Graduate's Directory 2012 by Empowered Women International

Empowered Women International

A Guide of Local Women Entrepreneurs POWE R EM ! ED

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in Arts, Food, and the Creative Economy

10 YEARS of Transforming Women’s

LIVES AND FUTURES

2002–2012

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POWE R EM

10 YEARS 2002â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2012

Table of Contents Art Venues..........................................................................................................................1 Cleaning Services..........................................................................................................1 Consulting Businesses ...............................................................................................1 Cosmetology and Beauty .........................................................................................2 Educational Services ..................................................................................................2 Fashion Apparel and Accessories ........................................................................4 Fine Art................................................................................................................................5 Food and Catering ................................................................................................... 11 Glass Art.......................................................................................................................... 13 health and wellness ................................................................................................ 13 Import / Export Businesses and Marketplace........................................... 14 Interior Decorating................................................................................................ 14 Jewelry design.............................................................................................................. 14 Multimedia (Film, Graphic, web design) ....................................................... 17 Music & performance............................................................................................... 17 Nonprofit / Community Development......................................................... 19 Photography. ................................................................................................................ 20 Textile and Mixed media ........................................................................................ 20

Art Venues

Consulting Businesses

Denisse Rodriguez 2012 Graduate Art Gallery, Studio, Lounge

Addie Gail 2012 Graduate The Gail Consulting Group

Denisse enrolled in the ETS program to create a milieu where music and art lovers can come together to talk about their work and showcase their craft. Inspired by the ambiance of BusBoys and Poets, Denisse designed a lounge/art gallery studio.

Website: www.thegailconsultinggroup.com Addie created Gail Consulting Group to provide management consulting services to governments, nonprofit organizations and for-profit companies. Skilled in marketing, Addie is networking with other professionals in her field and meeting potential clients. Addie is also a trainer-in-training and mentor to current ETS students

Julia Logan 2009 Graduate Jul’s Jewels – Art Gallery; Graphic Designer

Kelley Smith 2012 Graduate Style Smiths

When she applied to the ETS program, Julia had several goals: To make and sell her own note cards and paintings and to start up her own art gallery. A mother of five, Julia created a profitable company which allowed her to make a living as an artist.

Kelley has always had an eye for fashion. Experienced as a stylist for photo shoots, Kelley struggled to make a living practicing her craft. At EWI, Kelley strengthened her business skills. “Style Smiths provides style consulting services to image-aware, goal- oriented and successful professionals in the D.C. area,” Kelley said.

Marlene Belgrove 2008 Graduate Art Tribute Enterprises

Paula Jean Margus 2010 Graduate Marketing

Cleaning Services

Paula started volunteering with EWI while unemployed from the IT field. She started writing women artist profiles, helping them with marketing and photographing their work. Soon she reconnected with her first professional love: writing creative nonfiction to promote people’s talents and advocate for their success.

Kudzai Gombakomba 2011 Graduate KGSpotless Facebook: KG-Spotless A refugee from Zimbabwe who moved to the U.S. in 2009 to live with her son, Kudzai is a graduate of George Washington University. Back home, Kudzai received a master’s degree in hospitality service and worked in management. Equipped with skills she learned through EWI, she created a company that offers services such as residential and commercial cleaning, deep cleaning treatments, and move-out and move-in cleaning.

Valerie Fair 2012 Graduate Mother Earth Enterprises Website: motherearthent.com Valerie started her own company to clean up the environment, reversing damage caused by pollution and unsustainable energy practices. Through Mother Earth Enterprises, Valerie educates the local community on strategies for saving energy and 1

reducing waste. Mother Earth Enterprises is comprised of three divisions: FAIR Solutions, Go Green Greeting Cards and Mother Earth’s Next Generation Blossoms.

Nichole Swinson 2012 Graduate Hair & Beauty Sugarland Beauty Supply Boutique Nichole understands what life is like for women struggling with hair loss caused by a medical condition —and that’s why the beauty stylist and wig artisan plans to design customized wigs and develop natural hair care products. She hopes to open up a store to sell these products and provide a haven for women to support each other during difficult times.

Cosmetology and Beauty Breann Whitcomb 2011 Graduate Mimulus & Thinking in Cups

Solo’o Idalina Sylva 2011 Graduate NaturElle: Hair Braiding/Natural Haircare

Website: www.thinkingincups.com Stressed out financially, Breann capitalized on her creativity and keen eye for color to start her own business. Along with fellow ETS graduate, Tiffany Carter, Breann co-founded Thinking in Cups, a company that specializes in bath products, make-up and hair pieces.

Website: www.BlackStylists.com/NaturElle_Braiding Born in Gabon, Africa, and raised in France, Solo’s is a natural hairstylist, braider and educator in the Washington D.C., area. After a decade of braiding the hair of relatives, coworkers, and friends, the mother of two boys and three girls opened up her own shop while attending cosmetology school.

Brigitta Kral 2010 Graduate Briggy’s Bath & Beauty Etsy: BriggysBathAndBody

Educational Services

After being laid off from her job as a senior communications associate, Brigitta Kral wanted to focus time towards transitioning BrigaBauble, her jewelry line, from a hobby into a profitable business. She also wanted to expand her craft by creating Briggy’s Bath and Body, making handcrafted, natural bath and body goodies.

Caryn Reitkopp 2012 Graduate Humane Education Paws for Peace A childhood educator and animal lover, Caryn started a business to teach young children to treat animals kindly. Paws for Peace uses puppets to impart to children in daycare centers and preschools the importance of being compassionate towards animals.

Ebony Howard 2012 Graduate Nails4Males Website: www.nails4males.com

Jennifer Halsey 2012 Graduate Edible Adventures Tours (E.A.T.) a division of CULTOURS, LLC

Ebony is a licensed nail technician with over 10 years of experience. Nails4Males offers premier services that include manicures, pedicures, facials, and stressreliever packages to men who wish to be pampered and groomed in a male-friendly environment.

Jennifer has experience as a tour guide and a broad knowledge of history, which has translated into the vision for her tour guide company. Edible Adventures Tours (E.A.T.) partners with local elementary schools to provide carefully planned trips to local historical sites for students (and a free lunchbox!). 2

Kamila Barbour 2012 Graduate Education/Publishing Barbour Publishing House

Claire Morin 2011 Graduate Tusha International

Most of the stories Kamila hears about Muslim Americans are told by people outside her culture. It’s time she tells the story about her own people. An educator by trade, Kamila developed a curriculum about Muslim art and culture to offer a new perspective on the history of Muslim Americans.

Claire transforms indigenous fabrics into styles everyone can wear. She started designing as a hobby, but her garments were so unique that friends in the U.S. offered to buy them. Tusha International supports micro-businesses by buying and selling jewelry and natural eco-friendly products like shea butter, cocoa butter and natural soap.

Paulette Mpouma 2011 Graduate Africa Memory Game

Diane Baird N’Diaye 2005 Graduate Textiles & Jewelry

Website: www.theafricamemorygame.com

Diana is a cultural specialist and curator at the Center for Folklife Programs & Cultural Heritage, part of the Smithsonian Institution. Her research interests and specialties lie in the areas of participatory cultural research methods, ethno aesthetics, material culture, cultural representation, cultural policy, African and African Diaspora folk life and ethnicity.

Paulette, a refuge from Cameroon, developed a board game to educate her children about Africa—but she soon realized the game would have wider appeal. The Africa Memory Game she created is fun, interactive and challenges its players on African trivia.

Mariam Mohamed 2012 Graduate Bahari Deco Crafts

Fashion Apparel and Accessories

Website: www.baharicreations.com Originally from Tanzania, Mariam immigrated to the U.S. in the early 2000s with a dream to own her own business. Experienced in working with textiles and sewing, Mariam created unique handbags from Kanga cloth, a traditional fabric found along the East Africa cost.

Amy Odean 2010 Graduate Women’s Apparel Designer Amy is a painter who makes pottery, quilts and dresses. Amy is also a hat designer, photographer and textile artist. Her style reflects the various cultures that have played an integral part of her life since childhood.

Rabia Naeem Pervez 2005 Graduate Hand-painted Silk Scarves

Carla Weeks 2011 Graduate Piccadilly Weeks

Website: www.silknpaint.com The silk work created by Rabia is as colorful as a rainbow and reveal her talent for blending fabrics and silk paint. Her designs celebrate the changing seasons and wide range of human emotion. Rabia’s love of art began in her home country of Pakistan, where she made and sold clothing.

Website: piccadillyweeks.com Born in the UK, Carla creates a line of clutches and accessories made from vintage and repurposed materials. Each piece carries its own story. Carla scours thrift stores, estate sales and antique shops to find high quality materials with unique characteristics.

Rashunda Bailey 2012 Graduate Shoe Designs

Russian-born, Valentina specializes in art batik, a form of textile design that involves painting directly onto silk. After graduating from ETS in 2008, she found her target market in the Washington D.C., area, distinguishing herself as the first artist to sell her wares at the newly-opened King Street Art Works gallery in Alexandria.

Rashunda knows that shoes can make an outfit—and that an outfit can boost a person’s self-esteem. She wants to create an orthopedic shoe that will guarantee comfort and style and has turned to EWI for support in her venture. Her marketing strategy will be to target women of all ages, especially career women.

Velma Crawford 2011 Graduate Veez Ties That Bind

Renee Huggins-Sinclair 2011 Graduate Beloved Handbags

Facebook: VeezTiesThatBind Velma is an artist, designer, and storyteller—well known for making unique aprons. Velma’s apron designs are inspired by the love she felt for her grandmother, who taught her the art of quilting, and the memory of good times shared with her grandmother’s seven daughters.

Each of Renee’s handbags is unique. Her business is composed of three lines – cloth shoulder sling bags, baby diaper bags and pleated day bags. Renee plans to expand her collection to include fancy evening clutches. Sarah Aldalawi 2009 Graduate Textile Design

Fine Art

When she arrived to the U.S. from Iraq, Sarah, a textile design artist, struggled to find steady work. Soon after, she learned that a market existed for creatively designed textiles. Sarah enrolled in the ETS program to develop skills to start her own small business.

Alex Nutbohm 2006 Graduate Oil & Acrylic Paintings Painting allowed Alex to take a break from daily activities. Inspired by nature, her recurrent motifs are flowers, fruits and landscapes as well as abstract compositions.

Tiffany Carter 2011 Graduate Vesica Splender & Thinking in Cups

Arline Ostolaza 2007 Graduate Painting

Website: www.vesicassplendor.com Etsy: vesicassplendor.com/apps/etsystore/ Tiffany entered the ETS program to pursue her dream of opening a small business and becoming selfsufficient. Whimsical, spontaneous and spirited, Tiffany designs themes for her hair and jewelry collections.

Arline discovered her passion for the arts as an art student at Purchase College SUNY. She converts Japanese sumie drawings, calligraphy, and various other drawing techniques into marketable, inspiring products.

Valentina Dimilo 2008 Graduate Batik Designer

Barbara Bach 2005 Graduate Painting & Drawing

Facebook: art batik by Valentina Dimilo

Carmen Dupuy 2008 Graduate Painter & Author

the Tarascans, her ancestral people who inhabited the Michoacán in western Mexico, where she was born.

Prior to enrolling in the ETS program in 2008, Carmen was diagnosed with lupus. But she was driven to overcome the adversities and, with the help of EWI, completely revamped her art business and pursued her passion for poetry and painting.

Holly Gierl 2006 Graduate Painting & Jewelry Design Irina Avilova 2009 Graduate Painting

Cheryl Lavoie 2007 Graduate Painting & Pencil, Pen, and Charcoal Drawings

Website: www.irinaavilova.com Irina’s art represents her multi-cultural background. Having left Russia on her own at a young age, Irina taught herself to paint. Her artwork was featured in regional, national and international exhibits, including two personal shows.

Elena Nolan 2010 Graduate Oil Painter Website: www.zhibit.org/elenanolan Elena developed a love for the arts and painting as a young girl in Siberia and later studied fine art in Russia and Kazakstan. She uses oil paints as her medium to create landscapes, portraits, still life and expressions of people and their cultures. She exhibited in the U.S. and abroad and is a member of several professional affiliations, including Oil Painters of America, Torpedo Factory Art Center and National Association of Artists, Kazakhstan.

Isabel Castaneda 2008 Graduate Painter & Printmaker

Fatana Baktash 2007 Graduate Painting

Jennifer Smith 2012 Graduate Oil painting

Website: www.about-afghanistan.com/fatanaarifi.html

Jennifer is an oil painter who sometimes works with encaustics, charcoal, pen and ink. She wants to sell her artwork and retain the rights to use the images on pieces of fabric, kitchen ware, wallpaper accessories and furniture design. Her dream is to open an Art studio or Artists’ Co-op where local artists gather to share successes and failures and support each other.

While enrolled in the ETS program, Isabel created a portfolio and developed a marketing plan. After graduating, Isabel was paid to work as an artist for local newspapers and to paint murals in Washington D.C. Her artwork was also featured at exhibits.

Fatana is a well-known artist in the U.S. and in Afghanistan. She was listed under Who’s Who of American Women 2004-2005 and exhibited her works at the National Association of Women Artists, National Geographic, NBC4 Gallery, Torpedo Factory and the Embassy of Afghanistan in Washington D.C.

Jenny McKenzie (Jenny Ohs) 2006 Graduate Art by Ohs: Painting

Gloria Valdes Tarasca 2011 Graduate Painting

Website: www.freewebs.com/artbyohs/

Website: www.gloriavaldes.com

Jenny started painting and drawing as a child. When she began losing her sight, ability to hear and use of her hands, Jenny discovered her own way of holding a pen, pencil or paintbrush to create works of art

A self-taught artist, Gloria began building her own fantasy world from the colors and shapes inspired by 7

inspired by nature. She continues to exhibit awardwinning art.

Maha Hassan 2009 Graduate Painting

Jessamyn Hoshikawa 2005 Graduate Painting, Drawings, Textiles, & Photography

A schoolteacher in her native country of Iraq, Maha’s paintings reflect her love of flowers. She and both of her daughters are graduates of the ETS program. Maria Jose Ugalde Alcazar 2007 Graduate Painting, Poetry

As a young girl, Jessamyn worked with various mediums and later received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from George Mason University. Her paintings are often inspired by dreams and daydreams, with images of nature, animal, and human interactions. An art teacher, Jessamyn believes children have much to teach to adults.

Maria’s paintings hang in private collections in Guyana, Bolivia, Colombia and the U.S. Her poetry has been published in local magazines in Georgetown, Guyana and La Paz, Bolivia. An activist and musician, Maria participates in cultural and socio-political initiatives that empower individuals and communities to unify and promote a healing world.

Joyce Wagner 2006 Graduate Reinvented Elegance: Jewelry & Mosaics

Mariana Fernandez 2007 Graduate Painting & Set Design

Joyce creates simple, elegant magnets, mosaics and wire-wrapped jewelry with pressed flowers. Her work is inspired by nature’s beauty. She exhibits her work at craft markets and boutiques in the greater Washington, D.C., area.

Website: www.marianafernandez.com Driven from a young age by curiosity for the performing and fine arts, Argentina-born Mariana studied set and scenic design and worked making costumes and masks for television stations in her home country. She is now a scenic artist for Folger Theater, Studio Theater, Miniature Theatre of Chester, The Shakespeare Theater and Signature Theater.

Jung Eun Kim 2009 Graduate Painting & Printmaking Jung’s work reflects her Asian beliefs in the concept of Yin and Yang. Her works have appeared in wellknown international galleries such as Kwan Hoon Gallery, Seoul, Korea (2003); Hong-Ik University Art Museum, Seoul, Korea (2004); Gasan Gallery, Seol, Korea (2005) and Lalit Kala Akademy, New Delhi, India (2008).

Marina Reiter 2007 Graduate Painting Website: www.marinareiter.com

Lezlie Petronello 2011 Graduate Pet Portraits

According to Marina, “The shapes I paint may evoke human forms, atomic particles and even the very make-up of our social fabric, the very essences of who we are.” She has exhibited internationally, nationally, and locally. She also held a solo show at the Museum of Young Art in Vienna, Austria, and received an invitation to participate at the Museum of the Americas in Doral, Florida.

Involved in theatre from a young age, Lezlie learned to paint large sets, create murals, design costumes and apply stage make-up. Born in Simi Valley, California, Lezlie later painted homes on slate. Lezlie’s talents have evolved and expanded over the years to include the use of oils, acrylics, watercolors and textiles.

May Al-Souz 2009 Graduate Painting, Graphic Design

Naomie Belayneh 2009 Graduate Painting & Graphic Design

Website: www.zhibit.org/mayalsouz

Naomie is an Ethiopian artist and painter whose work reflects her country’ natural beauty, the significance of women’s contribution to society, faith-based icons and cultural expressions and traditions. Her images of feminine beauty accentuate slender necks.

May began her artistic career in Baghdad, where she grew up and studied painting. She is now an artist and illustrator, expressing the culture, traditions and ways of life in Iraq. May also enjoys painting fabrics, fashion designing and making her own greeting cards.

Pilar Ortiz 2012 Graduate Painting: Chic Art Impressions

Mekbib Gebertsadik 2006 Graduate Painting

Website: www.pilarortizfineart.com

Website: artslant.com/global/artists/show/27597mekbib-gebertsadik

An immigrant struggling to find her way in the U.S., Pilar creates artwork that depicts the richness of her Hispanic culture. One of her goals is to empower other Hispanic women to pursue their creativity through the Hispanic Art Foundation. Pilar found her business niche in making mobile device skin covers for a wide audience.

Mekbib studied painting and illustration in Ethiopia, receiving a BFA with honors, and later pursued his MFA at Howard University in the U.S. His work concentrates on African motifs and traditions, both in color palette and technique. His paintings appeared in exhibitions in Ethiopia and other countries including the U.S.

Saadia Yasmin 2011 Graduate Dream Cafe

Meseret Desta 2006 Graduate Painting

Podcast: globalrickshaw.mypodcast.com When the war in her home country erupted, Afgahnistan-born Saadia was bombarded with images of Pushtuns as victims of war and decided to use her art to capture the sorrows. Saadia has exhibited her artwork with Muslim Women in the Arts, Afghan Education for a Better Tomorrow and Bloombars. Saadia also enlightening listeners to the beauty of her native music and customs on Global Rickshaw Radio.

Meseret’s portraits belong to a genre she calls “figurative painting.” She is fascinated by facial expressions and strives to capture emotions in her work. Her subjects interact with nature. Meseret explores the themes of hope, mothers, strength, responsibility and inner beauty. Nadia Janjua 2011 Graduate Oil Paintings, Architecture, Handmade Crafts

Sahar Ismael 2009 Graduate Painting

Website: www.njartitecture.com Etsy: shopnjartitecture Facebook: NJArtitecture

Sahar studied architecture at University of Baghdad while pursuing her passion for art. Her works, which convey a sense of optimism about the future, have been featured in various exhibitions and galleries in Iraq and the U.S. She is also an Arabic instructor at the Comprehensive Language Center.

Through paintings and architecture, Nadia explores her own life journey and invites viewers to do the same with their personal narratives. Her architectural design focuses on a multi-sensory experience of space.

Sarah Jawaid 2011 Graduate Painting & Photography

Using body form and portraiture, Sydnei’s paintings explore religion, culture, sex, politics and how they relate to and define the individual. Her works have been collected by Sylvester Stallone, Whoopi Goldberg and Patti La Belle. She studied art at Santa Monica College and earned her master’s degree at the Rhode Island School of Design in Fine Art.

Website: sarahjawaid.com Sarah received degrees in public policy and urban planning from the University of Southern California. As an urban planner, Sarah often reflects on how spaces affect people and the environment. Her paintings manifest her inner spatial landscape and her photographs depict cityscapes, landscapes—motifs that search for the calm amidst the chaos.

Tayseer Shibrain 2006 Graduate Painting Tayseer, born in Sudan, enrolled in the ETS program to learn management skills, how to price her work and develop a marketing plan to promote her products.

Sarina Harris 2006 Graduate Painting & Art Education Growing up in Malaysia, Sarina always wanted to be an artist. She studied art in Malaysia and in the U.S., and taught art in Italy, Mexico, Thailand, Germany and other countries.

Teresa Canales 2007 Graduate Painting

Shahnaz Elrawi 2011 Graduate Painting: Babylon Spirit

Teresa, born in El Salvador, immigrated to the U.S. with a mission. She wanted to teach “women to be successful in their own dreams,” she said. Teresa uses pastels, oils, acrylics and watercolors to express her images of nature.

A self-taught painter, Shahnaz combines traditional folklore and art to create vivid portraits of her beloved country, Iraq. She bridges the gap between her past and present through various mediums such as mirrors, coins, fabrics and flowers woven together.

Tricia O’hara 2006 Graduate Painting

Sheryl Gordon 2007 Graduate Graphite, Pen & Ink Illustrations

Wynn Creasy 2006 Graduate Painting & Textiles

Sheryl illustrates her artwork with graphite and pen & ink. She also works in color using pastels, colored pencils and acrylics. She describes her illustrations as “fantasy with a bent on realism” or “realism with a bent on fantasy.”

Website: wynncreasyfineart.blogspot.com Wynn is an actress and singer in the Washington D.C., metropolitan area, as well as a fine artist and painter. She specializes in painting landscapes and abstracts of the Virginia countryside in oil, oil pastel, and acrylic.

Sydnei Smithjordan 2010 Graduate Painting & Textile Design Website: store.uspacegallery.com/sysm.html

Elizabeth Coker 2012 Graduate Ma Lizzies Cakes & Catering

Food and Catering Aida Mady 2012 Graduate Cooking & Beyond

Since she immigrated to the U.S. from Ghana twenty years ago, Elizabeth has been baking desserts from her home country. She launched Ma Lizzie’s Cakes and Catering, a company specializing in selling traditional Ghanian sweets as well as gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free and egg-free cakes and pastries.

Born and raised in Egypt, Aida’s life has been enriched by international travel and cross-cultural experiences. Aida’s company, Cooking & Beyond, offers a new line of imported Egyptian cooking accessories. She plans to publish a cookbook that reflects the history and cultural influences of Egyptian cuisine.

Irene Naguib 2012 Graduate Egyptian Cuisine

Alicia Lopez 2011 Graduate Latin American Cuisine

An immigrant from Egypt who arrived to the U.S. in 2004, Irene relishes the cuisine of her native country. She enjoys baking bread, making sandwiches and grilling kabobs—and revels in feeding others the food that sustained her back home. However, Irene is also worried about people living in poverty and aims to raise funds through her business to care for the poor in the U.S. and in Egypt.

Alicia’s dream was to own a business cooking and selling Latin American cuisine. In a locale provided by Impact Silver Spring, an EWI partner organization, she plans to open a cafeteria to sell her homemade pupusas, tacos, tamales, tamarindo and other foods.

Lyzbeth Monard 2012 Graduate D’Ellizia Cakes

Doler Shah 2012 Graduate Flavors of India

Facebook: D’Ellizia

After years of being asked to teach Indian cooking, Doler decided to start her own company. Flavors of India will provide “Indian culinary classes which transport one’s taste buds and their senses to different parts of India,” Doler said.

A Peruvian native, Lyzbeth wanted to start a business selling cakes for reasonable prices. She and her partner, Elda LaRue, are self-taught bakers who met through their daughters, both in pre-school. Their company, “D’Ellizia” was founded after friends urged them to enter competitions and create a business.

Elda La Rue 2012 Graduate D’Ellizia Cakes

Trinidad Coopman 2012 Graduate La Serena Catering

Facebook: D’Ellizia A mother of four who was born into a Mexican family, Elda lost count of how many cakes she baked and how many piñatas she hung for her children’s birthday parties. Elda became so famous for her cakes that she decided to start a small business selling her baked goods. She and her partner Lyzbeth Monard enrolled in EWI’s programs to learn about how to run a business.

Facebook: LaSerenaCatering Trinidad is a self-taught visual artist who also wants to start her own catering business baking and selling cakes, cupcakes and homemade chocolate. She also envisions owning a store and placing her art pieces on the wall for sale.

Winter Walker 2012 Graduate NuDelish

Debbie’s glass designs consist of a collection of pendants, jewelry sets and functional pieces. Starting out as a painter and printmaker, Debbie found that fused glass lends itself to similar interplays with light, color, design and creativity. Debbie has exhibited her work at various local galleries, shops and art shows.

Winter is the creator and promoter of her original product NuDelish Date Butter. With her background in holistic nutrition, Winter created NuDelish Date Butter as a sweet and creamy nut-free organic spread that is allergy friendly and all natural. Winter developed this nutritional and tasty spread in order to cater to alternative food needs, such as vegetarians and vegans, all while maintaining a product that is full in flavor and child friendly.

Mahasin Mohamed 2006 Graduate Painted Glass

Health and Wellness

Yarmila Aragon 2010 Graduate Northern Lights Bar

Irina Katz 2012 Graduate Yoga/Reiki Instruction

From her father’s birthplace in Panama to her adopted homeland in Sweden, Yarmila has lived in 10 countries and speaks four languages fluently. When her life was completely derailed by a spinal surgery, she found inspiration from her dream of starting her own elite Scandinavian restaurant, café, and art gallery. Yarmila also works as a freelance diplomat and translator for US State Department and the UN.

A certified yoga instructor and a reiki expert, Irina specializes in the practice of Kundalini yoga. She plans open a studio to offer private and group classes throughout the Washington DC metropolitan area. She currently teaches at various locations. Jane Smith 2012 Graduate Image Coach: Still Sassy, LLC

Glass Art

Website: www.stillsassy.com Alison Sigethy 2007 Graduate Nature Inspired Glass Art

Jane was diagnosed with cancer in 2000, a disease she knew would change her world. But she remained optimistic and built a new life for herself. Eager to share her experiences to empower women, she started a business as an image coach for women who live with chronic illnesses or have had life-changing health circumstances.

Website: alisonsigethy.com Alison creates forms out of salvaged materials— primarily structural glass and found wood. When she was introduced to EWI, Alison was looking for a change in her life. She knew she was creative but never defined herself as an artist. Today, Alison makes a living selling her art. She exhibits throughout the Washington D.C., metropolitan area and has her studio in the Torpedo Factory Art Center.

Tammie Archie 2012 Graduate Healing Arts & Education: WellFit Concepts Tammie, founder of WellFit Concepts, wants her company to be profitable she could support her family with its earnings. She also wants to teach the underprivileged to take care of their bodies by removing the obstacles that prevent them from preserving their health.

Debbie Schran 2007 Graduate Be Fused Hot Glass Website: www.befusedhotglass.com

Import/Export Businesses and Marketplaces

Interior Decorating Clementine Simmons 2012 Graduate Fruit of the Spirit Floral Designs

Adela Poudratchi 2010 Graduate Online Marketplace

Clementine stumbled upon her talent in floral design when a friend asked her for help in making Christmas wreath and floral arrangements. She has since been creating works of art through flower arrangements.

Adela dazzled admirers with the Middle Eastern artisan jewelry from Iran that she wore. But she was started by her fans’ surprise that the jewelry came from Iran, her native country. Adele wanted to promote Iran’s goods so she made a commitment to make Middle Eastern jewelry more accessible.

Kamar Derder 2011 Graduate Interior Designer and Seamstress

Azeb Y Tesfaye 2012 Graduate Liyu Trading Website: www.liyutrading.com Facebook: LiyuTrading

Back home in Morocco, Kamar was a talented interior designer, passionate about sewing. She can create anything from fabric—from window treatments and pillows to gift baskets. She helps clients design their home and launched a decorative soap line, Zahra Sabon.

Born in Ethiopia, Azeb is a dedicated mother who feels passionate about the art from her home country. She wants to start an online business selling her own art in hopes of drawing U.S. customers interested in learning more about Ethiopian culture.

Jewelry Design

Elleni T. Ashine 2010 Graduate Online Marketplace

Altinay Kuchukeeva 2007 Graduate Altinay Designs

Elleni, an Ethiopian artisan and entrepreneur, creates jewelry and writes short stories about social change. Having witnessed turmoil in her nation, she hopes to spur readers into action to strive for a better world and improve the lives of her Ethiopian sisters and all African women.

Etsy: altinaydesigns.etsy.com Twitter: @Altinay Altinay, which means “golden moon,” is a talented jeweler from Kyrgyzstan. She describes her design style as eclectic, and draws from ethnic and tribal jewelry from various regions of the world. Her jewelry is created with sterling silver wire, semi-precious stones, pearl and shells.

Grazyna Pinkowska 2011 Graduate Pol-Am Exports

Amoy Stephen 2012 Graduate Jewelry

Grazyna has over 10 years of experience as a business owner and company executive. Pol-Am Exports is the creation of her dream to bring outstanding Polish traditional artwork to American markets. The company specialized in beautiful and unique home décor products from Poland, many of which are handcrafted and hand painted, and include ornamental glass, window treatments and tableware.

Amoy makes a Caribbean-style brand of jewelry. She donates a portion of her earnings to organizations that help combat human trafficking and aim to eliminate exploitation. Amoy works closely with FAIR Girls to educate young girls about the dangers of human trafficking and advocate for their protection. 14

Edith Graciela Sanabria 2005 Graduate Jewelry Designer, Painter & Poet

Kata Witorsch 2007 Graduate One-of-a-Kind Handmade Jewelry Designs

Website: edithgracielasanabria.com

Website: katawitorsch.com

Born into a family of artists and jewelers in Bolivia, Edith is inspired by nature and pre-Columbian art. Her jewelry is crafted in fine gold, silver and gems and her paintings are widely exhibited. She is also a published poet whose books have been translated into multiple languages and sold internationally.

To design jewelry, Kata draws on everything from vintage fashion and modern architecture to classical music and nature. Kata creates wearable works of art that accentuate the wearer’s style, personality, and individuality. Kata earned her master's degree in fine art and music in Hungry, her home country.

Evelyn Brooks 2007 Graduate Evelyn Brooks Designs

Louis Sangare 2008 Graduate NiaNi Designs

Website: www.ebrooksdesigns.com

Website: mynianidesigns.com

Evelyn was introduced to jewelry design growing up in Peru, working alongside her father in his jewelry business. In 2010 she earned an award by the Greater Washington Fashion Chamber of Commerce. In 2009 she was selected as entrepreneur on the rise by Council Magazine and included in the Washington Life “Power Issue” as he Best of Peru in Washington D.C. Evelyn teaches at-risk youth and women exoffenders jewelry-making skills in hopes that they’ll feel more confident as they prepare to re-enter society.

Louis’s jewelry line includes antique silverware made into decorative necklaces and bracelets and a series of necklaces gems, liquid sterling silver and Swarovski crystal. His online gallery, NiaNi Designs, features a collection of ethic jewelry and authentic African art that has been promoted at art shows, galleries, and exhibits in major U.S. cities. Rolyn Nakalanzi 2009 Graduate Jewelry Designer & Painter

Jodi Flood 2008 Graduate The Magpie’s Treasure

Website: www.zhibit.org/nrolyn After arriving in the U.S. from Uganda, Rolyn couldn’t find a job and struggled to survive.. She enrolled in the ETS program, and, with the help from fellow trainees and mentors, developed a jewelry line. Inspired by nature, she also devoted herself to painting.

Website: jodifloodjewelry.com Etsy: themagpiestreasure.etsy.com Twitter: @MagpiesTreasure Jodi is a Virginia-based jewelry designer. Her handcrafted pieces feature sterling silver, pearls, and glass beads. Each design portrays an eye-catching play of light and color. Jodi received her BA in Visual Arts from the State University of New York, New Paltz.

Sabrina Haritos 2012 Graduate Ourania, LLC Etsy: etsy.com/shop/OuraniaInc

Juanita Moh 2006 Graduate Jewelry Designer

Sabrina is a self-taught jewelry maker and astrological enthusiast. She uses semi-precious gemstones and configures them into beautiful necklaces that match a person’s birth-chart based on their time and date of birth. Through her artwork she helps people gain insight into themselves.

Sonia Punjabi 2006 Graduate Jewelry Designer & Painter

volunteers for EWI as a trainer for the ETS program and as a graphic designer.

Sonia’s Indian background and heritage contribute to the colors and designs of her jewelry and paintings.

Sushmita Mazumdar 2008 Graduate Book Artist, Story Teller, Graphic Designer Website: www.handmadestorybooks.com Sushmita began writing stories for her son about her childhood in India. She then created a business to publish storybooks about the lives on others. Her first solo show was held at the Popcorn Gallery at Glen Echo Park in 2012. She now teaches classes and workshops around the Washington D.C. area.

Multimedia (film, graphic, web design) Chithra Jeyaram 2012 Graduate Film/Documentaries Real Talkies

Music & Performance

Website: realtalkies.wordpress.com Facebook: RealTalkies Twitter: @realtalkies

Darlene Grace Allen 2012 Graduate Poet/Spoken Word Artist Oracle Ink

Chithra is a film maker and founder of Real Talkies, a company which produces impactful films for a global community of citizens, activists, non-profits, organizations and socially conscious businesses. Her web-interactive and film idea “#1001 breast cancer nights” won the Benevolent Media Pitch Night and her short documentary film, MIJO has won numerous awards.

Darlene always wanted to be a writer. Her poems inspire listeners to act more kindly toward others and encourages them to improve their lives. Her business, Oracle Ink, will promote poets to perform at special events, offering comfort to those grieving for loves and good wishes to those celebrating milestones.

Kim B. Mallet 2010 Graduate Kim’s Cards & Graphic Designer

Mame N’Diaye 2005 Graduate Music Composer and Illustrator

Kim’s work features dried flowers and leaves, Victorian-period images and famous quotes or sayings. She often creates greeting cards that juxtapose two messages.

Website: nyogea.wordpress.com Mame composes, sings and produces her own music. The lyrics of her songs carry spiritual traditions from around the world.

Sharmila Karamchandani 2006 Graduate Graphic Designer, Art Educator, Henna Artist, & Jewelry Designer Linkedin: Sharmila Karamchandani

Sefanit Mesfin-Champagne 2009 Graduate Singer & Songwriter

Born into a family of artists, Indian-born Sharmila started out drawing and painting and later studied graphics. She is now a design educator. In 2008, she was awarded the Teacher of the Year Award by the Virginia Career College Association. Sharmila

Sefanit was born in Ethiopia and raised in India, Nambia, and the U.S. Through her music, which carries a blend of jazz and Ethiopian rhythms, Sefanit hopes to portray the rich heritage of her native land and the African continent. 17

Tacha Coleman Parr 2010 Graduate Jazz Singer

students. So much so that she wanted to continue supporting them after she arrived to the U.S. She also wanted to support skilled women from Pakistan struggling to make a living in a country with rising unemployment.

Website: tachacolemanparr.com When she was young, Tacha was told by her choral teacher that she didn’t have the voice for R&B and blues and that she was better suited for classical music. Tacha is now an accomplished jazz singer with her own band, which plays a repertoire of gospel, jazz, R&B and classical. The band has performed in the Washington D.C., metropolitan area.

Kwanele Ndlovu 2010 Graduate Social Entrepreneurship In 1994, Kwanele moved to the U.S. from Zimbabwe to get an education. Both of her parents were teachers. Kwanele plans to create a non-profit organization to build schools and sponsor an education for girls in Zimbabwe.

Nonprofit/Community Development

Nicole Young 2011 Graduate Non-profit Organization

Blanca Vasquez 2006 Graduate Community Organizing

Nicole envisions creating a non-profit organization that sends underprivileged children from the U.S. to other countries so they can experience in real life what they have learned in the classroom.

Blanca is a community organizer and mentor from Honduras, passionate about education and experienced in working with children. Blanca has worked as a youth program coordinator with Head Start, the Food and Drug Administration and public schools.

Victoria Hall 2011 Graduate Women’s Sewing Circle Originally from El Salvador, Victoria came to EWI through Impact Silver Spring, one of EWI’s partner organizations, to organize a women’s circle where Latin American women could learn new skills. It was through the sewing circle that she discovered her passion for sewing. She learned business skills in ETS to compliment her talent as a seamstress and transferred her knowledge back to her women’s sewing circle.

Carole Robertson-Fenn 2012 Graduate i-Ed, Inc. LLC Website: www.i-edonline.org Facebook: iEdonline.org Carole began her experience with EWI looking to expand her current organization into a registered nonprofit. i-Ed provides international education, training, and exchange programs and technical assistance with an emphasis on internationalizing and digitizing education to build 21st Century workforce skills. Catherine Gulzar 2012 Graduate Jewelry, Nonprofit A high school principal in Pakistan for over 12 years, Catherine cared deeply about the future of her 19

Corcoran College of Art & Design and works as a independent photographer.

Photography Adelina Perez del Castillo Mena 2010 Graduate Cultural Photography

Sam Bishop 2006 Graduate Sam Bishop Photography

Adelina describes her art as everlasting and instinctual —she aims to capture the moment. She showcased her work about indigenous women at the Mexican Culture Institute in Washington D.C.

Sam is an entrepreneur with a wide range of interests. He started up his own photograph company in 1998, and has since then co-founded two other small businesses, including an online database company for University of Maryland graduates. He said he keeps his creative juices flowing by shooting at weddings, formals and other events.

LaDon James 2012 Graduate Lens and Love Photography Facebook: www.facebook.com/lensandlove LaDon fell in love with photography the moment her aunt handed her a camera. LaDon strives to discover the genuine and spontaneous side of her models, allowing them to use natural poses. LaDon says she helps clients “see themselves for the first time, again.”

Textile and Mixed Media

Nina Tisara 2006 Graduate Tisara Photography & Living Legends of Alexandria

Dinelles wants to help couples plan their wedding— from arranging the bridal party and reception to the selection of flowers, corsages and boutonnieres. She is especially fond of making diaper cakes, and often makes them for bridal and baby showers. She believes that the presentation of a gift is what makes it really special.

Dinelles Sakyi 2012 Graduate UnFORgettable Gifts

Website: tisaraphoto.com/legends Nina began her photographic career as a part-time photojournalist and became known for her sensitive portrayal of Alexandria’s residents and its locales. Soon after, she started her own family-run business, Tisara Photography—a venture she said was possible because of EWI’s support. “I organized my many art endeavors into Nina Tisara Enterprises and formally incorporated Living Legends of Alexandria as a 501(c) (3),” she said.

Gwynne Mason 2009 Graduate Jessie’s Fibrenomicon Website: www.jessiesfibrenomicon.com Blog: jessiesfibrenomicon.com/jessiesblog Gwynne has taken her passion for art and the environment and turned it into a business specializing in fine handmade paper, fiber art, and unique textiles. She uses plant fiber, recycled paper, and fabric from old clothing to create her designs. She has exhibited at several galleries, art markets, and events and is a member of the Vienna Arts Society and Potomac Fiber Arts Guild.

Priscilla de Lima Ledesma 2009 Graduate Independent Photographer Website: priscillalimaphoto.com Twitter: @studi0prica Blog: coutureurbano.blogspot.com Born and raised in Brazil, Priscilla participated in many photography exhibits in the Washington D.C. area and published her work in multiple social media networks. Priscilla holds a Fine Arts degree from the 20

Magnolia (Maggie) Erteschik 2011 Graduate Ms. Maggie’s Cot Covers While working at a daycare, Magnolia noticed that the children’s cot covers didn’t fit properly, fell off easily and got dirty quickly. She started a business designing fitted cot covers that stay clean longer and meet the state law’s requirements for “appropriate covers.”

Sandra Owusu-Ansah 2011 Graduate Visual Up-cycled Green Art From Scraps to Treasures (FST) Global Enterprise Sandra is an avid promoter of environmentally conscious products and recycling. Her business, FST Global Enterprise, creates artwork from up-cycled pieces to make abstract items and keepsakes such as dolls. She is trained in various art forms to include metalwork, ceramics and fabric. Sandra likes creating utilitarian items using unconventional objects. She earned a certificate in Specialized Art from Montgomery College and currently works for the Environmental Protection Agency.