Empowered Women International

The Journey of a New American to Empower Women and Lead Change Around the World

Marga Fripp, an award-winning journalist and a native of Romania, is an international art marketing consultant and social entrepreneur with over 15 years experience in marketing, non-profit management, media relations, gender and entrepreneurial development.

She has been active in promoting issues of women’s equality, human rights and social support and integration of orphans and street children during the difficult first years of Romania’s transition from Communism.

Marga was banned from broadcasting in 1995, due to her critical portrayal of social policy of the post-Communist Iliescu government.

In 1998, at the age of 23, Marga founded and developed a successful women’s service and advocacy organization – The Association for the Promotion of Women in Romania (APoWeR) – to counteract violence against women and provide economic opportunities for women in Romania. As part of her strategy of development, Marga formed and led a multidisciplinary team of lawyers, judges and prosecutors to draft a domestic violence bill (2001), and she mobilized citizens, politicians and non-profit activists to advocate for it.

In 2000, Marga also produced and hosted a TV talk show to address women’s human rights in Romania. The talk show’s popular debate format for discussions of discriminatory practices towards women, combined with APoWeR’s three years of legislative advocacy efforts, led to a national Domestic Violence Bill signed into law by the Romanian Parliament in May 2003.

Since immigrating to the United States in September of 2001, Marga has created the non-profit organization Empowered Women International to give voice to immigrant and refugee women by promoting their art and cultures, and leading them to entrepreneurial success.

Prior to creating EWI, Marga volunteered for one year with the DC Rape Crisis Center, as an advocate for sexually assaulted women. Later she served for one year in the AmeriCorps – National Volunteer Service as a Volunteer Maryland Coordinator. For her service in the AmeriCorps Marga was awarded the Governor of Maryland’s Award for Service and Volunteerism in 2003.

As the President of Empowered Women International, Marga directly works with low-income and unemployed immigrant and refugee women and provides career, entrepreneur and vocational skills together with marketing services and presentation of multicultural art programs featuring EWI’s beneficiaries. Her efforts opened markets for hundreds of some of the most vulnerable yet talented immigrant women and families, and led them to earn income, secure jobs and integrate themselves as active and productive citizens in the US.

In 2008, Empowered Women International was named “one of the best small charities in the Greater Washington region“ by the Catalogue for Philanthropy.

Marga’s passion for promoting the art of women artists led her to develop A Woman Story Gallery in Alexandria, Virginia. The gallery, a mission-driven cultural art gallery and educational shop represented, showcased and offered business opportunities to over 300 emerging and established artists.

Through that venture, and her work with Empowered Women International, Marga
built relationships with entrepreneurs, reputable galleries and shops in the art market. This journey gave Marga new perspectives and insight into the business acumen and stamina needed to thrive as a successful artist and entrepreneur.

In 2008, she formed the Entrepreneurship Academy, a consulting enterprise that specializes in marketing, leadership and art business training and coaching for artists and entrepreneurs in the non-profit sector, arts and creative industries. Marga speaks regularly to women and business organizations, and travels with her seminars and training nationally and internationally.

Marga and her work have been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, Alexandria Gazette, WETA and have appeared on The Voice of America Television and WUSA 9News, among others. For her art entrepreneurship and community development efforts Marga Fripp received many awards including the Governor of Maryland’s Award for Service and Volunteerism, 2003, the Cultural Affairs Award, the Alexandria Commission on Women, 2005, Making a Difference Award, Soroptimist International, Arlington, 2006, the Enterprise Award, Catalogue for Philanthropy 2008 and Arts Build Communities Award 2010 by the Virginians for the Arts.

Marga has completed a graduate certification in Business Administration at the Open University, U.K., and holds a BA in Communication/Journalism from the University of Maryland University College.

She is married to Jesse Fripp, a former Peace Corps volunteer in Romania and currently an executive with ShoreBank International Ltd. They have two children and live in Bowie, Maryland.

To contact Marga or invite her to lead a marketing workshop or speak to your event, email her at CFripp@aol.com.