WBENC is celebrating the immense contributions Asian American and Pacific Islander women entrepreneurs have made to our nation and the WBENC network.
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and we are proud to celebrate the accomplishments, contributions, and cultures of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities in our network, nation, and the world. It is an important time to show extra support to the AAPI community and we invite you to champion and uplift AAPI voices with us this month.
The State of AAPI Businesses
- Prior to the pandemic, AAPI purchasing power was estimated to be $1.3 trillion in 2020 and AAPI-owned business generated $744 billion in income in 2019. Source.
- The number of AAPI-owned businesses decreased 20% from February to December 2020. Source.
- Over 80% of AAPI business owners report COVID-19 has negatively impacted their business. Source.
- In the five years prior to the pandemic, Asian American women-owned businesses grew by 37% to make up 9% of the total women-owned businesses in America in 2019. Source.
- Although AAPI women entrepreneurs have grown significantly in the recent past, the negative impacts of the pandemic affect these women at a higher rate than male-owned and non-minority-owned counterparts. Source.
Join us! Here are a few ways to celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
1. Buy from AAPI Women Owned Businesses!
Perhaps the best way you can support AAPI women entrepreneurs is to do business with them. This month we challenge you to buy at least ONE product from an AAPI women-owned business and share your purchase on social media using the hashtag #BuyWomenOwned.
2. Learn and Grow
Follow WBENC News & Resources all month to get insights and inspiration from incredible AAPI women entrepreneurs in the WBENC network.
3. Raise Your Voice
Become a fierce advocate of equality for the AAPI community. Stand in solidarity, serve as an ally in your network, and have conversations with friends and colleagues about what you can do to help or support one another.
Brough to you by the WBENC Women of Color Program.
WBENC Women of Color
The Women of Color Program is an outreach and development program designed to build and strengthen a dynamic ecosystem for women of color entrepreneurs. WBENC launched the Women of Color Program in 2017 to create an effective and successful business ecosystem designed to engage, advise and drive the growth of women of color women-owned businesses. Since then, hundreds of women entrepreneurs have attended in-person and virtual sessions at WBENC events, designed to address the challenges faced by many women of color business owners and provide resources and programming to address those challenges.
