A Message from our Directors at the Women's Business Centers of Ohio
Good Morning!

Today, on August 22nd, 2019, the Directors of the Women's Business Centers of Ohio, would like to recognize and address Black Women's Equal Pay Day.

The wage gap facing black women and other women of color is about more than money, but also how we value women. It’s a part of a wider set of disparities facing black women in: homeownership ,  poverty ,  access to child care , and the ability to accumulate wealth. These conversations about pay gap need to be taking place in public and addressed in policy discussions. 

If we don’t fix the wage gap, then the only way to fix the wealth gap, is to help black women realize their purpose and then show them how to turn that purpose into a paycheck.

How can we fix it? It’s like Tyler Perry said, “While you're fighting for a seat at the table, I'll be down in Atlanta building my own."

One thing we must realize in building our own tables is that it will take a collaborative, not a competitive  approach to do so. Someone is the designer, someone else is the carpenter, someone else needs to sand it and another to polish it. In short that means we must work together. R emember, another black woman is not your competition, she is your compliment.

At the Women’s Business Centers of Ohio, we focus on cultivating business concepts, providing coaching and technical assistance to encourage and support business longevity, we provide access to capital to start, sustain and grow businesses and we are connectors. We want to ensure that our nascent business owners are incubated with the knowledgeable and skilled professionals at the WBC and ECDI, as well as pairing them with a seasoned business owner in their profession or industry to be mentored by. 

Now is the time to start opening the doors, so that others can come in behind us and come in strong.

Sincerely,

Shaundretta Boykins, Nicole Liatos, and Ella Frye
Directors of the Women's Business Centers of Ohio
Black Women's Equal Pay Day
Why is August 22nd Black Women's Equal Pay Day?
It takes until this day in 2019 (essentially 19 months) for the typical black woman to be paid what the average white man (non-hispanic) was paid in 2018.
On average black women make $0.61 to every $1.00 paid to white male counterparts.
80% of black mothers are the primary or sole breadwinners of their households.
According to the National Women’s Law Center , women of color account for 17% of the overall workforce, but make up 33% of the low-wage jobs.
Closing the Gap
The Women's Business Centers
The Women’s Business Center (WBC), powered by ECDI has blossomed from a program to a state-wide initiative setting the stage to help women break down the barriers that hold them back from creating profitable thriving businesses. With locations in Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, the WBC has helped support hundreds of women. The WBC, is a network of female entrepreneurs providing mentoring, training, loans, workshops, and the resources needed to support a budding business.
1655 Old Leonard Ave.
Columbus, OH 43219
7000 Euclid Ave. Ste. 203
Cleveland, OH 44103
1311 Vine St.
Cincinnati, OH 43202
Spotlight: Latasha Farmer
LaTasha Farmer is owner of, iSalon Plus, a salon offering hair replacement services that specializes in hair loss for medical reasons.

Since joining the Women's Business Center of Northern Ohio, Latasha has been able to scale her business. She went from just making wigs and providing hair loss services to becoming a certified mastectomy fitter offering post-breast surgery products and education to breast cancer survivors. Her revenue has increased double since working with the WBC and ECDI.

Currently, she is waiting on her surety bond, for full accreditation which will increase her revenue stream 4x. iSalon Plus is MBE and EDGE certified, and is going through procurement training to provide services in the medical industry. 

"The WBC has impacted and accelerated the growth of my business by providing funding , education and mentoring services. These services along with the phenomenal staff are godsends and very much appreciated! I almost walked away from my dreams, but thanks to WBC & ECDI I'm just a step away from making them a reality." ~Latasha Farmer, I Salon Plus
Get Involved Today!
Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance.
The WBC is "funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration."
The Economic & Community Development Institute is a Columbus, Ohio-based 501(c)(3) non-profit economic development organization founded in 2004. As the third largest US SBA intermediary micro-lender and a U.S. Treasury designated Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), ECDI's mission is to invest in people to create measurable and enduring social and economic change. Since 2004, ECDI has assisted 12,619 individuals, disbursed over $49 million through over 2,138 loans, and created and retained over 7,581 jobs via our comprehensive suite of programs available through our offices in Columbus, Cleveland, and Akron Ohio. Our programs and services have been supported by over $69 million in federal, state, local and private funds and have proven to spur local economic development. How do we do this? We invest, educate, and innovate with the businesses and people who are inspired and who inspire us.