Lizzy Okoro Davidson, director of the Pasadena Women’s Business Center, helped ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Monday, March 9.
Davidson also announced the expansion of the “Back to Business Fund,” a partnership the center has with Paris Hilton’s 11:11 Media Impact and GoFundMe.org that awarded grants from $10,000 to $25,000 to 50 business owners impacted by the Eaton and Palisades fires of January 2025.
The grants will be expanded to offer help to female small business owners nationwide.
“The process had to be straightforward and efficient,” Okoro Davidson said. “These business owners needed cash and they needed it fast. We were fortunate to be able to act quickly and are so proud of the impact it has made. Seeing the award recipients’ success to date only underscores what I know about women business owners — they are incredibly resourceful and resilient.”
And, of course, there was the experience of the bell.
“It was a moment that celebrated not just leadership, but the strength and determination of women entrepreneurs everywhere,” she said of standing on the stage to help ring the closing bell. “I was honored to represent the Pasadena Women’s Business Center and the incredible small business owners who are rebuilding and redefining what’s possible for their communities.”