Badassery Magazine February 2018 Issue 21 | Page 58

it my project to support those
women who were doing and mak-
ing way cooler things than I could
ever dream. If I couldn't build it
myself, I'd participate by ensuring
that those who were building had
a platform to sell and a place to
promote their work.
In August, I began aggressively
searching out women who might
want to participate as vendors in
small market, hoping for at least
15. I was overwhelmed by the ap-
plications of over fifty women. I
reached out to a local historic ven-
ue, who enthusiastically offered us
a discounted rate when I explained
our mission. Everywhere, women
and men were eager to partici-
pate or attend. The momentum of
the event took on a life of its own,
garnering RSVPs from over 4,000
interested people. On the day of
the event, which took the name of
Boston Women's Market, four lo-
cal media org anizations turned up
to cover the crowd and shine the
spotlight on the female business-
women
The Boston Women's market was,
for me, just as much an attempt
at community building as it was a
nod to the creativity and entrepre-
neurialism of the women around
me. Yet, as it grew it became
something more for me and for
the community it aimed to serve.
People not only wanted to be apart
of it, they were willing to volunteer
their manpower for free. We're
selling t-shirts. We're tripling our
promotional reach on social media.
We're planning two more markets,
and we're securing funding to keep
costs low for our female vendors.
We've morphed from a market to
a community whose mission it is to
smash ceilings, build bridges, and
raise ladders for women with big
dreams and small resources.
me as well. In aiming to support
the business ventures of others, I
grew my own set of business am-
bitions and my own entrepreneur-
ial dreams. In investing in other
women, I found my tribe and I feel
the sunshine of that sisterhood ev-
ery single day. I've learned a les-
son I wish it did not take me twen-
ty-five years to learn: We manifest
our own greatness when we invest
in the greatness of other badasses.
On the off chance I bump into
phony Mrs. Clinton again, I'd have
a different answer for her: We find
strength in the company of other
women.
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It took on a special significance for
Molly Leger is a middle school teacher, a Massachusetts Policy
Fellow, and the editor of Educator Unbound. In 2017, she founded
The Boston Women's Market with the aim of promoting the work
of and preserving space for female businesswomen, artists, and
entrepreneurs in the New England area. In her free time, she likes
to wear as little clothes as possible and drink inordinate amounts
of clothing. Follow the Market on Instagram via bostonwomens-
market. Follow the clothes-less caffeine drinking at mariluizleg.
Molly Leger
57
bostonwomensmarket.com
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