PHOENIX — Research shows the pandemic dealt a loss when it comes to closing the gender pay gap. For minority women the disparity is worse. And that's something that just didn't sit right with Valley entrepreneur Stephanie Vasquez. She owns and runs Fair Trade Café in downtown Phoenix.
She sat down with 12News to talk about how learning more about the gender pay gap lit a fire under her to help other women in the same boat.
“It was never in the plans to start a non-profit,” Vasquez said.
But she felt compelled to do something after hearing a speech on the gender pay gap. So, she jumped into action.
"We found 20 Latina brands and we had them do what now is known as pop-ups,” she recalled on the origin of what’s now known as the Mujeres Mercado.
She thought it would be a one and done. But the response was so huge they continued the pop-up market and eventually came the nonprofit Empowering Latina Leaders in Arizona, or E.L.L.A. Vasquez wasn’t done. She wanted to help the vendors do more.
"Because what happens when you pack up the pop up...And that's it?" she stated.
That’s how Amor Collective in Peoria, AZ came to be.
"Amor fills that gap. So, the pop-up ends well. You’ve got a storefront that you can practice your business skills, you can gain knowledge," she explained. "You can test out your brand in a high foot trafficked mainstream market and grow your business."
Amor Collective is an incubator space that features 25 Latina-owned brands. Twenty of those businesses apply and are accepted for a space for 3-month rotations. In the back of the building, there’s a classroom where the ladies can learn more about how to grow their business.
And that community and mentorship means a lot to owners like Rose Adams, who runs jewelry boutique Mod & Co. She tells 12News she always wanted to be her own boss.
"I've always wanted to have my own boutique. But it can be a lot to manage. Me and my husband have three kids so it's just a lot trying to balance,” Adams said.
She’s grateful for the community she’s found at Amor Collective.
"It's nice to have that group that can come together and uplift each other," she replied.
The owners must keep learning. As a former educator, Vasquez believes learning is the key to helping these ladies succeed. She added, "Every month we'll have meetings, and we go over our P&Ls. We go over our marketing strategies because the idea is to continue to grow."
And her passion is inspiring owners like Stephanie Ramirez who runs SR Events.
"Mujeres Mercado, Ella, it's, I feel like it has been God sent to me," Ramirez said.
Getting her dream off the ground was tough in the beginning. Ramirez said even close family couldn't understand it. But that didn’t stop her.
“All we know is that we have a gut feeling and a dream," she said. "The dream is to do this, and the gut feeling is to pursue it."
And she’s found support and community at Amor Collective, which is something she doesn’t take for granted.
"I'm so happy and proud to be part of this group of women who literally just encourages and grows," Ramirez said.
The space will be accepting new applications for vendors soon. To learn more visit https://amorcollectiveaz.com.
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