Naj Austin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Naj Austin
Austin in 2023
Born	Najla Austin
Nationality	American
Occupation	Founder, tech executive
Years active	2019–present
Known for	Ethel's Club

Najla Austin, known as Naj Austin, is an American businesswoman. She is famous for creating Ethel's Club. This club is a special place for wellness and community. She also started a social app called Somewhere Good.

What Naj Austin Does

Naj Austin started her career working in real estate. She later had an idea to create a special place for people of color. She wanted it to be a social club and a place to work together. This idea came to her when she found it hard to find a Black woman therapist.

Starting Ethel's Club

In January 2019, Naj Austin shared her idea on Instagram. She wanted to see if others were interested in her social club. About 4,000 people signed up for a waiting list! Soon after, she officially started Ethel's Club.

To get money for the club, she used a website called iFundWomen. This is a type of crowdfunding, where many people give small amounts of money. She raised $26,000 to help start the club. Ethel's Club opened its doors on January 1, 2019, in Brooklyn.

The club is named after Austin's grandmother, Ethel Lucas. Her grandmother was a very active person in her community. She was known for bringing people together at social gatherings. Today, Ethel's Club also has an online platform. By December 2020, it had about 1,500 members.

Building New Platforms

In October 2020, Naj Austin was chosen to speak for the Time100 Talks series. This special event was put together by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.

In January 2021, Austin launched a test version of a new social app. It is called Somewhere Good. She received $3.75 million to help build this app. Somewhere Good is also made for people of color. It will have moderators and rules for members to follow. Naj Austin also created a 24-hour film platform called Form No Form.

Her Life and Achievements

Naj Austin lives in Brooklyn. She has five siblings, including Mujai Austin.

Awards and Recognition

Naj Austin has received several awards for her work:

• 2019 – She was named one of the "Female Founders 100" by Inc. magazine.
• 2020 – Time Out New York named her one of their "Women of the Year."