The Power of Black Women, 365 Days a Year

BY CAPUCINE HOLMES

Women are a force to be reckoned with — rising to new heights, excelling in arenas that had long been dominated by men, and making history every day of the year with strength, determination, and a spirit of collaboration.

The rapid pace of change can be seen at the highest levels of business and academia, where black women are making extraordinary strides: ImeIme Umana became the first black woman president of the Harvard Law Review, a breakthrough that was more than a century in the making; Rosalind Brewer, who had been president and CEO of Sam’s Club, is now chief operating officer for Starbucks; and Janice Bryant-Howroyd founded Act-1 Group — the world’s largest privately-held, black woman-owned workforce solutions company.

Black female entrepreneurs are making a tremendous impact in Las Vegas, too. Women like lke Marie Ray Scott of M.R. Whitsett, Eva Martin of Martin’s Grand McDonald’s, Christy Cason of Cason Travel and Tours, Trina Jiles of Gritz Cafe and Las Vegas Black Image Magazine’s own Kimberly Bailey-Tureaud are inspiring black women across the city with their business smarts and commitment to the community. And you can see their legacy in a new generation of entrepreneurs, like Nik Gholar of SittingPretty702 — a event planning business that launched with the NFL Players Association; and Christian Annice, owner of She’s Got It Network/EON H20 Water Nevada, which distributes alkaline drinking water.

There is also power in the black women running for political office: Regent Allison Stephens, Assemblywoman Danielle Monroe-Moreno, Senator Pat Spearman, Shondra Summers-Armstrong, Sheila Collins, Jo Cato and Laura Perkins.

Every single day of the year, black women are showing who — and what — they are: beautiful, strong, and empowered!