Get to Know These Black Alum Entrepreneurs

For over a century, Girl Scouts have sold cookies as part of the world’s biggest entrepreneurial program for girls. Today, many alums use the skills they learned in Girl Scouts in their adulthood as they launch businesses, parlaying their cookie program experience into entrepreneurship opportunities as well as advocating for critical issues in the world. In honor of Black History Month, we’re celebrating some of the unforgettable Girl Scout alums behind these Black female-founded businesses.

Carla Hall, Carla’s Nashville Hot Chicken

Chef and TV personality Carla Hall may be most recognized for her stints on Top Chef and The Chew, but she thinks of herself as an entrepreneur first and foremost. (That dates back to her time selling Girl Scout cookies in Nashville!) Today, Carla can be found running her podcast, judging cooking competition shows on Food Network, and selling dinners featuring Nashville-style “hot chicken”—a heavily spiced fried chicken from the same beloved recipe she used in her now-defunct Brooklyn restaurant—through Goldbelly.

Rue Map, Outdoor Afro

Rue Map started an outdoor adventure blog in 2009 and, less than a year later, her writing caught the attention of the Obama administration, which had just launched their America’s Great Outdoor Initiative. “I was invited to the White House and there I was in this room with professionals who were all committed to the outdoors, conservation, and the outdoor industry,” this Girl Scout alum recalls. “They warmly embraced me and continue to be an influence.” Now, Outdoor Afro has grown into a full digital platform, connecting thousands of Black Americans to outdoor experiences and changing the face of conservation.
 

Deanna Singh, Flying Elephant

Think you can’t pull off launching a business? In one incredible year, social entrepreneur and Girl Scout alum Deanna Singh launched three businesses under the umbrella organization of Flying Elephant in her hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Stories to Tell is a children’s book publisher; Uplifting Impact provides leadership and entrepreneurship coaching as well as DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) training; and Birth Coach Milwaukee is a doula program that supports, among others, low-income families. “We’re trying to eliminate the disparities,” she explains, “for women of color in labor.”

Natasha Bansgopaul, DarcMatter

Gold Award Girl Scout alum Natasha Bansgopaul isn’t just a disrupter—she’s a disrupter in an old-school industry: finance. “In traditional financial services, most of these alternative deals are done behind closed doors, with some folks still utilizing fax machines, believe it or not,” Natasha explains. By founding DarcMatter, a global financial technology platform for investments, Natasha built an online platform to make it easier for fund managers and investors to find each other. Natasha’s platform started in 2014 with ten funds and 100 investors. Today, DarcMatter has more than 150 funds totaling more than $6.5 billion.

Andrea Fairweather, Fairweather Faces

Andrea Fairweather launched Fairweather Faces Traveling Beauty Services, which brings salon services like manicures and makeup application to customers’ homes, more than 20 years ago, with a lot of help from her family. Today, Andrea—who likens makeup application to painting—is proud to be an artist who also has business skills. “It’s rare in the industry to have that duality,” she says. Along with support from her family, Andrea says that growing up as a Girl Scout in Brooklyn set her up for success with what she calls “timeless techniques.” “It [Girl Scouts],” she recalls, “taught me how to be a servant leader.”

Deirdre Roberson, EUMELANIN

Scientist and Girl Scout alum Deirdre Roberson founded her athletic wear line in 2018 as more than just a fashion brand. EUMELANIN is designed to celebrate and empower women of color around the world, with the line’s color palette reflecting melanated skin tones. In addition, both the clothing and jewelry lines showcase the chemical structure of melanin itself. “All the shades are beautiful,” she says, “and we pay close attention to deeper, darker chocolates in order to confront the idea of colorism head-on.”

Sofia Chang Becomes Girl Scouts of the USA’s New CEO

After 18 months of serving as Girl Scouts of the USA’s Interim Chief Executive Officer, Judith Batty has stepped down and welcomed Sofia Chang as the organization’s new CEO. 

Stepping into the CEO role in August 2020, during a time when the Girl Scout Movement was facing monumental challenges, Judith rose to the occasion and her legacy will leave a lasting impact on the future of Girl Scouting. 

Under Judith’s leadership, GSUSA: 

• Launched the GSUSA Gold Award Scholarship Program and the national Gold Award celebration – Girl Scouts Change the World, the Mental Wellness Initiative supporting our girls and adult volunteers, and the first nationally supported Rocketry teams in collaboration with Aerojet Rocketdyne. 
• Formed the National Girl Advisory Board, made up of twenty-one Girl Scouts in grades 8–12 from across the country and overseas.
• Established national partnerships with Big Brothers Big Sisters, Women in Engineering Proactive Network, and the Society of Women Engineers.
• Advanced its DEI/RJ work, securing funding and hiring additional staff and consultants to lead the critical work of fostering a more welcoming community and ensuring that Girl Scouts is available to every girl. 
• Hosted the Becoming Me event with Michelle Obama with incredibly high engagement.
• Raised more than $20 million in contributions
• Pivoted the Girl Scout Cookie Program for digital growth to facilitate sales during COVID, including a new partnership with DoorDash, and launched Adventurefuls, the first cookie available nationally since Thin Mints.

A lifelong Girl Scout, Judith began her Girl Scout career as a Brownie and as a member of the Nassau County Council in New York, and served two terms on the National Board, serving both as a member of the Executive Committee and as International Commissioner. 

“As I pass the baton to GSUSA’s new CEO, Sofia Chang—an accomplished business executive, a strong advocate for women and diverse voices, and a champion for girls and the Girl Scout mission—I am confident that the future of our Movement is in strong and capable hands,” said Judith. 

Sofia assumed the CEO role effective January 28, 2022. She joins Girl Scouts after three decades of experience in the private sector. During her 20-year tenure at HBO/Warner Media, Sofia led the successful transformation of several businesses, developed high-performing teams, and advocated for women and diversity. 

Her leadership and business achievements were built on her strategic vision, her authenticity, and her inclusiveness. She brings her legacy of leadership and advocacy to propel Girl Scouts into its next chapter by working to reach more girls who can create an outsized impact in their communities and around the world.

Carrying Black Legacy Into the Future

February is Black History Month. This year, we’re honored to pass the mic to Gold Award Girl Scout Cydney Brown. Cydney is the Philadelphia Youth Poet Laureate and author of Daydreaming, a collection of poems. In being unapologetically herself, Cydney taps into wisdom that will inspire and energize you. We want to know your thoughts, so please read Cydney’s piece below and take to social media to tell us what Black History Month means to YOU! Tag @GirlScouts.


By Cydney Brown

To me, Black History Month has always been a time to learn more about my culture and feel unapologetically Black. I celebrate Black History Month by researching stories of incredible Black people; listening to songs by Solange, Sam Cooke, and Lauryn Hill; and writing and performing my poetry. Black History Month is a time for me to connect with my culture and embrace my identity. As an aside to my Black Community: one thing I’ve learned is that you should decide what Black History Month looks like for you. Don’t let anyone dictate how you should feel, how you should celebrate, or who you should educate. Black History Month is your time to do what brings you joy and makes you feel your best.

It is important for the next generation of Black youth to know that they are Black History. If you are a Black individual following your dreams and helping to make a difference in your community, you are Black History. The next generation can build on the legacy that our ancestors have started by tapping into their creativity. We all have something that we’re passionate about that brings us, or others, joy. As a Black girl, I put a lot of pressure on myself to succeed and be a good example for others, but I tend to forget that I need to make time to rest. If I never take the time to rest and recharge then I will never have the energy to put toward projects that inspire me, and others, to take action and change the world. By sharing my passion with others, I am creating a future in which Black ideas and talents are embraced instead of exploited. If you don’t know what you’re passionate about, that’s okay. With so many badges and projects to take on, Girl Scouts allows you to explore different fields to find something that resonates with you. By taking the time to learn more about ourselves and finding ways to help others, we are continuing the legacy of our ancestors.

During Black History Month we often focus on the past, which is something that’s very important when trying to move forward. However, it’s also important to acknowledge the Black people breaking boundaries right before your eyes. These trailblazers aren’t just celebrities—they are your Black classmates that win STEM competitions, earn their Bronze/Silver/Gold Awards, and become Student Council President. These are all achievements worth celebrating. Carrying Black Legacy into the future means learning more about yourself, staying true to your values, and prioritizing your mental health. As a Black girl, it can feel like the world is rooting against you, constantly telling you who you can and can’t be. But once you know yourself, no one can tell you otherwise. When you know what you’re capable of doing, there will be no reason for you to think otherwise.