She-Built This City: The Northeast Edition
In celebration of Women’s History Month,Her Agenda is proud to present She-Built This City: Northeast Edition! This curated directory honors formidable founders who are doing more than just running businesses. These founders are creating legacies and supporting the economy in their local cities. From tech innovators to wellness pioneers, these She-Builders represent the ambition, resilience, and community-first mindset that defines the modern career woman.
Want to be featured in the upcoming She-Built This City: Midwest edition? Nominate yourself or a founder you admire now!
New York City
To Be Hosted | Amber Mayfield Hewett
The Mission: Bring people together meaningfully
The Legacy: Est. 2017
The Founder’s Why: To Be Hosted is a supper club and boutique event company based in New York City. I started this supper club in 2017 because I was lonely and I wanted to make more meaningful connections while living and working in NYC. Through these events, we highlight Black chefs, musicians, and artists, creating inspiring environments for diverse guests to meet, eat, and connect.
Words To Build By: “I have stood on a mountain of no’s for one yes.” B. Smith
Bonus: Amber’s debut party planning book, Your Turn to Host: A Guide to Great Parties and Gatherings, is available for pre-order now! Inside, readers will find Amber’s step-by-step guide to throwing parties that make guests feel seen, cared for, and connected. Pre-order your copy at BEM Brooklyn (a black woman-owned bookstore), Amazon, and Bookshop.
Pixi Presence & Muslimah HQ | Fatima Younus
The Mission: Building platforms, empowering Muslim women globally
The Legacy: Est. 2023
The Founder’s Why: Through Pixi Presence, my creative marketing agency, and Muslimah Inc.®, I build platforms that empower Muslim women to own their power, pursue their dreams boldly, and create lasting impact in the world.
Words To Build By: “Dream boldly, execute relentlessly”
Brothers & Briefcases | Guildia Lopez
The Mission: Elevating ambitious men shaping culture.
The Legacy: Est. 2017
The Founder’s Why: Guildia chose this work and mission because she wanted to inspire her nephew and other young men in her community. She has continued this mission for nearly ten years now because she has built a community of like-minded men who are committed to being better in themselves, their families, and their communities.
Words To Build By: “Build the table you wish existed—then invite others to thrive with you.”
Harlem Shake Restaurant Group | Jelena Pasic
The Mission: Burgers, shakes, and good times!
The Legacy: Est. 2013
The Founder’s Why: Jelena had nearly 15 years in the restaurant industry before establishing Harlem Shake as the Founder/CEO. Under her leadership, she maintains a growing gender and racially diverse staff from front of house to management; donates and partners with 25+ local to national charitable organizations, mostly food insecurity organizations, including City Harvest, Citymeals on Wheels, Food Bank for NYC, etc.
Words To Build By: “People who say it can’t be done should not interrupt the ones doing it.”
Philadelphia
Touch of OShea Natural Skincare | Octavia Phillips
The Mission: Skincare built for real life.
The Legacy: Est. 2016
The Founder’s Why: Our mission at Touch of OShea is to deliver authoritative skin-barrier protection engineered for high-impact environments and the unique demands of the therapeutic-care community. We help educators, parents, brick masons, fire-fighters, nurses, and others overcome the physical and emotional challenges of eczema and skin irritations to lead productive lives with confidence.
Words To Build By: “No matter how far it feels like you are from your goal, work like it is so, even though it ain’t so, and it will become so.”
Mint & Ocean Apothecary | Odalis Avant
The Mission: Garden-grown, ocean-borne wellness.
The Legacy: Est. 2017
The Founder’s Why: Mint & Ocean Apothecary nourishes our community’s physical, spiritual & mental wellbeing by way of organic, botanical recipes sourced from both the earth & sea, Afro-Panamanian spiritual practices, and holistic education. Beginning in 2025, we were humbled to release our Giving Bar handmade bar soaps, for every bar sold, one bar is donated to local and international shelters/survivors in need. We also prepare and donate bars for urgent circumstances, such as our Hurricane Melissa survivors in Jamaica. To date, we are blessed to have donated over 700 bars and climbing!
Words To Build By: “Bravery is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.”
The Belle Agency | Rachel MacRae Keith
The Mission: Intentional visibility. Thoughtful representation.
The Legacy: Est. 2011
The Founder’s Why: With more than 15 years in communications, she has helped artists, leaders, and organizations navigate defining moments with clarity and intention. Her approach goes beyond traditional publicity, focusing on long-term positioning, narrative ownership, and sustainable growth.
Words To Build By: Your gift will make room for you. – Psalm 18:16
My focus has always been stewarding that gift with intention and letting the work speak.
Washington, D.C.
Ami J Creates | Ami Jalloh
The Mission: Turning visibility into profitable brands.
The Legacy: Est. 2022
The Founder’s Why: Our mission is rooted in empowerment. We work with busy entrepreneurs and growing organizations who know they are experts at what they do but struggle to communicate that expertise in a way that converts. Through strategy, full-scale social media management, custom visuals, photography, and event content, we create personalized frameworks that help brands build authority and generate measurable growth without relying solely on paid ads.
Words To Build By: “Visibility gets attention. Strategy builds the business.”
Asha Bey Communications | Asha Bey
The Mission: Elevating brands through purposeful communication.
The Legacy: Est. 2024
The Founder’s Why: At Asha Bey Communications, we know no business is alike. We make your business, our business, and craft marketing and communication materials to help tell your unique story. Through skill, passion, and curiosity, we help clearly message what sets your business apart and keep clients coming back for more.
Words To Build By: “The words that start on your page will indeed change the world for the better.”
Read With Carylee | Carylee Carrington
The Mission: Joyful, inclusive literacy for every child.
The Legacy: Est. 2021
The Founder’s Why: Carylee Carrington’s contribution to the community is rooted in literacy, representation, leadership, and legacy-building. As the founder of Read With Carylee, she has created more than a platform—she has built a movement centered on increasing access to diverse children’s literature and elevating independent authors. Through curated book lists sent to major publications, weekly features, school partnerships, and public programming, she connects families, educators, and communities with books that reflect and affirm all children.
Words To Build By: “Stories shape how children see themselves and the world—so I make sure every child has the chance to see their brilliance on the page.”
Boyd Cru Wines | Jon’ll Boyd
The Mission: Wine. Community. Culture. Legacy. Together.
The Legacy: Est. 2023
The Founder’s Why: Boyd Cru Wines exists to shift the narrative of who belongs in wine. Founded by Jon’ll Boyd, Maryland’s first Black family-owned, grass-to-glass wine company is rooted in sustainability, representation, and radical hospitality. We produce award-winning wines using 100 percent Maryland-grown grapes, but our true product is access.
Words To Build By: “Wine should feel like community, not exclusivity. We built Boyd Cru Wines to create a space where people can connect, celebrate, and see themselves in the story.”
Want to be featured in the upcoming She-Built This City: Midwest edition? Nominate yourself or a founder you admire now!
