2018 One Million Woman Link Up Salute to African American Business Women

April is Black Women's History Month. In celebration, the 2018 One Million Woman Link Up, a year long movement/virtual tour of LinkedIn’s women in business community, and some of its participants (April Moreno, Tammie Polk, Rebecka Vigus, Elizabeth Wright, Heather Doering, Kim Beasley and Margo Lovett) are joining forces to salute LinkedIn's African American business, corporate and professional women.

According to the "2017 State of Women Owned Businesses," African Americans owned 19% of all women owned businesses. An estimated 2,025,300 African American firms employed 398,400 workers and generated $56 billion in revenue. African American women-owned businesses have increased per day by 259. They are an economic force to be reckoned with.

Network and collaborate with some of LinkedIn's influential African American business and professional women by adding yourself to the 2018 One Million Woman Link Up.

African American Women Share Who Inspired & Planted the Seeds of Greatness in Them

A mixer/interview was held online as part of the February Smart Women Partner & Grow Rich! Event to interview women in advance of Black Women's History Month. Participants were asked "Who were the women in your family that inspired you to become the woman you are today? What strengths did they instill in you?". Their responses were powerful. Read them. Then share who inspired and planted the seeds of greatness in you in the comments section below. Make sure you invite the women below to connect on LinkedIn.

Deborah Thorne

"Growing up, my mother and aunt were my the women who inspired me. My mother was my cheerleader. Even though she couldn't understand my dreams and desires, she encouraged me to go for them. Today, at 93, she is still my biggest cheerleader. My aunt, affectionately called Nanie, was a loving “straight shooter”. She said what she thought, meant every word and was prepared to fight (physically) if necessary. See where I get it?" -- Deborah Thorne, The Information Diva

Lynne Maureen Hurdle

"My mother, Eleanor B. Hurdle, was always about excellence. She was a voracious reader and actually forced my sister and I to read when we were bored. It developed the love of reading in both of us. She was also very ahead of her time. When she died in 1994, she was 60 and was working at Phillip Morris Company as Information Systems Administrator for the Corporate Office. Not only was she one of the few African Americans in an influential position, but she was the person they had to contact to troubleshoot computer issues. I did not know people her age who knew anything about computers. She always wanted to excel as a Black woman, she made that very clear." -- Lynne Maureen Hurdle, Communication Expert and Conflict Resolution Strategist

Angie Hamilton

"My grandmother and mother both influenced and inspired me to become the woman I am today. My grandmother was not educated and had less than a 2nd grade education. Yet, she was the most brilliant and generous person that I have known. She was always teaching us through her life lessons. I treasured what I learned from her. I was so impressed how benevolent my grandmother helped others and believed that we as women were the backbone of our community. She would give her last , so that someone had their first. My grandmother never lacked for anything and possessed a faith of a mustard seed.

My mother was a single parent and at one time worked three jobs to raise 5 daughters. My mother did not have much. Yet, she ensured my sisters and I were well cared for and had a nurturing environment. I appreciated the determination, will power, and faith both have provided to me." -- Angie Hamilton, President , HR Chique Group Consultancy

Lolita E. Walker

"My mom, Evelyn L. Walker, is a strong, phenomenal, black woman. Her roots of strength dig back to the 1960's when she was one of the first 10 African Americans to integrate into an all-white high school in Suffolk, Virginia. Her even more powerful mom made her go to the school, despite it being the first integrate. Evelyn was in the 9th grade and was bused to Forest Glen High School in Suffolk, Virginia. Her strength from that experience, coupled with my 5 Jamaican-born aunts on my dad's side are epitomes of strength and perseverance that I pull from each day. 

Equally inspiring was Mrs. Vera Smith, my 5th grade teacher. She rode me like a horse EACH AND EVERY DAY. She was more strict than my parents which was tough to do. She called my father one day and told him that I lied on her, which was true. I don't recall the lie, but I do recall the spanking he gave me in front of my 5th grade class in Southeast DC at Mary Church Terrell Elementary school. Though true, she taught me resilience, determination, perseverance and reiterated the notion that I am beyond average! that I am extraordinary. May she forever rest in peace."  -- Lolita E. Walker, Walker & Walker Enterprises LLC.

Tammie Polk

"For me, it was my mother and my paternal grandmother. My mother married at 17, didn't finish high school, had children at 18 and 19 then 23, was a victim of domestic violence but she was the first entrepreneur I'd ever seen personally and was until pneumonia claimed her life in 2007. My grandmother taught in the Alabama Public School system for nearly 40 years and graduated from Stillman and Tuskegee. I believe she was one of the first to do so." -- Tammie Polk, Tammie Terrell Mompreneur Coaching

Trisha Giscombe

"I would have to say that my Mom, named Abby, is the woman who inspired me to become the woman I am today. My Mom and I moved to the US from Barbados when I was a child because she wanted to make a better life for her and I. Her decision showed how driven she was and this is a quality that I have strongly." -- Trisha Giscombe, Creative, Tech Savvy Front End Web Developer | HR Professional

Christie Lindor

"My mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother have all inspired me. I feel so lucky to have come from a lineage of strong women. All three migrated to the USA from Haiti – they each were able to rebuild their lives in America without a strong network. I’ve also witnessed each of them – in their own way – live a very selfless life and make a lot of sacrifice for the sake of family. Although they each had very different personalities, I truly admire and try to emulate the strength they displayed in their lives." -- Christie Lindor, Human Capital Management Consultant, Best-selling Author, Forbes Contributor, Speaker, Podcast Host, Expert Mentor

Earline Marshall

"I was blessed to have grown up knowing 3 grandma's and 3 great grandma's. They were amazing women who grew up in hard times but taught us the value of money, to have faith in God, to love family, give generously and never forget where you come from. My parents learned that from them and emphasized it daily in our home. I grew up in New York with 2 sisters and one brother. My parents moved there for better opportunities and we were all the family we had until we took that long drive to Virginia 3 times a year. My mom was and still is my rock.

She has suffered with depression all of my life and still managed to raise four children with my father who died 13 years ago. I can't talk about my mom without saying how much my dad meant to me. He showed me daily what real love looks like. They had a loving 35 year marriage until he passed away and no matter how ill my mother was and how hard it was some days to live with her in the depths of a mental episode, my dad never waivered, never gave up and never allowed us to forget that she was our mother no matter what. I miss him every day." -- Earline Marshall, Marshall Management Group, LLC

Beverly Jones Durr

"I come from a rich Trinidadian heritage. I have been greatly influenced by my mother, great great grandmother, and great aunt. As a child, my mother told me stories about my great great grandmother and great aunt. They focused not on the downs except to find the one thing God needed them to take away from the experience. My mother wanted me to remember to lean on their strengths when hard times came so she named me after them. Here's my official name : Beverly Joyce, Ahna, Grace, Alisabeth, Cathyrn Jones-Durr." -- Beverly Jones Durr, Founder, Director, Every Child Has a Story

Directory of Influential African American Business Women Coming Soon

I am partnering with April Moreno, Tammie Polk, Rebecka Vigus, Elizabeth Wright, Heather Doering, Kim Beasley and Margo Lovett to showcase some of our African American female LinkedIn connections. Stay tuned for more info. In the meantime, check out my collaborators LinkedIn profiles and invite them to connect. Tell them that you learned about them from Jerrilynn.

2018 One Million Woman Link Up ... #SmartWomenPartnerGrowRich http://bit.ly/2JeQAfO