How Women-Owned Businesses Lead Pasadena's Post-Fire Economic Rebuild with Lizzy Okoro Davidson, Director at Pasadena Women's Business Center Episode 165

Episode notes

A year after the devastating Los Angeles fires in January 2025, Lizzy Okoro Davidson returns to the podcast to share how the Pasadena Women's Business Center has become a key leader in rebuilding efforts—championing strategies rooted in equity, tactical support, and economic opportunity for women entrepreneurs. Together, our host, Dr. Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of the Economic and Workforce Development Department at Pasadena City College explores how we continue to rebuild a year later and the realities of what those efforts require ongoingly. Lizzy shares how programs at the WBC created innovative accelerators that were responsive and specific to different women-owned sectors, like beauty professionals and how the formula to relief and support-success is to listen with intent and build the solutions needed in real time. They also discuss the importance of community, challenges unique to women-owned businesses, and the broader economic impact when women are given resources to thrive.