Celebrate Women's History Month With 10 Chica Bosses

The Costa Rican influencer founded Population Mic in 2014 as an effort to create opportunities for undocumented or immigrant high-school and college students to find their passion for storytelling. "You're never too young to start doing activism work for a cause that tugs at your heart," she said. "A lot of times we think we don't know enough or we have to wait for a certain age or level of experience, but we have a lot of access to information and we need everyone at the table. You can also make a difference at a young age. Believe in yourself! Sometimes you have to take leaps of faith even if your voice trembles."

The Colombian–Dominican American entrepreneur created party game Tragos after not seeing a game designed with Latinos in mind. "I convinced my partner to immediately start working on the [game] because I just felt so strongly about it," she explained. "I felt like we had to do it because I knew that it would connect with people that felt the same way I did growing up in the U.S. — not feeling proud to be Latino, without having the need to check off all the boxes of what people think Latino or Latinx means."

In 2017, the Colombian American launched the Light Leaks, a platform for the empowerment of female and nonbinary filmmakers. "As a filmmaker myself, I wasn't really seeing spaces in the classroom or online that I could connect with other female and nonbinary creators who could understand my work better, who could teach me things, and who I could teach, as well," she explained. "The Light Leaks came together because I was trying to find a way that I could use what I already knew how to do in social media, in online community building, and in knowing what creators like me needed, to form a hub where female and nonbinary filmmakers could be supported, empowered, and inspired." 

After immigrating to Florida from Venezuela as a young girl, the designer worked hard to make her dreams of building her own fashion empire come true. She now has her own haute couture label, Paola Estefania, as well as the Humble Hustler brand, with collections for both men and women in activewear, streetwear, and ready-to-wear lines. "My mom and my daughter motivate me," she told People CHICA. Her two-year-old daughter, Sofia Anaya, is her little muse. "She is the light of my life. To leave a legacy for her is my biggest drive and motivation."

The Colombian American founded Meraki Wayuu, an accessories company that is a reflection of her roots. ″Colombian people are extremely outgoing — their spirits are always high even when things are going negatively,″ she told People CHICA. ″Everything is very vibrant.″

After working on Wall Street as a finance expert, Flores co-founded her own business, Lux Beauty Club, in 2017, alongside registered nurse Leslie Namad. The partners changed their focus from natural hair extensions to CBD oil. "Because we were so stressed out and our hair was falling out, we started taking CBD to sleep, to destress," Flores shared with People CHICA. "That's how our aha moment came! We thought, 'We have a huge costumer base with our beauty and cosmetic products, why don't we just pivot into this?'"

Des, along with her partner Zal (Salvador Pérez), started their business Necromancy Cosmetica in 2015. Though they're based in sunny Puerto Rico, the pair are interested in darker, more gothic vibes. "We saw a need for a brand that represented us, that was accessible for us here in Puerto Rico," Des told People CHICA. "That's basically what moved me to create a brand that represented me as a person, as well as my partner. Represented our morals and our aesthetic and the things we love." 

Also known as Martha of Miami, Valdes has an online boutique that sells unique items such as t-shirts, baseball caps, pins, and coffee mugs inspired by her  Cuban heritage. "I'm super humbled by the fact that we had such an amazing grand opening," she said about the store's first day of business.