PCC Women’s Business Center Plans Awards Luncheon for 100 Women Entrepreneurs at The Athenaeum

Fewer than two years after opening as the only community college in the nation to receive a federal Women’s Business Center grant, Pasadena City College’s Women’s Business Center is preparing to fill one of the city’s most storied rooms with the entrepreneurs it was built to serve.

The center will host the “100 Women” luncheon and awards celebration on Wednesday, May 27, at The Athenaeum on the California Institute of Technology campus, honoring 100 women business owners and advocates. U.S. Bank is the presenting sponsor. All proceeds will fund the WBC’s no-cost advising and training programs for entrepreneurs across the San Gabriel Valley, according to the event listing.

The WBC, a division of PCC’s Economic and Workforce Development department, launched in late 2024 after securing a competitive grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration. U.S. Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-28) attended the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony. Since then, the center has administered $25,000 grants to 50 women-owned businesses affected by the Eaton Fire through a partnership with Paris Hilton’s 11:11 Media Impact and GoFundMe.org.

“At the Pasadena Women’s Business Center, our mission is to ensure that every entrepreneur who dares to chase their dream has the opportunity to succeed,” Lizzy Okoro Davidson, director of the center, said in a statement at the time the grant partnership was announced. “We’ve witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of the fires, but we’ve also seen resilience, hope, and determination.”

“In some cases the $25,000 will be the bridge to get them to 100% of what they need,” Okoro Davidson said in an interview with the Associated Press in March 2025.

The luncheon carries the theme “Bold Enough To Bloom.” Doors open at noon for networking and a cocktail hour. An awards ceremony and special recognition begin at 1 p.m., followed by music and mingling at 2:30 p.m., according to the event listing.

Tickets are $299 and include a plated lunch, open bar, complimentary valet, and a gift bag the organizers value at more than $200. The suggested attire is “dress to impress, florals preferred but not required,” according to the event listing. The event is for guests 18 and older. Free parking is available. Tickets are non-refundable.

The WBC offers no-cost one-on-one advising, workshops, and training for women entrepreneurs. Its mission, as stated on its website, is “to serve entrepreneurs with no cost business technical assistance in the San Gabriel Valley area and beyond by eliminating barriers and creating building blocks to success.” The center operates alongside PCC’s Small Business Development Center, which has supported more than 4,000 clients, facilitated more than 300 business startups, secured $130 million in capital infusion, and contributed to the creation of more than 11,000 local jobs, according to a 2024 PCC announcement.

“Our college contributes more than $680 million of economic output to the San Gabriel Valley,” Dr. José A. Gómez, superintendent/president of Pasadena City College, said when the WBC launched. “PCC has a proven track record and longstanding commitment to guiding emerging entrepreneurs as they foster economic development in our region.”

The 100 Women Luncheon takes place Wednesday, May 27, from noon to 3 p.m. at The Athenaeum, 551 South Hill Ave., Pasadena. Tickets are $299 via Eventbrite. For more information, contact the Women’s Business Center at wbc@pasadena.edu or (626) 585-3104.