History will remember the 21st century as the century of the rise of women all around the world. African women have not been left out of this on-going wave of women empowerment. As African women back home are redefining their roles in the continent, their counterparts in the diaspora are also making their marks as they contribute to the economic growth of their foreign bases. African women entrepreneurs in the diaspora are also igniting change back home through mentorship, support of startups and philanthropic causes as seen in the profiles below. This list presents the most influential and inspiring African women entrepreneurs and executives who are based in the United States which you may or may not have heard of prior to now.
As a noun, Influential has been defined to mean: “the capacity or power of persons or things to be a compelling force on or produce effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of others.”
These are the game-changers and trailblazers, women who are overcoming all kinds of barriers to build successful businesses in industries ranging from e-commerce to fashion and technology. In no particular order, these are the ones to watch for in 2015.