#femmefounders

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Femme Founders: Antoinette Brock, The Name Project

Antoinette Brock is a photographer, writer, director, and videographer from Los Angeles, CA. Brock earned both her Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts in Teaching from Howard University in Washington D.C.

In 2013, Antoinette moved to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where she lived in the Vidigal Favela and created Don.t Throw Away the Crust (DTAC).  DTAC is a brand that highlights the cultures of the marginalized communities of the world through documentary photography, editorial and video.   Her most recent work is a documentary series called The Name Project which explores how our names shape our character and the role it plays in our identity.  The Name Project was exhibited in the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center's Crosslines: A Culture Lab on Intersectionality in the Smithsonian Arts & Industries Building and was also featured at Equality for HER's Femme Film Festival in June 2016.

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Femme Founders: Meena Harris, I'm An Entrepreneur, Bitch.

Meena Harris, is the founder of “I’m An Entrepreneur, Bitch,” a bold statement in response to frustration toward the lack of representation of women entrepreneurs. In addition to her bold pro-woman movement she is a data privacy and cybersecurity attorney, co-founder of Gen44, and frequent contributor to Lenny Letter.

Meena Harris uses her brand to support women and femme owned businesses. Collaborating with “I’m An Entrepreneur, Bitch” allows for cross promotion, and creates more awareness about the powerful women making changes in the world of business. These collaborations usually feature the iconic “I’m An Entrepreneur, Bitch” shirt in addition to products made by other femme and women owned businesses. Two of our #FemmeFounders have worked with Harris’ revolutionary brand including our founder Blair Imani and Daa’iyah Rahman, founder of The Lost Queens Series. Harris’ company truly embodies the idea that women and femmes should support and promote the successes of other femmes and women.

Meena, thank you so much for allowing Equality for HER to feature you as a part of Femme Founders. Whether it’s your most recent leadership role at the Silicon Valley start-up Slack, or your work in the political arena as the founder of Gen44, I am constantly in awe of your abilities. Where did you start this amazing career?

I grew up in Oakland, California and went to Stanford for undergrad, as well as Harvard Law.  I recently left a law firm in DC, where I was a cybersecurity attorney, to do tech policy at a startup in Silicon Valley.  About two months ago, I gave birth to a baby girl.  My family and I are having lots of fun during parental leave exploring San Francisco, which has changed so much since I last lived in the Bay Area.

Who inspires you? 

My mother.

Meena Harris' mother is the illustrious Maya Harris. Maya serves as the one of three senior policy advisers for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.

I'm an entrepreneur, bitch., is a movement focused on women’s economic empowerment, how/when did you develop the name and mission? 

I'm an entrepreneur, bitch recognizes and values women's work through the support of female entrepreneurship. It's a provocative and unapologetic statement that promotes female economic empowerment and women's equality through confident personal expression and self-actualization.

“I’m An Entrepreneur, Bitch” has collaborated with a litany of kick-ass femmes and femme-owned businesses, including:

TRIWA

Daa’iyah Rahman, The Lost Queens

Whiskey and Bone

Farm Girl Flowers

Rent the Runway

Blair Imani, Equality for HER

Tyra Banks

Amarilo Jewelry

What advice would you give to people facing gender inequality in the workplace? 

Speak up!

Lastly, Silicon Valley or Washington, DC?  

I'm a California girl, all the way.

You can be a part of the "I'm An Entrepreneur, Bitch" movement!

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#FemmeFounders Meet bilphena yahwon and Upile Chisala the founders of @yanjaseries. Click the link in our profile to learn about these amazing femmes. #Femme #UpileChisala #bilphenayahwon #yanja #malawi #cotedvoire #westafrica #blackness #diaspora