Where do Bangladeshi women gather?
In this edition of Saa Nasta learn about the Bangladeshi Women Entrepreneurs, 10 women who opened businesses in metro Detroit. From artists to event decorators, learn about these women in a special series with Bengalis of New York Podcast.
I’ll be hosting a special program in June to showcase these stories. Stay tuned for the event.
Bangladeshi women create third spaces
A few years ago I attended a city tour in Hamtramck, where a researcher asked me “where do the women gather?” This prompted a discussion about Bangladeshi third spaces, and women finding ways to gather, organize and even create businesses off-grid to serve their communities. Over the past decade or so, women have created third spaces to conduct businesses.
“For my project with SAADA, I focused on these Bangladeshi third spaces formed by Bangladeshi women entrepreneurs who found ways to create business models outside of traditional brick-and-mortars. While women support their families in the business district on Conant Ave., also known as Bangladesh Ave., others created off-grid businesses relying on social media and online shopping. Others created home-based businesses with delivery or pick-up options based in Hamtramck, and across Metro Detroit.”
Bangladeshi Women Entrepreneurs series
For the past year I have interviewed 10 Bangladeshi women entrepreneurs as part of a project for the South Asian American Digital Archive, to learn what inspired them to create businesses and how they are giving back to the communities in Metro Detroit.
This series has been turned into a podcast on Bengalis of New York as a special series called Bangladeshi Women Entrepreneurs.