In an era where technology is reshaping industries and challenging norms, Black women are harnessing its power to confront systemic challenges head-on. From healthcare disparities to financial inclusion, these trailblazers are leveraging innovation to address long-standing inequities and pave the way for a more equitable future.
Imagine you’re driving to work and in eyeshot of your destination, you’re pulled over. You remember your license is expired. You haven’t gotten around to renewing it yet, there’s been no extra cash to pay the fees. The officer informs you that your blinker is broken. You already knew. A routine background check reveals, not only is your license expired, but you also have unpaid tickets and fees. You’re going to jail. Unable to afford bail, you lose your job. Subsequently, the eviction notice follows.
The devastating cycle of poverty creates a pile up of compounding issues making mountains of molehills in a loop of perpetual financial defeat. The systemic domino effect underscores the need for interventions. In the meantime, Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins is taking matters into her own hands. She launched Promise in 2017 to help people avoid utility shut-offs, license revocations, and incarceration through tech-enabled, flexible, and interest-free payment plans.
The app aids individuals in settling utility, transportation, and criminal justice debts faster and with reduced penalties, equipping them with the necessary tools and resources to avoid sliding into an endless and deepening poverty cycle.
Ellis-Lamkins is among many Black women founders, leading companies that address social needs. From newish startups to unicorn behemoths, this Women’s History Month, we bring to the forefront founders, previously profiled in ESSENCE, addressing common needs through purposeful endeavors in tech.
Mia Cooley: Addressing Barriers for Black Queer Families
Mia Cooley, a queer Black woman and mom, identified an issue in her community and created an app as its solution. However, securing funding posed a distinct challenge. “My experience building a product that prioritizes the experiences of the most marginalized community, Black Queer birthing people and family builders, has been plagued with having to ask that the people with the capital step outside of their own truths and lived experiences,” she told ESSENCE.
“I find myself having to prove myself as a founder, my ability to lead teams as a woman, and the market I’m serving as ‘venture scale’ – most of the time, this is coded language for worthy,” Cooley said. But where there’s a will, there’s a workaround and eventually, Mia found a way. With a successful funding round and backing from Techstars, she launched the xHood app focused on fertility and family-building solutions.
Kathryn Finney: Inclusive Tech Futures for Black and Brown Women
Kathryn Finney began as a Yale-trained epidemiologist and wound up at the forefront of tech entrepreneurship. Her strategic acquisition and subsequent sale of The Budget Fashionista made her a pioneer in flipping an exit. It was a springboard for her commitment to cultivating a more inclusive tech environment.
Finney launched digitalundivided (DID), the leading research, data, programming, and thought leadership organization championing an equitable entrepreneurial landscape. It has been empowering Latina and Black women founders for more than a decade since.
Dr. Iman Abuzeid: Addressing Healthcare Worker Shortages
The healthcare system is often a high-stress working environment marked by overburdened workforces, widespread burnout, and increasing turnover. It’s a culture with which Dr. Iman Abuzeid, co-founder of Incredible Health, is familiar. “My co-founder, Rome Portlock, and I come from families deeply connected to healthcare. We heard about nurse staffing shortages and nurses struggling to find roles,” she told ESSENCE. “We knew there had to be a better way to quickly and cost-effectively staff hospitals with permanent workers.”
That conversation would lead to the 2017 launch of the healthcare staffing platform. In 2020, Incredible Health gained incredible momentum as the pandemic intensified pre-existing hospital staffing shortages. The technology would reach a $1.65 billion valuation, making Dr. Abuzeid one of only nine Black and Latina women founders to attain unicorn status.
Dominic-Madori Davis: Tech Reporting on the Crisis in Venture Capital Diversity
Since June 2022, TechCrunch senior reporter Dominic-Madori Davis has been stirring up robust conversations around the abysmal state of diverse venture capital investment in minority-founded startups, particularly Black ones. In a series of thoughtful reports for TechCrunch, Davis offers a meditation on what it’s really like to be a Black founder pursuing VC support, particularly in the age of corporate pushback on DEI.
Her impactful reporting at the intersection of technology, diversity, and venture capital contextualizes critical issues driving much-needed dialogue. For a deeper dive into the work she’s doing, Check out ESSENCE reporter Jasmine Browley’s interview with Davis.
Lydia Simmons: Addressing Gaps in Postpartum Care
After giving birth, Lydia Simmons recalls her obstetrician’s advice: “You have a touch of anemia, but you’ll be fine. Just eat well.” However, the guidance significantly downplayed the severity of her pregnancy-induced anemia. “It wasn’t clear how much this could escalate,” Simmons shared. “Crucial details were omitted.” The first time mom was unaware that the anemia could trigger severe postpartum depression (PPD), and for her, it did. With minimal guidance, Lydia and her husband were left to navigate the complexities of PPD alone. They crafted a customized postpartum care plan, conducting thorough research and tapping into available resources. The situation highlights a broader concern: up to 28% of Black women undergo postpartum depression without adequate access to comprehensive support and care.
With research and firsthand insights, Simmons established Motherocity, a 52-week post-childbirth health guide utilizing AI to assess risks and tailor individualized care plans. It serves as a transformative solution for mothers grappling with challenges similar to those Simmons faced.
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, these exceptional women represent just a fraction of those reshaping innovation, tackling systemic challenges, and championing inclusivity in the tech world. To all the women making strides, we see you, we salute you, and we acknowledge your commitment in bettering our communities through tech.
