Our community loves the vibrancy and creativity that Austin has to offer, and nowhere is this spirit more alive than at Cute Camera Co, a trailblazing minority-owned, women-led camera shop that brings the timeless allure of 35mm film photography to the modern era. Driven by a mission to make film accessible to all, Cute Camera Co is not just a store; it’s a movement. A Legacy Reborn At Cute Camera Co, vintage meets vitality. Each camera, from cherished models like the Pentax K1000 to the Canon AE-1, is meticulously restored and tested to ensure every click captures a memory. But Cute Camera Co ..read more

Hot Take The book jacket description over promises action and excitement; priming the audience for a reading experience of increasing anticipation that fizzles out with the realization that no intense spy fights, scientific breakthroughs, or significant character development will occur. Review Catching up over lattes at Halcyon, our book club agreed that while we wanted to love the book, it just didn’t hold enough action or character development to earn more than a 3-star review. We were interested in exploring the experience of 1950s women and found ourselves empathizing with Roz’s sister as ..read more

About the FWL Scholarship The YWA Future Women+ Leaders Scholarship was created as an avenue for the organization to give back to the community by improving the accessibility of higher education for young women+. But it goes beyond just paying for tuition – the funds provided instill confidence and hope that give women+ the space to dream bigger and aim higher.  A Gift That Keeps Giving Yasmin was a recipient of the YWA FWL Scholarship in 2013. After attending high school, she had dreamed of pursuing a degree. However, she faced the challenges of having to balance work and kids, while als ..read more

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 88,778 US students were enrolled in MBA programs, with 45,038 studying in online programs and 43,740 in full-time programs (Forbes, 2022). More women have begun studying for MBAs in recent years, comprising 41% of the 2022 enrollment for the 56 top Forté Foundation U.S. business schools (Fortune, 2023). Viewing these stats made us wonder – what is driving women to pursue MBAs and what factors are they considering before applying for the programs?  We asked members who have studied in MBA programs, those currently exploring the option, and those who chose no ..read more

About the event The annual ‘YWA on the Fairway’ golf event funds scholarships awarded annually to Del Valle ISD High School seniors. This year, we raised more than $11,000 at the third-annual ‘YWA on the Fairway’ event hosted November 5, 2023, at the Falconhead Golf Club in Austin, TX. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Future Women Leader’s Fund (FWLF), which supports the YWA Scholarship Program for underserved young women in the Austin metro area. Why this event matters According to a 2022 study, 78 percent of young people who grow up in underserved communities don’t obtain a ..read more

Are you tired of the daily dilemma of figuring out what to eat? Do you struggle with finding time to cook healthy meals for your family? Well, worry no more because we have a solution for you! In our series of highlighting amazing YWA entrepreneurs, we present Eat Cook Joy – a home cooking platform for all your meal prep needs. Founder Zainab started this company out of her own pain point and has now successfully saved families 750+ hours by providing them with healthy meals. Join us as we dive into the remarkable journey of Eat Cook Joy and why you should give them a try.   The Inspirat ..read more

The Young Women’s Alliance (YWA) wrapped up its tenth year of the YWA Connect Program on June 11, 2023. The program was launched in 2013 to help create mentorship with our members and our community. This year, we had 64 mentors, 71 mentees, and 72 pairings, which is a huge increase compared to the five matches we had in our first year, 2013.   Throughout the program, there have been a lot of events that help our mentors and mentees connect and help in their purpose for mentorship. There were six events specifically for YWA Connect participants, including workshops like Linkedin & Res ..read more

When I first moved to Austin from Puerto Rico, there were a few things that felt familiar after a prior visit. The weather was different and the city was booming with professional opportunities. As with many transplants, I focused on my career and exploring the city with family and friends I made through work. After 5 years of growing professionally in the Legal Services industry and my family moving out-of-state, I found myself with a lack of community. I had not taken the time to build and lay down roots in the city I had decided to call home.  I wanted to learn how to network, make new ..read more

Ever wondered how you can do more for your community or how you can elevate yourself within the community? Look no further, because we have the perfect program for you! Introducing, YWA Connect. YWA Connect is a mentorship program that provides access to a network of some of the most successful and prominent women in the Austin community. The mission of YWA Connect is to connect established community leaders and professionals with our members to help develop and nurture the next generation of leaders. What is our goal you may ask? It’s to not only connect women who are established community l ..read more

What do my professional picture and this picture of Ed Sheeran have in common?           Gaby Deimeke took both of these last year. I am so lucky that Gaby is one of the first people I met through YWA and had the chance to experience a photoshoot with her. Not only did the pictures turn out beautiful, but also her energy lifted me up and empowered me to follow my dreams. Gaby Deimeke is a successful photographer, entrepreneur, creative, and community leader. Today, she is on tour with J Balvin, capturing photographs of musical artists all around the world and featured ..read more