WHO WE ARE, WHERE WE STARTED & WHERE WE’RE GOING — OQC IN 2026

By Renny Hunter

The start of a new year invites reflection and recalibration and as OQC enters 2026, clearer and more aligned than ever, it feels like the perfect moment to revisit our roots. To share how we started, who built this space, and why our mission matters now more than ever.

Whether you’ve been with us since 2023 or you’re discovering OQC today, welcome. Truly.

THE BEGINNING: SUMMER 2023 — A NEED FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Before OQC was an organization, it was an observation.

The networking spaces we kept walking into felt one of two ways:

• white-washed and inaccessible, or

• so niche and minority-specific that they unintentionally excluded others.

There was no middle ground.

No true diversity.

No genuinely inclusive environment where women from all backgrounds could show up, learn, collaborate, grow, and be seen.

We wanted a space for every woman...  regardless of race, background, industry, aesthetic, or follower count.

A space where the yoga instructor, the artist, the baker, the tech founder, the mompreneur, the student, the service provider, and the creator could sit at the same table. And feel welcomed at that table.

That was the seed.

That was the “why.”

And that is still the heart of OQC.

THE FOUNDERS

Renny

In our original 2023 introduction, Mandie described me as “a force to be reckoned with” — a photographer, creative director, multi-hyphenate entrepreneur, and someone who pours into others wholeheartedly. At the time, my world included RH Collective, Call Me Crazy Podcast, The Local Link Up, and a long list of creative endeavors that all centered around community.

Mandie

She introduced herself with honesty and warmth; a Boricua creative, school counselor, jewelry designer, ministry leader, and someone deeply rooted in faith and intentional connection. She brought heart, clarity, and compassion into everything we built.

Together, we created a space that prioritized:

✔️ Diversity

✔️ Inclusion

✔️ Accessibility

✔️ Collaboration

✔️ Kindness

Those values became the foundation of OQC.

THE TRANSITION: FALL 2023

In October 2023, life pulled Mandie toward her counseling career, Enid & Co., and her expanding ministry. She stepped back with a beautiful farewell letter, promising to cheer from the sidelines and encouraging us to continue leading with kindness.

Her impact remains embedded in our DNA.

THE REALITY OF 2024 — THE “BUILDING YEAR” NOBODY SAW

This part matters.

Although I had support throughout 2024, it was piecemeal, inconsistent, and unstructured. Volunteers came and went. Roles were unclear. And despite the good intentions, I found myself:

• Planning events alone

• Executing events alone

• Managing content alone

• Handling partnerships alone

• Carrying the vision alone

I was doing almost everything by myself until March 2025.

It was exhausting, unsustainable, and forced me to confront something important:

A community this powerful deserves a real foundation, not a one-woman operation.

2024 showed me the truth:

OQC needed structure, governance, and committed leadership to survive.

THE TURNING POINT: JANUARY 2025

This was the year everything shifted.

In January 2025:

• We formed our official board

• We raised the funds to apply for our 501(c)(3)

• We created real committees

• We established clear roles

• We installed accountability systems

• We built a sustainable operational backbone

• And for the first time, OQC stopped being a passion project and became an organization

March 2025 was the first month I didn’t execute an event entirely alone.

That is a milestone I will always remember.

And it’s the moment OQC began stepping into its true potential.

WHO LEADS OQC TODAY — 2026

Founder & President — Me, Renny

I oversee the long-term vision, partnerships, creative direction, content flow, governance, and community culture. I bring my background as a photographer, creative producer, entrepreneur, mother, and homesteader into the heart of this organization.

Vice President — Fernanda

The systems queen.

She runs internal operations, blog + editorial management, organization, and ensures that OQC remains structured — something we fought hard for.

Secretary — Daphnie

The organizational anchor.

Daphnie manages attendance, reminders, and the logging of important information across boards, committees, and projects. She ensures everyone is aligned, informed, and aware of what’s needed and when. Her support has helped keep OQC running smoothly and consistently through periods of growth and restructuring.

Committee Leads + Contributors

Women who bring consistency, strategy, and execution to social media, blog writing, event planning, partnerships, and community engagement. I can't wait for this blog to grow so you can meet all of our board members in a more intimate way!

OQC now functions with actual infrastructure, not burnout.

WHAT OQC IS TODAY (IN ONE SENTENCE)

A diverse, inclusive, nonprofit community empowering women in business through storytelling, collaboration, accountability, and meaningful connection — both online and in person.

Every woman belongs here.

Every voice matters here.

Every story is welcomed here.

A FINAL NOTE FROM ME

To every woman who has shown up in person, online, through our takeovers, at our events, or quietly cheering us on… thank you! 

OQC started because we saw a gap no one else was filling.

In 2024, we survived.

In 2025, we structured.

And in 2026, we grow with intention, clarity, and community.

This is only the beginning.

And I’m grateful you’re here for the next chapter.