Lt. Gov. Stratton launches ‘We Thrive’ initiative in Bloomington, empowering minority women in business

BLOOMINGTON — Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton gathered with 25 minority women who own businesses Thursday in her first “We Chat” listening session held in Bloomington.

As part of a visit to Central Illinois, which included speaking at Eureka College’s Martin Luther King Jr. program Thursday evening, Stratton introduced the chat series in the launch of her “We Thrive” initiative.

“We know that when women thrive, we all thrive, and these conversations are critical to informing policy decisions and achieving financial freedom for women and girls,” Stratton said in a provided statement. “I look forward to learning more from the women of Illinois and connecting them with the resources they need to achieve financial wellness.”

Hosted by the Minority Business Development Center in Bloomington, the listening session was an opportunity for women to come together to listen and learn from each other and discuss women’s struggles “in the pursuit of financial freedom,” according to Stratton’s office.

Denise Moore, founder and CEO of the center, said she was honored to host the first in a series of “We Chat” sessions Stratton plans to hold across the state, calling on women of diverse backgrounds and experiences to participate.

“The women in attendance represent small businesses across the spectrum of goods and services. Many of them never thought their opinions were valued at the state level and just being invited to attend by our lieutenant governor already provides a feeling of empowerment,” Moore said.

The business owners who attended work in industries that include counseling, retail, real estate, social services, fitness training, food production and accounting, Moore said.

During the discussion, attendees expressed a desire for additional support from other small business owners, mentorship and making existing resources more accessible. Moore said they were able to talk with other women who are experiencing some of the same challenges they were as small business owners.

Moore said she heard from one attendee who shared that she had been feeling like she needed a mentor, “and this may be what I’m looking for.”

Others expressed interest in getting their businesses certified as Women Business Enterprises, a special designation for women-owned businesses which can be used as a marketing tool.

After the session, Moore said the Minority Business Development Center plans to launch its own women empowerment program, just in time for Women’s History Month in March, to focus on providing direct programming to minority women and girls to address the financial wealth gap.