Woman Wednesday no. 1: Kai Avent - deLeon

WHO IS KAI AVENT-DELEON?

Kai Avent-deLeon is a Brooklyn born female entrepreneur owner of a Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn hotspot and concept shop Sincerely Tommy. She gracefully juggles her duties as an entrepreneur, as human rights activists and as a mother to her one-year-old son Che.

WHAT’S HER STORY?

Kai had worked in retail for 10 years of her life when she realized that it was her time to shine and create her own business. Kai knew that she wanted to open a store in Bed-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn due to her passion for the community and her local familial ties (her grandmother moved there in the 1980s). So, in 2014 she opened up Sincerely Tommy, in a rundown Bed-Stuy building that she revamped to fit her company's vision. She wanted her store to have a unique and friendly feel, so Kai added a cafe within the store. This idea of drinking coffee while shopping was adopted by many clothing stores that were inspired by Kai’s take on the shopping experience.

Kai consistently gives back to others and is a voice for the Black community. In a recent interview, she shares, “I want to create a self-sufficient economy for the Black community and contribute to that”. Kai has created a movement called “Building Black Bed-Stuy” which is an organization that protects and preserves the Black community in Bed-Stuy and beyond by providing financial relief for black-owned businesses and organizations. Kai has currently raised $40,000 out of her $75,000 goal. Click here to donate to her GoFundMe Page.

HOW DOES SHE INSPIRE OTHERS?

Kai is an inspiration to all, and our This Week's Woman Wednesday because she is a hard-working and self-sufficient woman that succeeds in every element of her life. She is a successful business owner that not only curates amazing items, but also takes any chance she can to give back to her community. 

For more of Kai’s content follow: @kaiaventdeleon, @sincerelytommy_, @steatandstay, @buildingblackbedstuy, and Sincerely Tommy’s Website.