This two-part social project aims to strengthen the capacity of female Québécoise and Colombian entrepreneurs from minority groups who are running businesses in the cultural sector, providing a sustainable means for members of marginalized groups to combat poverty and income inequality. This project also aims to reduce the impacts of the intersectional discrimination that many female minority entrepreneurs face, in addition to strengthening key core/transferable skills in Concordia students. We will be focusing on entrepreneurs who are involved in culturally-focused businesses in both countries, given that cultural identity has been linked to social well-being.

From May to September 2021, the project team, including Concordia students, will conduct needs assessments sessions and provide two sets of training workshops in capacity building to strengthen entrepreneurs’ growing cultural businesses in both countries, including interactive sessions to share experiences related to gender and cultural discriminations and the ongoing sanitary crisis. Student interns will simultaneously be carrying out a research project that aims to enhance our understanding of and offer solutions to the intersecting discrimination that female Québécoise and Colombian entrepreneurs from minority groups face.

Results from both the capacity-building training program and research project will be promoted and shared through the awareness campaign and during the closing event on November 19th, coinciding with the International Day of Women Entrepreneurship and marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

This project will enhance social well-being and economic development for individual entrepreneurs and their communities; by building capacity in 20 female minority entrepreneurs in the cultural sector, we will address poverty, income inequality, gender and ethnic discrimination by exploring alternative business models. Finally, this project will provide international engagement opportunities for Concordia students to actively assist with the analysis and elimination of intersectional barriers and contribute to sustainability in research and curricula. Both our interns and the students targeted by our awareness campaign and event, will be more knowledgeable and aware about intersectional barriers and discrimination.