I think it’s fair to say 2020 didn’t pan out how we were expecting. But the holidays will be arriving soon, and like most things this year, they’ll look different. Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Festivus will be over Zoom, through the mail, and socially distanced. However you’re celebrating this year, the act of giving – to loved ones and to yourself – is as important as ever.
Read MoreJazzy Sweeties started in 2013. I was working at Children’s Hospital. I was in housekeeping – and I was thinking about what I really wanted to do. I always baked as a child, so it came naturally to me. The first thing I started with was cheesecakes. I did cheesecakes for a holiday, and my mom told our coworker, and then I did an order for her. Before I knew it, I was doing cheesecakes! And then I was like, “Okay, this is a thing, so I need to give it a name.”
Jazzy came from my family. No one ever really called me Jasmine. It was always Jazz, Jazzy, just random names [laughs]. So that’s when I came up with the name Jazzy Sweeties. After that, I started doing pop-up shops, and then I had someone ask me to make a cake. So I tried it, and it took forever to do that cake. By the time I got done with that cake, the party was over. The cake got there, and I was like, “Well, it worked out, I guess, so I’ll try it again.” And then I started doing cakes and cupcakes.
Read MoreThere are many words to describe Cathy Bailey. She is kind and resourceful. She has impeccable fashion taste and she is extremely smart. However, in talking with her over Zoom and in person, it’s easy to see the impetus behind Ms. Bailey’s actions is her fervent dedication to her community. A 28-year veteran of Greater Cincinnati Water Works, she has proven over the years that she is a civil servant to all of Cincinnati. We sat down to learn more about her commitment to her community, her desire to strengthen race relations, and her absolute obsession with Cincinnati water!
Read MoreSkeptical about Facebook romances? Not if you’re Beatrice, the Black lady from Kenya.
You will understand later why this is relevant. For now, let me walk you through Beatrice’s world. She and her husband own Stop N Go, a popular convenience store in Clifton. She divides her time between managing the store, completing her nursing degree, and working as a state tested nursing assistant.
Read MoreSitting on the sprawling front porch at Amanda Sinclair’s charming home in Norwood, Ohio was the perfect backdrop to learn more about the Gem of the Highlands 5k, now it’s third year. As Amanda shared her passion for her Norwood community as well as building bridges among its diverse community members, it was no wonder to me that she felt compelled to launch the annual race three years ago.
Read MoreIt was a bit surreal walking into an empty waiting room at Grace Kerr Orthodontics. Usually full of teenagers trying not to make eye contact, COVID had rendered it – like so many places – quiet and bare. But it was the perfect backdrop to talk with Dr. Grace Kerr about her thriving orthodontics practice.
Read MoreAs a Women of Cincy resident, I had the opportunity to interview any team member of my choice. As I scrolled through the team member profiles on our website I was intrigued by Sarah Urmston’s interest in learning human stories and her experience in empathic research. I decided to interview her because I aspire to be a user experience researcher and hope to learn more about what she does.
Read MoreFor the past two decades, the Women’s Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation has been conducting research to shine a spotlight on economic inequity in our city. Women of Cincy is joining that fight and using story to connect that research to our friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers. This series is part of a larger effort by the Women’s Fund to provide historical context, current analysis of where we are today, and recommendations for change for Black women’s economic mobility.
Read MoreThere are few who are as fierce as Kendra Davis, and this woman embodies what this series is all about: saying “no” to the racism, the red tape, the obstinance that’s gotten us where we are today. She’s a single mom, tax examiner, and community advocate. Through her work with Cohear, a community engagement company connecting decision makers with everyday experts, and Champions of Change, a leadership program for folks seeking to advance Black-led ideas, she’s grown into a fiery voice fighting for grassroots change from within. She laughs when she says she might run for office someday, but this woman has a serious plan, an enormous heart, and more.
Read MoreFrom a false eviction to housing insecurity to being undervalued in the workforce, Shonetina Benson has experienced a number of the economic barriers many Black women face every day. As a single mother, she’s worked tirelessly to provide better opportunities for her daughter, making tough sacrifices in the process. She shared her story with us – the happiness and the pain – with honesty and grace, beaming with joy as she talked about her daughter, her new business ventures, and what makes a home a home. Shonetina has a peaceful demeanor and an infectious laugh that entices you to join along, reminding you that although life is hard, there are blessings and sparkles of light in between the shadows.
Read MoreLeola Lynch is incredible. Equipped with a strong work ethic, she’s confident, charismatic, and sincere. With a thoughtful transparency, she shared with us the barriers she faces in her career as an external auditor – the only Black woman in her region – and how she’s using her experience to push necessary changes to improve the corporate sector. She hopes to see work environments that are rewarding, flexible, and flourishing for all employees no matter their gender, race, or background.
Read MoreLeola Lynch is incredible. Equipped with a strong work ethic, she’s confident, charismatic, and sincere. With a thoughtful transparency, she shared with us the barriers she faces in her career as an external auditor – the only Black woman in her region – and how she’s using her experience to push necessary changes to improve the corporate sector. She hopes to see work environments that are rewarding, flexible, and flourishing for all employees no matter their gender, race, or background.
Read MoreJudith Warren’s career could be described like glitter: Once she touches something, she leaves a bit of shine behind. In 1993, she arrived in Cincinnati to become the C.E.O. of the West End Health Center. She then moved to the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati (now Interact for Health) and eventually became the founding C.E.O. of Health Care Access Now. Judith’s work has consistently shed light on health-related problems and fought to solve them for all people. Now retired, she’s still working to bring brightness to underserved communities through her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta, and serving on the board of numerous nonprofits. We spoke with her in July, and I’m in awe of her. Her advocacy for the Black community, especially Black women, offers me hope in our centuries-long fight to dismantle systemic racism which plagues the healthcare industry as much as any other.
Read MoreJeneya Lawrence’s spirit is just like her wardrobe: warm, colorful, and fun. Her vibrancy is felt even over the distance of a Zoom call. She’s a leader, community advocate, mother of two, and creative at heart. We spent an afternoon in mid May discussing her work as a Health Champion, the undervaluing of Black women in the workforce, and the need for access to more resources that will aid in self-sufficiency and building more unified communities.
Read MoreKurstin Jones, a social worker for The Salvation Army, has a passion for helping people reach their greatest potential. From housing to childcare to the workforce, Kurstin is open and honest about the uphill battles her clients face. She is undoubtedly committed to untangling the systems that have created generations of inequality and continue to function as roadblocks for the many women she works with every day.
Read MoreWhen I logged on to my video chat with Dr. Angelica Hardee, I could feel her energy and enthusiasm – even through video. Dr. Hardee’s mother worked for the Urban League in Cleveland, which instilled in her a lifelong passion for service. When, as an undergraduate, she learned that a career in public health brought together her passions and interests in service, healthcare, and community-based research, she was all in! Dr. Hardee still maintains her youthful enthusiasm for public health. We talked about public health, policy, and her current projects as the V.P. of health strategy for the American Heart Association and president of the local Urban League of Young Professionals.
Read MoreTo step into Grainwell is to step into a rustic charm interior design wonderland. Nestled within the historic, red-bricked West Pike Street in Covington, Kentucky, Grainwell has established itself as the go-to place for sentimental family gifts and modern design.
The sisters behind the shop and business – Christine, Michele, and Melyssa – never set out to create a multi-faceted business; rather, it snowballed into one. They began by pursuing their interests in design by making items for family and friends while they were in school. Eventually, they teamed up and brought their collective skills together to form Grainwell. Their business now provides custom corporate work, wholesale items, and in-store shopping.
Read MoreWe connected virtually with Melis Aydoğan, founder of the Turkish coffee brand, Rüya – “bold coffee for the immigrant dream.” In fact, Rüya means “dream” in Turkish. It’s aptly named as Melis does more than make a tasty source of caffeine. She creates community connections, pushes herself and others to dream big, and is a strong voice for immigrant families, such as her own.
Read MoreGetting to sit down a Wednesday evening and learn about the only diaper bank, Sweet Cheeks, in Cincinnati was such a treat. We first interviewed Sweet Cheeks founder Megan Fischer in 2018, but with so much changing for non-profit organizations during a pandemic, we knew we had to catch up with her.
I quickly learned what a well-oiled organization she began single-handedly. Megan left the corporate world and launched her original site in her home in 2016 after a year-long nudge in her gut wouldn’t quit – at the time, there wasn’t a single diaper bank in the entire greater Cincinnati area.
Read MoreIt’s been a long time, I know. I didn’t mean to abandon you and your sex talk needs, but there have been a few changes like every aspect of life in 2020. Women of Cincy is such a groovy group – the insight, thoughtfulness, integrity in these women is so real. We have been brainstorming ways to transition the topic of sex education into a local community conversation.
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