Today we’d like to introduce you to Azeezat Odu.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Azeezat. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
It all started with me being out of town and being asked where I was from. When I would respond “Chicago”, people would hit me with the “Oh, Chiraq”, “How dangerous is it?”. After so many of those encounters, I was just tired. Tired of people assuming every part of the Chicago land area was a war zone. They would black out all the positive things that this city had to offer, or they would only recognize things/people like, Pizza, Kanye West, Common. Which, don’t get me wrong is great but no one ever mentioned the great women the world has been blessed with that have been products of Chicago. That is what birthed WOChicago. I wanted to change the way the world viewed our city. I wanted the women of color who live here, work here, and made this city so amazing to have a voice. To teach the next generation of girls that they are so powerful and it is their time to shine and build a Chicago that caters to their needs. The unique thing about this organization is that we service all kinds of women from different professional backgrounds BUT we focus on everything from Mental health to professional development. Today we are still building to get more women of color aware of our mission, We hope to have a solid community by the end of this year so we can being curating events tailored to both women of color and young girls of color.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Honestly, no. Like all new things, you will face challenges. One of the biggest issues I have faced while starting this organization is getting over my own fears. I battle with anxiety and if you or anyone you know has gone through this, you know how staggering of a feeling you get when anxiety sets in. It sometimes feels as if I’m afraid of it being successful. I combat that by remembering why I started and who I am doing this for. That would be my advice. Never let ‘You’ hold yourself back from the things you have to get done. Other than that, I would say it would just be getting the proper funding. Right now, I am funding my organization from my full-time job and side hustles. I know once I get a bigger team it won’t be as hard and I can get more help finding corporate sponsorship’s and getting donations. As long as you have an action plan for what you are trying to accomplish, things shouldn’t be too tough. Always remember to ask for help when you need it and don’t be afraid to give yourself a break. You don’t want to burn yourself out.
Please tell us about WOChicago.
I am the founder of WOChicago and Head of the Business Market for the organization. I am also the Founder/CEO of Odu consultation where I assist businesses with improving their brands. I am a lover of helping people become their best selves. WOChicago is my passion child. I’m proud of what it is becoming because I wanted to build a community of strong, smart, independent women who help each other get to the next level. I grew up with amazing women around me that helped mold me into who I am today and I want other women and girls of color to get that same feeling. WOChicago is unique because we women from different fields tackling problems that we all face. Imagine you are faced with a big problem, but you can’t seem to figure it out how to fix it. Imagine having 7 other women who have different life experiences taking a swing at it. You’re all more than likely going to solve that problem. That is what we are. 7 different women, 7 different fields, 7 different ways of solving a problem, 1 Goal.
What advice would you give to someone at the start of her career?
I would say that she needs to remember that it is okay to fail. That is how you learn and get better. And when you do fail, DO NOT beat yourself up about it. Everything happens for a reason, so if you are there, it is for a reason. I won’t be permanent. Life is all about experiencing things so don’t try and rush the process. Learn and grow!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.WOChicago.org
- Phone: 773-242-0024
- Email: womenofchicagwoc@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wochicago/?hl=en
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/wochicago
Image Credit:
Tiffany Fortune
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
