In celebration of Black women who have persevered and broke through the tech industry’s glass ceiling, the Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce hosted its 6th Annual Women in the C-Suite. Four women who beat the odds and operate successful businesses in the seemingly impenetrable technology industry “spilled the tea” and shared their tips and triumphs to a capacity crowd at the London Hotel in Hollywood, California in early November.GLAAACC Chairman Gene Hale welcomed the crowd and said that he and GLAAACC’s Board of Directors created the Women in the C-Suite conference to recognize Black women whose contributions…
Author: Women Community
Doreen Rizopoulos is the national recruiter for the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), an independent federal agency created by Congress that insures deposits at federally-insured credit unions, protects members who own credit unions, and charters and regulates federal credit unions.Born and raised in New York, Rizopoulos earned a Bachelor of Arts and pursued a professional career in financial services. In 2009, she was recruited by a financial regulatory agency to launch a national recruitment initiative and has since served in a variety of recruitment roles at several federal government agencies. Rizopoulos joined the NCUA in 2022 to lead the agency’s…
By Samar Khoury, Brooke Shields may have gotten her first modeling gig at 11 months old and starred in her first film when she was a teenager, but she’s just getting started. In fact, the Endless Love star has been busy promoting confidence in women, operating her business and telling her life story in a gripping new documentary. As Shields’ business states, the beginning is now. Beginning is Now, Shields’ online platform and lifestyle brand, was 58 years in the making as she puts it—it’s her endeavor and her endeavor only. “I just wanted to create a community where we…
As the Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), Cheryl Durst is committed to achieving broad recognition for the value of design and its significant role in society through both functionality and engagement in everyday workspaces and the built environment. Demonstrated by her active involvement in connecting industry professionals, including designers, manufacturers, clients, end users and employers, she has worked to promote an understanding of how design impacts human behavior and affects all aspects of shared spaces. In 1997, Durst joined IIDA as the Senior Director of Education and Professional Development.Today, with 15,000…
Christina Koch has wanted to be an astronaut since she was a little girl. Born in Michigan and raised in North Carolina, Koch held on to her dream and decided to pursue engineering as a way to secure a position with NASA. Now, Koch is not only one of the most integral engineers at NASA and a history maker in space travel, but will make her childhood dream come true in the biggest way possible.In 2024, Koch will join the Artemis II mission— the first Moon expedition in over 50 years. As the only woman on the four-person team, Koch…
By Gayle Martz-In a world that is striving for gender equality, professional women continue to face unique challenges and barriers. However, the stories of trailblazing women who have defied the odds can serve as a beacon of inspiration and provide valuable insights.As a former TWA flight attendant, I found myself facing adversity when my career was abruptly disrupted. At age 37, I was without a job for the first time in my adult life. I didn’t know what I was going to do, and then I had an idea—which actually came to me in a dream—that changed my life forever!The…
Women and minority-owned businesses are often underrepresented and underfunded in the United States. But thanks to some partnership and supplier diversity initiatives taken on by larger corporations, this doesn’t have to always be the case.One of the leading financial institutions in the country, Bank of America, has announced its commitment of more than $500 million in equity investments specifically for minority- and women-led funds, more than double its initial commitment of $200 million.”We work across our company to address critical needs in our communities, including the lack of access to capital that diverse business owners face as they start or…
Every October we recognize Breast Cancer Awareness month and the impact it has, especially on women. In the United States, approximately one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. While there is no cure for breast cancer, there are important steps that we can take when it comes to prevention.The Signs and Symptoms Different people have different symptoms of breast cancer, while some do not have any signs or symptoms at all. It is important to know how your breasts normally look and feel to be able to recognize any changes that may occur. While…
By Bonique Edwards-In the pursuit of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in America, there are systemic obstacles that hinder progress. One such obstacle, often overlooked, is the practice of tipping in the service industry. While tipping is ingrained in American culture and often seen as a method to reward good service, it perpetuates inequity, exacerbates wage disparities and undermines the very principles of equity, which is very hard for many to grasp.Equity is the hardest to achieve in most cases because the penalty can be costly emotionally and financially for empowered colleagues, business owners and corporations. Many are unwilling to…
The lightbulb was created by Thomas Edison, the automobile was produced by Henry Ford and the first practical telephone was created by Alexander Graham Bell. We all know about these male inventors and their creations that are still utilized today, but we hear very little about the women inventors who changed the course of history with a simple idea. Here are some of the women-curated inventions that you might not know: Windshield Wipers While the automobile was changing the world of transportation, inclement weather conditions became a growing problem for daily drivers. After noticing the number of drivers who had…
