Ask UPLIFT: Black Women Cultivating Change
Owning and operating a small business is a journey. Whether it’s slinging drinks, hiring employees, navigating finances, learning new tax codes, or carving out a space to make your own, each journey is different. UPLIFT is Women of Cincy’s directory of women-led products, services, and businesses. Each month, we ask one or more UPLIFT entrepreneurs about their journeys, and we discover a new business and a new path to entrepreneurship.
This month, we spoke with Ashley Glass of Black Women Cultivating Change about the journey of entrepreneurship.
Why did you start your business?
I started my business during the pandemic. I wanted to create an organization that empowered and uplifted the Black community to advocate for mental health and wellness services and resources. I saw the need both personally and professionally.
There is a huge stigma in the Black community regarding mental health. I want to create safe spaces to not only discuss the challenges in issues we face but also get connected to equitable resources that will help us navigate our mental health challenges and barriers to resources and services that are culturally competent enough to fit the needs of our community.
What are some of the challenges of being a small business?
One challenge is the lack of funding for grassroots organizations, such as my own.
It has also been challenging navigating the mental health space and advocating for the need for preventative services. As a society, we seem to be reactive instead of proactive, resulting in cycles of generational trauma and mental health challenges and barriers.
What do you love most about your business?
I love being able to create relationships with my community. I also love creating safe spaces for individuals and families to gather and discuss health challenges and barriers and find ways to navigate the healthcare system more equitably. I love how creative my community is and how resilient we have had to be to survive. I take pride in identifying as a Black woman and want to do everything possible to uplift my community.
What support systems do you rely on, professionally and personally?
I rely on my close friends, mentors, and fellow nonprofit leaders and colleagues to support me professionally. Personally, I rely on my family and my partner to provide emotional support and encouragement along the way.
What does community support mean to you?
Community support means removing ego and providing resources and services needed so everyone can live a happy, healthy life. And in life, there will be challenges, but when you have the support needed to face those challenges, it truly changes a person's trajectory. Support can show up in many different ways. All types, forms, and shapes of support are needed to push our nation forward as a whole.
Thank you, Ashley! You can find Ashley at Black Women Cultivating Change. You can check out all of our UPLIFT business here.