Ayana Parsons

Fearless Fund co-founder Ayana Parsons had a fiery 2024 as she fought to keep her company afloat. Alongside Arian Simone and Keisha Knight Pulliam, she started Fearless Fund in 2019 to address racial disparities that impact Black women business owners. However, the company faced a federal lawsuit last year from conservative group American Alliance for Equal Rights (led by anti-Affirmative Action litigant Edward Blum) alleging racial discrimination. Despite being challenged by Blum, Parsons and her counterparts had already helped raise nearly $27 million for dozens of businesses with Black women at the helm, including Slutty Vegan and Thirteen Lune. Though Parsons stepped down from Fearless Fund over the summer, she remains committed to helping Black women thrive.