By Vivian Shipe
KNOXVILLE, TN — A woman mayor, an African American vice mayor, the police review board headed by a Black woman; the list of women change agents in Knoxville continues to grow.
The change continues not only at the government level…change is impacting financial, real estate, and areas of the business world as women step up to lead. Some are stepping up together.
Meet The Women LLC of Knoxville.
They are young, gifted and Black. They are highly intelligent and determined. Successful in their own right, they hold doctorates, run foundations, serve on boards, write for major newspapers, and hold podcasts. One even serves as a county commissioner. Collectively they are creating long term change in Knoxville.
Determined to see black business evolve and thrive, they are working to offer financial capital. Their mission is to reduce the 42 percent poverty rate in Knoxville. The Women offer macro loans to small and new businesses in the Black community as many times that access to capital is denied to people of color.
They are outside the box thinkers: using any and all means available to help their community including methods of crowd sourcing, real estate clubs, and community funding programs. Another goal of the organization is to buy and redevelop properties to rebuild communities and help close the wealth gap.
Powerful, passionate, and purposeful.
They are not talking about it. They are making it happen.
