Bill Sitzmann
Bill Sitzmann
Carmen Tapio is one of USA TODAY’s Women of the Year, a recognition of women across the country who have made a significant impact. The annual program is a continuation of Women of the Century, a 2020 project that commemorated the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote. Meet this year’s honorees at womenoftheyear.usatoday.com.
Carmen Tapio was sick of excuses.
Tapio, 56, is the founder and CEO of the largest Black-owned business in Nebraska, a teleservices company located in a historically underutilized business zone in Omaha. Founded specifically with the intention of job creation in the Black community – where unemployment numbers are often in the double digits despite the state’s overall low unemployment – Tapio’s years of experience told her there were tons of capable people of color looking for good work.
“We hear about the challenges of finding qualified people all the time,” Tapio said. “Some companies have gone so far to say there are no people of color who can do jobs in their industry. ‘We can’t find you,’ is not a good excuse. In fact it’s a really stupid excuse, in my opinion.”
Tapio wanted to make sure that women of color in her state would never be forgotten when companies went looking to hire. So on a whim in June 2021, she created Nebraska Black Women United, a network where women can share information and education, and find mentors.
“In a midwestern state, when people of color think of moving here, they ask, ‘Is there anyone here who looks like me?’” Tapio said. “Well, the answer is yes – so let’s find each other.”
For Nebraska Black Women United’s first event, Tapio invited 100 women and asked each of them to bring a friend. More than 225 women came. For their second event, at the end of October, more than 500 women showed up. In less than a year, Tapio said, Nebraska Black Women United has become more than a nexus for women: It is also a resource for the community.
For Tapio’s efforts, she has been selected as USA TODAY’s Women of the Year honoree from Nebraska.
This following conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Who paved the way for you?
My parents paved the way for me and all my sisters. There are six of us and as adults, we’re all in different roles – we’re entrepreneurs, we’re in academia, healthcare, entertainment. They didn’t put us in a box; they really encouraged us, and that made six very fearless women. They said I could do anything, and I believed them.
I’m sure there have been times where you were the only person or woman of color in the room. When other women feel uncomfortable or aren’t sure if they belong, what’s your advice?
My advice to women who come to me who are discouraged or not sure about being the only one in the room is, if not you, who?
I have sat in my rooms my entire life where I was the only one – at school, meetings, companies, venues, bars and restaurants. And if you’re not there, there is no one. Your being there, as hard as it might be, as difficult as it might be, is important, because you have the ability to change that going forward.
And it’s not enough to just be in the room – you have to use your voice, you have to use your leadership skills, you have to teach and demand change. If our voices are not heard, requiring change to happen, then it may not happen at all, ever.
Monica Sempek Photography
Monica Sempek Photography
What is your definition of courage?
Being afraid and doing it anyway. You get to a point (in your life) where, because you’re willing to face fear, you become what other people would consider foolishly confident. But you have to get to that point to become a change maker and trailblazer. And I think we all have an opportunity to do that.
Do you have a proudest moment?
My proudest moment was when we hit our five-year anniversary; we know that regardless of the type of business, many and most small companies fail before they reach five years. So we are a unicorn. That five-year mark not only cemented our place in the community, but (showed) our impact – we are a model of what business can look like for the greater good, and what diversity in business can look like.
What advice would you give your younger self?
It’s going to be OK, and it will make sense – later.
Follow national correspondent Lindsay Schnell on Twitter at @Lindsay_Schnell