Women: A Force for Change
Relying on personal experiences and a passion for helping others, each of these community builders has dedicated their time to making a difference and challenging the status quo.
They are paving the way for women of color in leadership, making space for female artists, bridging the gap for minority business owners, and instilling confidence in the next generation. These four individuals are moving the needle to create a better future for their city and for generations of females to come.
Founder & CEO of Edge of Your Seat Consulting
Female entrepreneurs are the fastest growing population in business, with recent data showing that 40 percent of U.S. businesses are women-owned. Within that group, the number of businesses started by women of color is even greater. “Yet, last year, I watched an entire panel talk about the woes of entrepreneurship, and it was all white women,” states Pamela Benson Owens, founder and CEO of Edge of Your Seat Consulting. “So even within the dynamics of women, there’s a lot of work to do.”
A seasoned entrepreneur herself, Pamela began her consulting firm nearly 20 years ago and lends her conflict resolution, leadership development, and culture building expertise to corporate teams, nonprofits, and business leaders. While her business coaching and leadership training has built her a client list that includes major companies like Coca-Cola, Pamela got her start by consulting pageant contestants, helping them form their answers to difficult questions. The business began as a necessity to jumpstart her career, but “it really hasn’t changed.” She adds, “I [still] help leaders answer difficult questions.”
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CEO of Girls Empowerment Network
Julia Cuba-Lewis has always felt that her life work has been to empower girls and women. “I have cared about gender justice from a really young age, and I’ve always seen the world through that lens,” Julia states. “I didn’t quite know how, but I knew that I would do this work.”
After working at several women’s organizations in Chicago—at one point, she worked with seven at the same time—Julia made her way to Texas where she joined Girls Scouts of Central Texas and worked with at-risk girls. It was here that she remembers learning about Girls Empowerment Network (GEN); she even took her troops to a few of the organization’s workshops. Working alongside the nonprofit, Julia finally felt like she had stumbled upon the resource she had been seeking for so long.
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President and CEO of Greater Austin Black Chamber of Commerce
Tam Hawkins is a small business’s biggest cheerleader. “I’ve been dubbed an eternal optimist,” she laughs. “I think because I’ve seen so many people succeed in business and overcome in spite of obstacles, I have this view that [anyone] can do it, too.”
This optimism and drive has shaped not only how Tam approaches her work as president and CEO of the Greater Austin Black Chamber of Commerce but also how she has navigated her own entrepreneurial pursuits.
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Monica Ceniceros
Painter, Co-founder of atxGALS & Founder of The Cathedral
Monica Ceniceros remembers her first public art show clearly. “I was really nervous and hadn’t priced any of my art,” she recalls. “Then my studio mate came in and said, was like ‘Somebody [is] ready to buy one of your pieces.’” Monica ended up being one of the first people to sell a piece of art that day; she also happened to be one of the youngest artists there.
As a young female artist without a formal background in art—though she has been painting and drawing her entire life—Monica came into the professional art world with a fresh perspective. While she navigated the more traditional aspects of the art scene with gumption, she eventually realized that the gallery setting didn’t quite cater to young female artists and curious spectators.
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