such as NBC, Black Enterprise, and The Huffington Post. Each year she electrifies tens of thousands as a nationally sought-after speaker at colleges, churches, and conferences.
Elizabeth Marami
Elizabeth Marami is Kenya’s First Female Marine Pilot. She initially studied Law at the University of Nairobi, but later changed course to pursue Navigation in Alexandria, Egypt for 5 years. She was awarded a scholarship to pursue this career.
Entering the industry was not an easy task for her. She was turned down a couple of times , she even considered an office job but she pressed on. She was inspired to continue with her pursuits when she came across an article about Kate McCue, America’s First Female Captain of a Megaton Cruise Ship.
Working in a male-dominated industry has had its challenges for Elizabeth, including earning the respect of senior management as a female professional. She has had those who have accepted her and even helped her become better but she’s been dealt several rejections that stung so hard and made her think of quitting.
She started an initiative for women in the Maritime Industry called Against the Tide. It is an online platform that provides a glimpse into the experiences and travails of a female seafarer, showing both successful and unsuccessful career paths of these gallant women pursuing their seafaring dreams, and how they are charting their path in this profession
She has her own fashion blog where she shares pictures, fashion tips, as well as personal essays.
Elizabeth Marami is charting the path less travelled and breaking gender barriers that have been in place for so long. Her courage has seen her swim away from the waters of comfort to take up a comprehensive and challenging course in navigation.
Melanie Perkins
Melanie Perkins is the co-founder and CEO of Canva, a design software company. During the pandemic, she became the third richest woman in Australia when her software saw global use. Melanie always had an entrepreneurial spirit since her childhood. She started her first business around the markets of Perth, where she sold handmade scarves at the age of 14. After seeing her students struggle with complex design platforms, while she taught basic computer design, she drew inspiration to create an easier and more efficient graphic design platform. Canva was launched in 2013 by Perkins’s, her now-husband Cliff Obrecht, and Cameron Adams in Sydney, Australia, but was met by investor skepticism due to its location.
Canva has attracted 60 million monthly users to its freemium software, with 500,000 teams from companies like Intel and Zoom paying for it. Canva's software enables the creation of attractive visuals for menus, resumes, and Instagram graphics.
She is inspiring because it is her perseverance and determination that has propelled Canva to the height it has attained today. She also acknowledges the importance of giving back to the community, as she and her husband have pledged to transfer more than 80% of their stake to the Canva Foundation for charitable causes.
Jumoke Adenowo
Adenowo has twin parallel careers as an Architect and a Philanthropist.
In 1994 Adenowo founded AD Consulting, of which she is now Principal Partner. In parallel to founding AD Consulting, she also founded and ran Advantage Energy; an Oil and Gas services firm, as well as Awesome Treasures, founded in 1999 an intercontinental philanthropic foundation recognized by the United Nations and part of the Edmond de Rothschild Foundation Family Philanthropy platform with a mission to raise 1000 leaders, Leading by Design by 2030.
In 2019, Olajumoke Adenowo was appointed as Visiting Professor at the Technische Universitat Munchen (TUM) in Germany.
She was honored as a Laureate and a Guest Scientist at the Chair of Theory, History of Architecture, and Art & Design arm of the university's Department of Architecture.
She is an Arbitrator, an author, the host of an 8-year-old syndicated Radio Show, Voice of Change, which reaches over 15 million people per broadcast, and a public speaker.
Nadia Casanova
Nadia Casanova is an Interior designer, YouTuber, and Beauty Influencer. While being a stay-at-home mom, she had always wanted to pursue my passion for Interior Design.
She is inspiring because although it was a tad difficult to break into the Interior design space, she did not relent and proceeded to start a YouTube channel sharing what she loves.
She is courageous and original because although she was never big on social media or had any idea what she was stepping into, she knew she had enough ambition and drive to succeed.
She is necessary because, over the last (3) three years, she has been sharing almost every aspect of homeownership, from what it takes to design and the everyday upkeep of the home. This has proven to be essential for her community.
Dara Treseder
Dara Treseder is a marketing powerhouse! Having worked in executive roles at Apple and GE, and as CMO at Carbon, she joined Peleton, the exercise equipment company, as the SVP and the head of Global marketing and communications in August 2020
As an expert in marketing and technology Dara has been noted for her knowledge and achievements which includes; B2B marketer of the year by the Drum in 2018. Forbes named Dara in it's inaugural "CMO Next'' list which identified 50 individuals redefining the CMO's role and shaping the future of marketing. In 2018, Dara was named by Adage as one of 2018 women to watch. In 2019, she was one of the "30 inspirational women to watch" in tech.
Dara is a champion of public health and women's issues, she serves on the board of directors of the public health Institute and also serves on the North American board of the mobile marketing association.
Amanda Pittman
Amanda is the founder of "a confident woman co" a ministry that equips women to stand confidently upon the finished work of Jesus. She's also an author.
Amanda has successfully combined motherhood, business, academics and a strong pursuit of the things of the Lord. Her three books " love your first year of marriage, reflecting God's beauty and Change" have sold thousands of copies and encouraged many in their marital lives.
Through her coaching program Launch Confident, Amanda and her husband help online business owners gain strategy and systems they need to confidently and profitably launch their products.
Amanda Pittman is a business coach and a spiritual shepherd who teaches us to make money and at the same time make peace with Jesus.
Teri Ijeoma
Teri Ijeoma began her professional career working in education and non-profits. When she started trading stocks eleven years ago, she initially saw it as an opportunity to simply supplement her income. However, she was so successful with this side hustle that in 2017, she decided to quit her job, travel the world, and begin trading full-time.
While traveling, Teri was constantly asked to show others how she successfully traded in the stock market. She set up and taught her first class in Thailand, her second in Vietnam, and had a fully-fledged curriculum created when she returned to the States.
Teri now offers an online curriculum that shares her investing strategies with people worldwide. She also partners with organizations and companies to train and empower individuals to achieve financial freedom and build wealth through investing.
Teri received her Bachelor’s degree in Management Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and her Masters’s in Media and Communications from Dallas Theological Seminary. She was the Grand Champion of Teachable’s 2019 Creator Challenge and featured in Black Enterprise, Yahoo Finance, ABC, NBC, and FOX.
Uche Pedro
Behind the BellaNaija brand is Uche Pedro, whose impact has been nothing short of inspiring for many creative-based businesses in the Nigerian Media space, especially concerning Blogging. Uche Pedro is a social media expert, Nigerian entrepreneur, and media entrepreneur. This makes her work Original and Necessary.
She is courageous because she launched the brand in 2006 with a free Blogspot website to showcase Fashion & Style in the Nigerian space. When she saw the site’s potential, she made a brave move and monetized it. This led to the creation of the flourishing brand we know today.
In 2017, she was honored by The Obama Foundation for a 2-day Summit, which had about 500 civic leaders worldwide in attendance. The BellaNaija team completed the Stanford Seed Transformation Program in the same year, a 12-month program where high potential leaders are challenged to assess their companies’ vision and redefine strategies.
Uche Eze Pedro started with a post-graduation job with Shell Canada, then Cadbury Middle East and Africa Unit in the UK, and finally Cadbury In Nigeria. She is a Nigeria Leadership Initiative associate and a Fellow of TEDGlobal. Uche is also a member of, Board of Directors of LEAP (Leadership, Effectiveness, Accountability, and Professional) Africa, a non-profit organization founded in 2002.
Tonye Oburoh - Community Icon
Tonye Oburoh is a community Icon nominated by her community to honor her expertise and her resolve to help others through a pain she has once experienced. She is the founder of Diabetes Consult and is building a brand to help Afro-Caribbean communities manage diabetes properly. She offers monthly teachings where she invites various healthcare professionals to simplify things for persons living with diabetes.
She does this alongside work and being a mother. She is a source of encouragement to many and she believes in the power of God. She is on a mission to help save many lives because she believes that if she touches one life at a time she can help at least one person.
Ibukun Awosika
Ibukun Awosika is an entrepreneur, motivational speaker, author, mother, and pastor. She is a survivor and has set a standard for young women in Africa.
Growing up, She wanted to be many things, from an architect to a lawyer and an accountant. While studying Chemistry at Obafemi Awolowo University, she desperately wanted to be a Lawyer and did everything to get into Law. When that did not work out, she decided she was going to be an accountant and started attending accounting classes while in the university studying chemistry.
In 2011, She co-founded Afterschool Graduate Development Centre which is a facility established to address the high rate of youth unemployment in Nigeria. She is also the co-founder and former Chairman, Board of Trustees of Women in Management, Business and Public Services (WIMBIZ), a platform that empowers women in business.
Ibukun Awosika hosts a television program titled “Business His Way.” She is also the author of “Business His Way” and “The “Girl” Entrepreneurs”.
Beyond her career success, Ibukun is a pastor at the Fountain of Life Church and she established the Christian Missionary Fund which is dedicated to raising support for Christian missionaries across the country.
Dreams come to pass when we dare to believe in ourselves. Ibukun Awosika believed in herself and today she is a success and she admonishes young people to believe in themselves. She believes that you need to be passionate about your dream because “It takes passion to overcome the thoughts of giving up when faced with disappointments and other obstacles”.
Tara Fela-Durotoye
Tara Fela Durotoye is a renowned Nigerian Beauty Entrepreneur and Lawyer. She is a pioneer in the bridal makeup profession in Nigeria.
She is inspiring because she is the first to launch a bridal directory, set up an international standard makeup studio, and establish the first makeup school in Nigeria that has birthed so many great names in the Nigerian makeup and beauty industry today.
She is courageous and original because, being a role model to thousands of women across Africa, her name, brand, and legacy are synonymous with originality and excellence.
She is necessary because for every woman who has a passion for beauty and makeup, attending the House of Tara makeup School was always a dream come through. The values, strategies, and innovative ideas she has birthed over the years in the Nigerian Beauty Industry have seen her set the pace and clear the path for others to thrive in this profession.
Tina Meeks
Tina is a Mompreneur who truly understands the importance and value of not only having an intimate relationship with God but also allowing his light to shine in every single area of your life.
Her Life Sparkles brand was created to help her connect with more Mothers and create a safe space for them to enjoy life from a warm, funny, and truly personal perspective. She hopes to inspire more women to use their creativity to create an iconic space for themselves in the world; and she hopes they remember even on the tiring days.
Pinky Cole
Pinky Cole is an entrepreneur, vegan restaurant owner, community leader, and positive power in the plant-based space. Pinky’s plant-based journey begins early and has Ital (food celebrated by the Rastafari movement) and Caribbean influences. Her successful restaurant, The Slutty Vegan, opened in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2018.
She is inspiring because, through the concept of food, she believes that people can eat better and even think better of themselves.
She is necessary because, through her work, she validates the importance of community, giving back, and She is currently leading as an activist and strong advocate for plant-based living.
Nomzamo Mbatha
Nomzamo Nonzwakazi Mbatha is a South African Actress, Television Personality, Businesswoman, and Human Rights Activist.
A graduate of Commerce/Accounting from the University of Cape Town, Nomzamo forged a new path when she auditioned for a Television show in July 2012. It was the beginning of major wins in her life.
Her passion, commitment, and hard work have given her roles in Award-Winning Movies and positioned her to host the reality show Holiday Swap on SABC. This year, she made an appearance in the long-anticipated film, Coming 2 America as Mirembe.
She is also a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Refugee Agency. Recently, she has played an active role in raising funds and creating awareness to protect forcibly displaced families against the spread of the coronavirus in refugee camps.
Founder of The Nomzamo Lighthouse Foundation, she shines her light in her home country and abroad.
Stephanie Busari
Stephanie Busari is a distinguished Journalist at CNN. A graduate of French and Public Media from the Trinity and All Saints College in Leeds, and with an Advanced Diploma from the University of Rennes, she leads CNN's Nigeria bureau. She spearheaded the establishment of CNN's first digital and multiplatform bureau.
In April 2016, she was inspired because Stephanie exclusively secured the video that showed that the missing Chibok schoolgirls were still alive. She has constantly used her position to uphold the truth and showcase Africa to the global community.
She is courageous and original because her act of courage to secure video evidence in the kidnap of the Chibok Schoolgirls pushed the government to action and initiated negotiations with the abductors that eventually led to the release of more than 100 of the abducted Chibok school girls.
She also played an important role during the #EndSars protest, which rocked Nigeria in October 2020, where she used her position and voice to amplify the voices of the youth.
As the Supervising Editor for CNN Africa and a journalist with 20 years of experience in global newsrooms, she is necessary because her commitment to research and finding new ways to lead news coverage in the African continent has greatly impacted Africa and the global audience.
Dr. Shefali Tsabary
She is the author of the Conscious Parent.
After receiving her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Columbia University, Dr. Shefali went on to specialize in the integration of Western psychology and Eastern philosophy to allow her to give her clients the best of both worlds for her clients.
She is also an expert in family dynamics and personal development, in which she teaches courses around the globe. She has written four books namely The Radical Awakening, Superpowered, Conscious Parent, and The Awakened Family.
She is daily inspiring people and giving parents the tools to build long-lasting relationships with their children.
Dr. Thema Bryant
Dr. Thema is an associate professor at Pepperdine University and a past President of the Society for the Psychology of Women. She has served for three years as an American Psychological Association representative to the United Nations, where she advocated for Mental Health and Human Rights globally.
Dr. Bryant-Davis was selected as an American Psychological Association representative to the United Nations on a global level. She provided education, advocacy, and monitoring of Member States' mental health policies for three years. She currently serves as the Global and International Issues Chairperson for the Society for the Psychology of Women. Dr. Bryant-Davis was recently appointed to serve on the American Psychological Association Committee on Women in Psychology. She directs the Culture and Trauma Research Lab, which studies the intersection of cultural context and trauma recovery.
Peace Eni - Community Icon
Peace Eni is a community Icon nominated by her community to honor her expertise and her resolve to help brands and businesses achieve their digital goals.
She is a Digital Marketing coach who has helped many SMEs to achieve their goals using digital platforms and resources.
She created a free online training hub and offers mentoring to achieve this purpose and she continuously teaches online entrepreneurs basic and important skills that can help them improve and develop their lives and businesses.
Dr. Taz Bhatia, M.D
What happens when a clinically trained Western doctor decides to research and understand the full scope of healing modalities available worldwide?
Wellness happens.
Faced with personal health challenges as a medical resident in her twenties and a health care system that didn’t make her feel better, Dr. Taz turned to adding Eastern medical wisdom to her medical quiver. What she found was a wealth of information not yet taught in conventional medical schools. These systems of medicine including Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture, Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine with Dr. Andrew Weil ultimately helped her heal herself.
Passionate to share this new knowledge, she opened CentreSpring MD, a nationally recognized medical and wellness practice focused on health transformation.
Dr. Taz and her team prescribe personalized lifestyle, diet, exercise, self-care and relationship strategies to help women uncover their own “superpowers” using integrative, functional, Chinese and holistic medicine. She has appeared as a Medical Expert on TV shows like CNN Headline News, Good Morning America, Host, PBS Special: Super Woman RX with Dr. Taz, Dr. Oz and The Doctors. As a Medical Doctor, she is Board certified in Integrative Medicine and Pediatrics, a Certified Nutrition Specialist, a Licensed Acupuncturist and a Previous Adjunct Professor in Integrative Medicine at Emory University. She has also authored three books: Super Woman RX, The 21-Day Belly Fix and What Doctor’s Eat.
Jasmine Crowe
Jasmine Crowe is the founder of Goodr, a tech-enabled sustainable food waste management company that strives to eliminate hunger and save food from landfills. She is also an award-winning entrepreneur, TED Speaker, children's book author, and a woman on a mission to make the world a better place by reducing food waste and ending hunger.
She has hosted activations in more than 20 US cities and the UK, South Africa, and Haiti and has collected and donated over 2 million items to causes worldwide and fed over 80,000 people through the Sunday Soul Homeless feeding initiative. Through her years of work feeding vulnerable populations, she saw a great opportunity for technology to solve a real problem – hunger.
Under Jasmine’s direction, Goodr has now diverted nearly two million pounds of food from landfills and serves clients, including Atlanta’s Hartsfield Jackson Airport, SAP, NFL, The Georgia World Congress Center, Netflix, and more. The mission of Goodr is simple: Feed More, Waste Less.
Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu
Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu is an attorney and Solicitor of England & Wales with extensive expertise in the financial services industry. She is also a writer, public speaker and political commentator who has been featured on several media platforms.
Dr. Shola is a political women’s rights activist who scrutinizes government policies from a gender and diversity inclusion perspective. She is the Founder of the Women in Leadership Publication, a platform that drives positive change on topical issues that impact women all around the world through personal leadership journeys that are inspiring.
She is committed to impact and promote black and minority women in the legal profession through universities and secondary schools. With She@Law Talks, she shares practical insights that center on entering into and rising in the legal profession whilst breaking down myths that pertain to women especially from her personal experiences in the profession.
Buffie Purselle
A Tax & Personal finance professional with over twenty years of expertise. She is the business of demystifying the world of taxes, personal finance, and small business management with skilled and practical guidance that embodies the sass and humor many have associated with her. She comes from a family of Tax Pros and she is a third-generation tax practitioner so her community is in expert hands.
She is very open and honest with her clients about her failures as well as her successes as a serial entrepreneur. She is passionate about helping women channel their inner fruGAL and constantly reminds her community to “Crawl Before you Ball” which is the title of her soon-to-be-released book.
She is a philanthropist and some of her efforts include being the Vice-Chair of IYAI (Introducing Youth to Careers in Infrastructure). She is also recognized as a highly sought-after national tax and personal finance expert seen on HLN, CNN, and CNBC, and lives by the motto, "If you look for the bad in people you will surely find it," so she chooses to look for the good.
Chef Babette Davis
Chef Babette redefines wellness as she blends food, fitness, and motivational words to help people live healthier lives. She runs the successful Inglewood, California restaurant, Stuff I Eat and produces online cooking classes while participating in health summits and speaking engagements all around the country.
The 70-year-old powerhouse has appeared on many lifestyle shows from Hallmark’s Home & Family to the HBO hit series Insecure. She’s also a published author, featured in the bestseller Juice Guru.
The journey is filled with challenges and opportunities that she’s taken head on each time. She is inspiring and courageous because despite being diagnosed with severe asthma, and eczema, she made the conscious decision to eat for the sake of nutrition and redefine her health. She is proof that there is a power in being intentional!
Camille Wardrop Alleyne
Camille Wardrop Alleyne is an American Aerospace Engineer, Space Scientist, Internationally Acclaimed Speaker, Writer, Educational Leader, and Science Ambassador.
In the highly technical fields of science and engineering where women are in the minority, she is one of the most-recognized women in Aerospace Engineering and one of the few women of color to serve in Senior Technical Management Positions at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). She is the Associate Program Scientist for the International Space Station at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
She studied at Howard University in Washington, D.C. where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with an aerospace option.
When her hopes of working for NASA were delayed after she finished her undergraduate study, Alleyne decided to pursue a Masters from Florida A&M University in Mechanical Engineering with a specialization in composite materials.
Dr. Alleyne’s accomplishments in the field of space exploration have been extraordinary. She has received numerous awards and commendations from national and international organizations including being awarded Outstanding Woman in Aerospace by the National Society of Black Engineers and Distinguished Alumni award from FAMU/FSU College of Engineering.
In 2011, the National Institute for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (NIHERST) in Trinidad and Tobago named her as one of the Caribbean’s icons in Science and Technology.
She is the founder of The Brightest Stars Foundation, a non-governmental organization that is dedicated to educating, empowering, and inspiring young women to be future leaders through the study of science, math, and technology.
Naseema McElroy
Naseema is a Nurse and Financial expert who helps nurse professionals and other persons get off debt and financial struggle.
Naseema overcame her financial ignorance and went on to pay a debt of just under $1 million in two years and since then, she has set out to help many more women in her shoes do the same.
Financial stability has been a running problem in most communities, and in a bid to escape the paycheck-to-paycheck life, people often make mistakes and unrealistic projections. However, Naseema makes use of simple yet realistic strategies to help everyone obtain financial freedom
Selassie Atadika
Chef Selassie Atadika is the creative force behind ‘Mindu’, a brand that celebrates Africa’s cultural and culinary heritage.
She is inspiring because from a young age, she developed a culinary interest, and this has evolved through time spent and meals sampled in the US, Europe, and countless countries in all the corners of Africa.
She is courageous and original because she carefully honed her skill and interest over years of self-teaching in the culinary arts, after which she completed course work at the Culinary Institute of America and became a founding member of Trio Toque, the first nomadic restaurant in Dakar,
She is necessary because she has brought her innovative approach to African cuisine back home to Ghana and has introduced them to Midunu, a nomadic dining concept featuring what she calls New African Cuisine, which aims to create experiences where culture, community, and cuisine interact and create new memories.
Chinwe Esimai
Chinwe Esimai is an award-winning lawyer, trailblazing corporate executive, writer, and speaker who is passionate about inspiring generations of women leaders. She is author of the upcoming book, Brilliance Beyond Borders: Five Traits of Remarkable Immigrant Women Leaders and host of the Brilliance Beyond Borders Podcast.
She is Managing Director and Chief Anti-Bribery Officer at Citigroup, Inc. She is the first person to hold this title in the bank’s history. Prior to Citi, she spent a combined five years at Goldman Sachs in various regulatory risk management roles. She served as a law professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law. She began her career as a corporate associate at LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, LLP.
She obtained a B.A. in Political Science, summa cum laude, from the City College of NY, and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and three
Dayna Bolden
Dayna is inspiring because she is on a mission to inspire and motivate more women to dream big dreams and put in the work to actualize their dreams.
She wants more women to believe and know that their dreams are valid and success is within reach.
She is a Host & Model and the CEO of Bolden Creative Media; she is also a Beauty and lifestyle digital content creator based in Baltimore, Maryland. Dayna enjoys sharing authentic and relatable content with her community, empowering and inspiring them to live and thrive.
Deepica Mutyala
Deepica Mutyala is a South-Asian beauty entrepreneur & businesswoman. She is the founder & CEO of Live Tinted, a multicultural community about beauty and culture.
She has been an on-air beauty expert, YouTuber, and activist collaborating with brands on panels and campaign efforts geared toward minority representation. She has partnered with major beauty houses including Estee Lauder Companies, Coty, LVMH, Unilever, as well as brands outside of beauty including Mastercard, McDonald’s, & Mercedes Benz. She has also been seen in commercials for L’Oreal and Samsung airing during the 2018 Academy Awards.
She is inspiring because, In January 2018, Deepica founded and launched Live Tinted, a digital platform and a beauty product line that explores diverse beauty and creates products for “every shade in-between”.
She is necessary because her platform gives voices and story tells for underrepresented individuals and features their journeys with beauty, culture, and identity.
Codie Elaine
She is the co-founder of Black Love, Inc., a growing media company comprised of BlackLove.com, Black Love’s social and digital platforms, and live and virtual events, including the annual Black Love Summit. She is the NAACP Image Award-nominated director and co-creator of the ground-breaking docuseries Black Love which premiered as the most-viewed unscripted series in OWN’s history and is set to return for its fifth season in 2021. Prior to becoming an independent filmmaker, she worked in feature film development at Fox Searchlight and crafted original events, and supported filmmaking programs at Film Independent, LA Film Festival, and the Film Independent Spirit Awards.
Codie Elaine Oliver began co-creating ‘Black Love’ a docuseries that spotlights the beauty and dynamics in black relationships because she wanted to contribute to the conversation on what was obtainable in her community. Through her work, she has helped more people see the healthy and beautiful relationships that exist in the black community.
Elayna Fernandez
Known for her bestselling books, life-transforming training programs, and highly-acclaimed blog ThePositiveMOM.com, Elayna Fernández is a Latina Storyteller, award-winning Story Strategist.
She is also a certified coach, teacher, and master trainer, who empowers moms worldwide with the mindset to transform pain into peace, power, and positive growth so they can experience happiness, hope, and healing in motherhood and have marketing mastery to succeed in digital entrepreneurship.
Marked by extreme poverty, a dysfunctional childhood filled with abuse, an unspeakable tragedy in her teenage years and several near death experiences, she chose to focus on the miracles she had witnessed overtime which changed her perspective on life.
Today, Elayna continues to write, to teach, and monetize her wealth of experience. Her guidance encourages, empowers, and equips millions of Moms in 134 countries to release their old story, design a new life story, craft and tell their story in a masterful and profitable way so they can increase their influence, impact, and income.
She has been featured on global media platforms and travels the world as an International Inspirational Keynote Speaker and Corporate Trainer for women.
Gloria Mayfield Banks
Gloria Mayfield Banks is an Elite Executive National Sales Director for Mary Kay. Inc, who annually leads her international sales team to multimillion-dollar success. She is a founding partner of Charisma Factor, a corporate event planning company; an author and an internationally renowned motivational speaker, success strategist & sales trainer.
She is inspiring and necessary because, although she was diagnosed with dyslexia in her childhood, she did not let this hinder her education. She graduated from Howard University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, and later from Harvard University with a Master’s of Business Administration.
She has taken advantage of opportunities that have come to her and also learned to overcome obstacles and beat the odds along the way. Now, she inspires people around the world to do the same.
Dominique Brielle Fluker
Dominique is an inspiring woman who is on a mission to show how valuable life can be when we choose to show up. Currently, she serves as the Content Marketing Manager, Business Accounts, SMB Growth at TikTok. She also runs DBF Interiors, an interior design studio that provides affordable and accessible luxury to all who desire it, and it has been featured in Essence, Apartment Therapy.
She is courageous because shortly after graduating with a B. A in Writing & Digital Media from Sarah Lawrence College, she launched her lifestyle blog, Werque Dominique, which aims to help millennial professional women to live their best lives. Through this platform, she has built a solid brand and earned the opportunities to create purpose-driven and multicultural content for iconic publications like ForbesWomen, Glamour Magazine, ESSENCE Magazine, Travel & Leisure, Business Insider, and more. As a culture and entertainment enthusiast, she has interviewed globally-acclaimed personalities such as Robin Roberts, Serena Williams, Regina King, Taraji P. Henson, Issa Rae, Elaine Welteroth, Tia Mowry, MJ Rodriguez, and more.
She is necessary because her work has helped give her the platform to become an established advocate for Diversity & Inclusion within the tech and entertainment spaces. She is often invited to moderate or speak at public functions, a thought-leader in her space.
Whitney Mero
When this Fashion Auntie announces a sale…it sells out in minutes!
Whitney’s entry into the world of Fashion & Style began because she got tired of the clothes her parents chose for her. So, she took matters into her hands, shopped at thrift stores, and eventually deconstructed and redesigned these outfits into some that she found much more appealing.
Soon, she had launched a business making prom dresses for girls in her high school, and today she makes comfortable yet fun and beautiful clothes for the women around her.
Her aim is to ensure that women feel as beautiful in outfits without having to exert so much effort and her outfits have left many women feeling stylish, sexy and absolutely