The Making Boss Moves Foundation recently hosted its annual summit at Byrd Barr Place in Seattle’s historic Central District, bringing together nearly 100 women for a day dedicated to leadership development, community building, and economic empowerment.
What began in 2023 as an elevated happy hour experience for Black women has rapidly transformed into a groundbreaking nonprofit organization.
"Making Boss Moves is a movement," the foundation’s co-founder Marquinta Obomanu said. "It's a movement for Black women to support one another, celebrate each other, but to also give each other that pat on the back to say, 'We are making boss moves. We are excited about what we're doing.'"
The initiative provides an indispensable space where women can find validation and connection. The annual summit aims to give Black women space to learn about their businesses, connect with one another, and bask in community.
Holistic Growth: The Boss Moves Lab
The full-day summit kicked off by recognizing a major milestone: the foundation's official transition into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Attendees then stepped into breakout sessions known as the "Boss Moves Lab," designed to focus on three distinct areas of personal and professional development:
Community Boss Moves: Strategies to drive impactful changes within local communities.
Professional Boss Moves: Tactics for advancing career goals and workplace leadership.
Personal Boss Moves: Focus on prioritizing personal health, wellness, and goal setting.
The goal of the multi-track structure was to address the entirety of a woman’s life. The organizers designed the lab out of a desire to provide "some conversation and some tools and some resources,” Obomanu said.
Overcoming Comparison and Impostor Syndrome
Participants reflected on the importance of internal strength and self-affirmation in a digitally saturated society.
"I hope that women really are able to look inside and believe in themselves," featured speaker and KBB By Kahlana owner Kahlana Barfield Brown said. "We live in a world where we see a lot digitally, we see a lot surrounding us. And a lot of times you're comparing yourselves to other people and trying to keep up with something that might not even be realistic. I think one thing that I've learned is just to look inside of me and to run my own race."
Born and raised in Seattle, Brown described the feeling of seeing attendees wearing her KBB retail-available clothing line.
"It's just kind of surreal to be back home and to even be able to come to an event like this and see people dressed in my designs... Knowing that they can go to a store that is nationally available and just pick up something that I created is just so surreal and such a blessing,” she said.
Organizers also emphasized that Black women are constantly making significant strides, even in their everyday routines.
"I think Black women are always making boss moves regardless of if they are acknowledging it or not, just day-to-day," Making Boss Moves co-founder Colina Bruce said. "The amount of intention that it takes to navigate in this world, especially when we dive into these different ecosystems... waking up in the morning, making intentional decisions—that's a boss. Being a mom, being a partner, going to work—these are all bosses."
The summit was specifically crafted to counteract feelings of self-doubt.
"When you think about opportunities that are in front of you, sometimes as a Black woman we experience that impostor syndrome. I think spaces like this create more opportunity for us to not only realize our value, but really acknowledge the bosses that we're already making and figure out how we can take it to the next level,” Bruce said.
Intentional Economic Support and Looking Ahead
In addition to workshop sessions, economic empowerment was central to the summit's layout. The event featured a vendor market composed of eight Black women–owned small businesses showcasing local products ranging from fragrances and books to candles and wellness goods.
"We love to make sure that when we are doing all of our events, we are very strategic and intentional about making sure our Black dollars are being spent with Black-owned businesses," Obomanu said.
As the foundation continues to expand, its leaders encourage community involvement and allyship.
"Men can be allies in this as well," Obomanu said. "This is a mission that's rooted in supporting Black women, but if you have your wife, your sister, a friend, a classmate, partner... make sure that we're getting the word out about what this is and what we're building so that it can grow beyond just our reach."
Learn more about Making Boss Moves on Instagram.
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