Women’s History Month highlights the importance of the mission of the Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC), which is to support and accelerate business development and growth, targeting women and serving all diverse business owners, in order to strengthen their participation in, and impact on, the economy. This year, we are reflecting on the momentous challenges and barriers women have overcome during the pandemic and honoring the great successes of women leaders, both nationally and locally.
We celebrate Vice President Kamala Harris, the first woman and first person of Black and Southeast-Asian descent to hold this esteemed office. We are thrilled to see a record 141 women serving in the 117th Congress. We commend Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier and Dr. Jennifer Doudna, the first two women in history to jointly win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Closer to home, we honor all the intrepid entrepreneurs within our network who have not only persevered through the pandemic, but have risen to the occasion, reinventing their small businesses to meet the new challenges and opportunities of today.
While we honor the accomplishments of these change-making women, we are also reminded that our work to achieve gender equity is far from over, especially as we consider the additional barriers faced by women of color. Our commitment to driving economic independence through entrepreneurship for women throughout the communities we serve is unwavering. Economic independence leads to empowerment and enables women business owners to better provide for their families, create jobs, fuel economic growth, and build strong communities.
We urge our network to join us as we reflect on historical progress and continue to advocate for equitable access to resources that allow women business owners to compete on an equal playing field.
