[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 201 (Thursday, November 18, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1257]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP DAY 2021

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GRACE MENG

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 18, 2021

  Ms. MENG. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak in honor of Women's 
Entrepreneurship Day which is celebrated around the world each year on 
November 19th.
  Women-owned U.S. firms make up nearly 20 percent of all firms that 
employ people and this number is growing. There are nearly 13 million 
women-owned firms and they employ close to 10 million people. As a 
testament to their success, women-owned firms reported revenues of 
nearly $1.9 trillion. This is truly astounding and shows you how vital 
women are to the economy. I applaud these women entrepreneurs and their 
economically vital businesses.
  I also applaud Wendy Diamond, who has personally spearheaded the 
Women's Entrepreneurship Day movement. Since her campaign launched in 
2013, her Women's Entrepreneurship Day Organization has annually funded 
one thousand impoverished women with microloans to start their 
entrepreneurial journey in Nicaragua, India and Africa, hosted a 
nationwide entrepreneurship training program for 60,000 female college 
students and early-stage entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia, initiated and 
funded the premiere Women's Disability Cohort Pitch Competition, a 
visionary program that raises funding opportunities for women 
marginalized by their disabilities in partnership with 2Gether 
International, provided financial literacy education to one thousand 
rural women in the Philippines, and partnered with a Uruguayan 
university to offer scholarships to young women.
  Women's Entrepreneurship Day is now celebrated in 144 countries and 
65 universities and colleges internationally, with numerous global 
ambassadors. The Women's Entrepreneurship Day mission is to empower the 
nearly four billion women worldwide to be catalysts of change and 
uplift the over 250 million girls living in poverty around the world.
  As in past years, the Women's Entrepreneurship Day Organization 
Pioneer Awards recognizes, and honors distinguished women who are 
leaders and innovators across multiple categories with inspiring 
accomplishments. This year's honorees include:
  Cathie Wood, Founder and CEO of ARK Investment Management, LLC--
Financial Pioneer Award
  Jeni Britton Bauer, CEO/Founder Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams--Culinary 
Pioneer Award
  Judith Heumann, International Disability Rights Advocate, The Heumann 
Perspective--Human Rights Pioneer Award
  Mona Scott-Young, CEO of Monami Productions--Entertainment Pioneer 
Award
  The Honorable Kathy Hochul, 57th & first female Governor of New York 
State--Government Pioneer Award
  Nadja Swarovski, Chair and Founder of Atelier Swarovski and Chair of 
Swarovski Foundation--Fashion Pioneer Award
  Dawn Dickson-Akpoghene, CEO and Founder of PopCom--Technology Pioneer 
Award
  Madam Speaker, I urge the entire House to recognize these remarkable 
role models, and to celebrate Women's Entrepreneurship Day this year 
and every year moving forward.

                          ____________________