APPLICATIONS CLOSED UNTIL JUNE 2027

Entrepreneurial Women of Impact Awards

The awards are a joint collaboration between the Women Presidents Organization (WPO) and Women Elevating Women (W.E.W.) to recognize the outstanding professional achievements and community service efforts of women of color entrepreneurs based in North America. 

Applications and nominations for the 2026 Entrepreneurial Women of Impact Awards are now closed. We encourage you to apply or share your nominations in 2027.

2026 Honorees

  • Raji Bezwada, JCS Solutions (Fairfax, VA)
  • Christina Cho Yoo, Atelier Cho Thompson (Tiburon, CA)
  • Deka Dike, Omatochi (Hayward, CA)
  • Angel Cornelius, Maison 276 (Sugar Land, TX)
  • Ashtyn Gibson, U.R. Holdings, Inc. (Detroit, MI)
  • Crystal Foote, Digital Culture Group (Atlanta, GA)
  • Sonya Hopson, Sage Services Group (Bowie, MD)
  • Dao Jensen, Compass UOL (Seattle, WA)*
  • Marya Khalil-Otto, The Vitality Institute (Los Angeles, CA)
  • Alice Kim, PerfectDD (New York, NY)
  • Muriel Koucoï, SIMKHA Biocosmétiques (Laval, QC)
  • Annie Lee, Avyanna Technologies (Silver Spring, MD) 
  • Sheila Marmon, Mirror Digital (Los Angeles, CA)
  • Fran Maier, BabyQuip (Santa Fe, NM)
  • Khaliah Moody, Steady Strides Behavior Solutions (Philadelphia, PA)*
  • Unoma Okorafor, Herbal Goodness (McKinney, TX)
  • Anoosheh Oskouian, Ship and Shore Environmental, Inc. (Long Beach, CA)
  • Necole Parker, The ELOCEN Group (Bowie, MD)
  • Sharon W. Reynolds, DevMar Manufacturing (Brentwood, TN)*
  • Hyacinth Tucker, The Laundry Basket (Lanham, MD)
  • Yola Ventresca, Lerners (London, ON)*
  • Ashlee Wisdom, Health In Her HUE (New Rochelle, NY)
  • Aisha Yang, Herbaland Naturals (Richmond, BC)*
  • Geena Young, Centric Business Solutions (Bowie, MD)

* = WPO Member

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible, applicants must:

  • Be an entrepreneur with ownership in a privately held, for-profit business (CEO/President).
  • Identify as a Woman of Color* based in North America.
  • Have a business that generated at least $500,000 (USD) in revenue by the end of the prior year (2025).
  • Fit into one of the three application categories ($500K–$1M, $1M–$10M, $10M+).
  • Eight winners per category will be selected (24 winners total).

In-person attendance is strongly encouraged for all selected honorees.

*Woman of Color is defined as any nonwhite woman whose ethnic identities intersect with one or more nonwhite ethnic groups.

The History of the Entrepreneurial Women of Impact Awards

Previously known as the Women of Color Achievement Awards, the Women Presidents Organization (WPO) had partnered with 100 Black Men of America for over a decade to salute successful local women entrepreneurs. All award recipients were identified by a local chapter of 100 Black Men, in conjunction with the corresponding local chapter of the WPO. The WPO and 100 Black Men of America partnership enabled both organizations to acknowledge a distinguished group of influential women business leaders.