By SILE MOLONEY
Photo by Sarah Huffman
The Thinkubator, a Bronx-based nonprofit organization for innovation and workforce development, announced the public launch of its “Women’s Empowerment Program” on Monday, May 9. for women to come together, support each other, work on their potential business ideas, and find ways to better support their youth in their lives.
According to the event organizers, the official launch event will spotlight women and youth making a difference in their community, raffles will be held with local vendors, and young Thinkubator interns will also be showcased. The association, its café and training center, and its nutrition and training center invite women and girls to join them on May 14 from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to hear and learn from powerful women and young people who they believe are paving the way for women in the 21st century. They said these women were not just talking, but walking!
“Women play a vital role in the household and in the workplace,” said event organizers. “They are often the primary caregivers, breadwinners and educators of the young people we serve. The Thinkubator recognizes the importance that women play in ensuring that our young people succeed in their internships, complete their studies and continue their studies.
According to the organizers of the event, women, adults and young entrepreneurs who are making a difference in the local community and who have found ways to economically empower themselves and their families will be featured at the event.
Desiree Herrington is Executive Director of The Thinkubator and said, “This event was inspired by the adversities and obstacles that have occurred in my life. In my youth, my parents pushed me to pursue my dreams despite several tragic events that occurred during my teenage years. She added, “I have worked hard to become an independent and enterprising woman.”
Today, Desiree said she opened two businesses in El Paso, Texas, and oversees the strategic direction and operations of The Thinkubator. She is a wife, mother, business owner and non-profit executive, and works daily with young people in the Thinkubator’s internship program to teach them about entrepreneurship and the meaning of innovation and creative thinking.
Entrepreneurs and financial coaches, Nyesha Davis and Samantha Williams, will also be featured at the event. Their message to all participants and women, young and old, is: “Don’t believe in a deadline. You are not late and you are not too late. Everything you want is within your reach. Once you claim it, it’s on its way just for you. They added: “The voices of women will be heard on this day. It is time, time for us to give back to our communities, to women and to the world.
Image courtesy of Thinkubator Café
For her part, Desiree Lee-Summers, Chair of the Board of The Thinkubator, said, “It is our duty, our obligation and our privilege to share the courage of our panelists with our community and especially with our young people. . Empowering youth voices is a core part of The Thinkubator’s mission. This event will amplify our youth, our women and our community.
The Thinkubator will feature female entrepreneurs creating pathways for other women at the Thinkubator Café, located at 128 Alexander Avenue in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx, on May 14 at 3 p.m.
The Thinkubator is a Bronx-based nonprofit organization for innovation and workforce development. Its founder said he develops innovative strategies to address complex local challenges that have global implications. According to its founder, the nonprofit approaches its work through a lens of racial and economic equity in three main areas: education, research, and community, as follows:
- The Thinkubator Education provides education, career, and work-based learning opportunities for young adults. It aims to prepare diverse low-income youth from the Bronx and similar communities to succeed in the workplace and in the world.
- Research Thinkubator conducts research, analysis, and creates policy solutions to complex challenges. He leverages his data collection and strong analytical skills to provide strategic advice to the education, non-profit, public and private sectors.
- The Thinkubator Community focuses on the intersection of issues that impede community growth, development, and productivity and addresses them head-on with the communities it serves.
Collectively, the nonprofit organization offers a systematic approach to the workforce, economic and community development, education attainment, and poverty alleviation.
Its vision states that The Thinkubator aspires to a world where young people in the Bronx and similar communities are trained, educated and fueled to have their voices heard on business, organizational, societal and global challenges.
