March is a month with plenty of celebratory observations, including Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, National Kidney Month … and even National Noodle Month. But it’s also a month to celebrate a community that encompasses about 50.5% of the U.S. population.
Women’s History Month started in 1981 as a weeklong celebration in March and shifted to cover the entire month six years after that. Since then, presidents have annually issued proclamations designating March as Women’s History Month. The month is intended to celebrate women’s contributions throughout U.S. history.
Of the nearly 33.3 million small businesses nationwide, women own approximately 40% of them. In 2023, women owned 47.4% of businesses in the District, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Running a business is not easy, and women say they face unique challenges. Business owners shared with News4 some of the challenges they face as women in their industries – and what keeps them going.
10 women-owned businesses to visit during Women’s History Month
Petal’s Edge Floral Design
Gerry Rogers, the owner of Petal’s Edge Floral Design, said she previously worked in art museums before entering a doctoral program to leverage a future job. While writing her dissertation, Rogers said she worked with a florist on the side which led to her creating her own establishment.
“I started a business, and then it took off,” she said.
Rogers said one of the things that made her store strong at the start was having a business partner. She said the two were fully committed to Petal’s Edge, making yearly financial goals and hiring an attorney and accountant.
“We definitely set out that we were going to do this as a job from the start,” Rogers said. “I love to say that you never know what you’re capable of until you’re hungry.”
Women face challenges because of their gender identity despite encompassing most of the wedding industry. Rogers says the spelling of her name has stealthily helped her.
“I don’t spell my name in an overly feminine way, and so a lot of people will assume I’m a man,” Rogers said. “I’ll have so many situations where people will finally get me either on the phone or in person, and they’re like, ‘Oh, my God, you’re a woman,’ and I always think to myself, ‘Has anything changed?’”
Rogers said she deals with the bride for most of the wedding, but there’s a running joke that when something goes wrong or someone’s unhappy with something, you start dealing with the groom and or a father.
Weddings can be an emotional time for guests and families as they mark a lifelong union of two people.
“It’s an activity that’s a first time activity for most people, and even if it is someone’s second wedding, they’re probably dealing with a whole different cast of characters,” Rogers said.
Lee’s Flower and Card Shop
After the 1968 riots following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., only three Black-owned businesses remained on U Street NW: Lee’s Flower and Card Shop, Ben’s Chili Bowl and Industrial Bank.
Lee’s Flower and Card Shop was founded in 1945 by William and Winnifred Lee. The couple passed ownership of the businesses to their only son, Richard, according to the store’s website. After Richard Lee retired more than a decade ago, his daughters, Stacie Lee Banks and Kristie Lee Jones bought the store.
“It’s kind of surreal,” said Jones, the co-owner of Lee’s.
Jones said she thinks the fact that the store is Black- and woman-owned shows how much women can accomplish.
“It’s really exciting that women are now called on and are able to step up to the plate and run businesses as well as take care of home, family and things like that,” Jones said.
Jones said the store commemorated Women’s History Month with an Instagram post of her sister and the younger generations of Lee’s. Every March she’s noticed people buy more green, purple and white flowers, which are the colors of Women’s History Month, she said.
Halaqah Tingz
Asha Kabirou, the founder of Halaqah Tingz, said she hosted an iftar — an evening meal that breaks fast during Ramadan — in 2022 with other Muslim women. As they talked, one of the things that resonated with everyone was the necessity of a space for Muslim women, she said.
“That conversation is really what birth Halaqah Tingz,” Kabirou said.
Halaqah Tingz is a nonprofit organization that hosts monthly events such as community workshops, educational programming and halaqahs — a religious gathering to study Islam and the Quran. Kabirou said the nonprofit organization aims to nurture intellectual, spiritual and personal growth. She said while Halaqah Tingz does cater to Muslim women, the organization is open to any woman interested in growing themselves.
Kabirou said she noticed how tight-knit Muslim communities in other cities such as Philadelphia were and wanted the same here.
Members primarily communicate via WhatsApp and host events throughout the year. She said it’s important for women to have a space, especially Muslim women who may face discrimination from both outside and within their community.
“What’s important for a Muslim woman to have this space is to be able to remember that you have a uniqueness that’s important. That’s vital,” Kabirou said. “You can express yourself freely, without judgment.”
News4’s Molette Green catches up with the Ana Reyes, the owner of El Tamarindo, about how she shepherded her business through the pandemic.
El Tamarindo
El Tamarindo, located in Adams Morgan, is the longest-running Salvadoran-owned restaurant in the District. The restaurant was started by José Reyes, who immigrated to the U.S. in search of a better life, and serves Mexican and Salvadoran Food.
Ana Reyes, the current owner of El Tamarindo, said she suffered from imposter syndrome when she inherited the business in her early 20s. Reyes said she surrounded herself with empowering women and positive messages to overcome those feelings of self-doubt.
“I was very grateful that we did at the time, and still do have a very strong Latino business community that offers a lot of support,” Reyes said. “It’s a welcoming space and also a space to learn, grow and also gives you a little more confidence when you step into a non-Latino world.”
Although running a business has its challenges, Reyes said what keeps her going is the memories created at El Tamarindo for more than 43 years.
“On a daily basis, somebody will come in and tell me this magical story, whether they met their spouse here at El Tamarindo, or that they come back with their grandchildren, or that El Tamarindo got them through law school,” Reyes said.
Reyes said seeing the amount of work her parents put in to start the restaurant keeps her going. As immigrants from El Salvador fleeing civil war, Reyes’ parents started El Tamarindo with little restaurant experience, she said.
“Growing up, I saw the effort my parents put into it, the effort that a lot of other people put into the business to make sure that it succeeded,” Reyes said. “Whether it be employees or people in the community, customers, there’s been so many people that have put love and effort into the success of the build of the business, and it’s still very much alive in people’s hearts.”
Reyes said El Tamarindo’s history exemplifies the Salvadoran immigrant story and hopes its presence can inspire younger Latinas to pursue their dreams.
“Whether they’re aspiring to be business owners or chefs or whatever, if I can motivate them, that’s always a plus,” Reyes said.
Reyes said Women’s History Month is celebrated daily at El Tamarindo because the majority of the restaurant is owned and managed by women.
“I really appreciate that a lot of our staff, the women come from spaces where women are not necessarily in spaces of power or leadership, and that’s something that we encourage in them here on a daily basis,” she said.
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