The event is open to the public and takes place between Tuesday (22) and Wednesday (23)

The power of black Bahian women’s enterprises is gathered, between Tuesday (22) and Wednesday (23), at the headquarters of Ilê Aiyê, in Curuzu. This is where the IV National Meeting of Black Women Entrepreneurs takes place, organized by the Business and Afroentrepreneurship Institute Foundation (Funafro), which is based in São Paulo. The two-day event will bring together debates on business management and a fair with 20 black women entrepreneurs.

The president of Funafro, Marilene Lima, celebrated the event in Salvador, a city where around 80% of the population identifies as black or mixed race. “We are going to bring women together for a moment of networking so that we can strengthen the business through management tools”, he states.

This Tuesday (22), the event will feature panels on entrepreneurship and marketing (see the full schedule below). The meeting, whose theme is Black Women in the Job Market and the Structured System to which they are Exposed, is open to the public.

“We came to Salvador to boost business so that these women have more profitability, can increase their employability and leave the informal sector”, adds Marilene Lima. These three points are the objectives of Carolina Barbosa, a black woman, creator of Curuzu and owner of an Afro-inspired beachwear brand.

The BW Brasil store emerged during the pandemic, when Carolina was unemployed and had no expectation of being able to access the job market. She then decided to take a sewing course and learned how to make bikinis, swim trunks and sarongs.

“We, black women, are always at the bottom of the social pyramid and entrepreneurship ends up being a way to have resources to support our families”, she says. Carolina is one of the exhibitors at the fair, which brings together fashion and accessories, in addition to also selling her products at Afrocolab, in Shopping da Bahia.

The meeting also presents stories of black women entrepreneurs. This Tuesday (22), the speakers are chef Rose Braga, Flavia Santana, from Instituto de Beleza Essência dos Cachos, and Lindinalca Silva, from Filhos do Congo.

* 9 am – Start of activities with Master of Ceremonies and journalist Naiara Oliveira

* 9:05 am – Opening Ilê Aiyê, Lei das Marias and Secretary Angela Guimaraes of SEPROMI

* 9:55 am – Success Stories Board: Chef Rose Braga (BA), Flavia Santana from Instituto de Beleza Essência dos Cachos (BA) and Lindinalva Silva from Filhos do Congo (BA)

* 10:40 am – Sponsor Space: FTD Educação, Luciana Leopoldino

* 10:45 am – Practical activity: Yoga with Ariene Reis from Ori Yoga (MG)

* 11:05 am – Panel 1 ENTREPRENEURSHIP: Black Women in the Job Market with Rita Santos from the National Association of Baianas de Acarajé, Mingau and Receptivos da Bahia – ABAM (BA), Neudes Carvalho from the Instituto Colméia de Sustentabilidade (SP) and Tamires Santos from SEPROMI (BA)

* 11:45 am – Sponsor Space: Brazil Foundation, Isabel Clavelin

* 1pm – Panel 2 MARKETING: Driving sales with digital marketing, but what is marketing? with Mylene Souza from My Marketing Digital (SP) and Rianne Neto (RJ)

* 1:40 pm – Collective Space: w/ Lilian Encarnação from the Center for the Study of Afro-Indigenous American Peoples – CEPAIA/UNEB (BA)

* 9 am – Start of activities with Master of Ceremonies and journalist Naiara Oliveira

* 9:05 am – FUNAFRO and Apex Brasil opening

9:25 am – Panel 3 HEALTH: Treating it from the Inside Out with psychologist Katia Almeida (SP) and master Flávia Nunes from Aptitude Trainings (RS)

* 10:05 am – Sponsor Space

* 10:10 am – Presentation of success stories with Chef Manuela Gomes (BA) and Cynthia Paixão from Afrodonas (BA)

* 10:45 am – Panel 4 LAW AND KNOWLEDGE: Entrepreneurship is Ancestral with Thais Siqueira (SP) on Decolonial Fashion and Dr. Fabiane Almeida (BA)

* 11:25 am – Practical activity: Dance with Dandara Brazil (BA)

* 11:40 am – Collective Space: Valéria Lima (BA) from Instituto Mãe Hilda Jitolu

* 1pm – Tributes to the nominees:

Rosemma Maluf (BA) in the Ella Fitzgerald category

Associação Protetora dos Desvalidos-SPD, Ligia Margarida (BA) in the Stars Beyond Time category

Anna Telles (BA) in the Successful Entrepreneur category

* 1:30 pm – Communication: In a few seconds, make your PITCH! (to be defined)

* 1:40 pm – Girls’ networking with DJ DMT