Ryann Richardson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ryann Richardson
Richardson at a virtual town-hall for the Pete Buttigieg 2020 presidential campaign
Born	Washington, DC
Education	Philadelphia University
Occupation	Founder of Ellington Lafayette Co.
Known for	Miss Black America 2018

Ryann Richardson is an American political activist and a tech entrepreneur. She is also known as the 50th Anniversary Miss Black America. Ryann worked in the technology industry for 10 years. She held important leadership jobs at companies like Uber and Victor. She helped start ExecThread, which is a networking platform for business leaders. Ryann also founded Ellington Lafayette Co., a company that helps new tech businesses. This company especially supports women, people of color, and other groups who are often overlooked.

Ryann Richardson: Activist and Entrepreneur

Early Life and Her Path to Activism

Ryann Richardson was interested in politics from a young age. She once said she was "a weird nine-year-old watching impeachment proceedings on TV." However, she realized how unfair things could be for women of color when she went to college. This experience helped her understand "systemic inequality," which means unfair systems that affect certain groups of people.

Ryann worked in the tech industry as a marketer for a decade. She was recognized as one of the most influential Black executives in corporate America by Savoy Magazine. She was the youngest person on that list.

She strongly supported Pete Buttigieg during the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries. She was a national "surrogate" for his campaign. This means she spoke on his behalf about his plans, especially how they would help people of color.

Making a Difference in Tech and Beyond

Early in her career, Ryann helped expand the brand for T-Mobile. She also launched the MetroPCS brand in the Mid-Atlantic states. Later, she became a regional manager at Uber. There, she led marketing and partnerships on the East Coast.

At Uber, she was a founding member of the company's Diversity & Inclusion Taskforce. This group was made up of employees who worked to make the company more welcoming for everyone. Ryann also helped set up Uber's special lounge at the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

Ryann started traveling across the United States to speak about important issues. These issues included social fairness, representation, and culture. In 2019, she gave a TED Talk, which is a speech about an important idea. Her talks often focus on helping women and minorities. She speaks to them in areas like the tech industry, where they are not always well-represented. In 2020, she started the TAKE UP SPACE MVMT. This is a social campaign and online platform for people from marginalized communities.

Pageantry: A Path to Education and Advocacy

When Ryann was a teenager, she joined beauty pageants. She saw them as a way to earn money for college. Pageants helped her pay for a large part of her university education.

In 2009, while she was a sophomore at Philadelphia University, she won the Miss Philadelphia title. This win came with a $10,000 scholarship. Later, she became Miss District of Columbia USA 2017. She took over from Kara McCullough, who became Miss USA. During her time as Miss D.C., Ryann spoke up for women and minorities in the District of Columbia.

In 2018, when she was 28 years old, Ryann won the 50th Anniversary Miss Black America pageant. This competition took place in Kansas City, Missouri. She won first place in the swimsuit and interview parts of the competition.