International Women’s Day celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.
A male-dominated industry might intimidate some females — but not Tangela Hills.
“I love to break barriers,” says the owner and CEO of L. Hookfin Transport, based in Pass Christian. “I love to see women in industries they once weren’t welcomed in.”
The determined entrepreneur embodies the spirit of International Women’s Day, which will be celebrated on March 8. The observance honors women’s social, economic, cultural and political achievements and also serves as a call to action, offering an opportunity to rally and raise awareness for gender equality.
Roughly 80 percent of workers in the transportation sector are men, according to Forbes. Behind this statistic, Hills says, is the belief that women were not suited for a field associated with hard labor and dangerous conditions.
“It goes back to when a child was taught that boys play with trucks and girls play with dollhouses,” she adds. “That domestic behavior is one of the reasons inequalities exist. Eventually, women will work equally in this industry outside of the administrative aspects of it.”
As a trailblazer, Hills has followed the example of her mother, Priscilla Hills, and her late grandmother, Wille Bell Hookfin, who worked multiple jobs to support their families. Her aunt, Tina Woods, was the first woman Hills knew who owned her own business.
“To witness that let me know it was achievable for women of color,” she says.
Hills has worked in the transportation industry for over four years, starting as a delivery driver for restaurants and grocery stores. From there, she started delivering for a service partner of Amazon and later became operational assistant manager.
Her company, named after her father, specializes in moving general freight from business to business. During the pandemic, she noticed that the transportation field was not affected by lockdowns. In fact, demand increased significantly, and Hills saw a green light to launch her business.
#BREAKTHEBIAS
International Women’s Day, which falls on March 8, honors women’s achievements, raises awareness against bias and spurs action toward equality. The theme for 2022 is #breakthebias, which reflects the goal of a world that is free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination — a world that’s diverse, equitable and inclusive and where differences are celebrated and valued.
To show your support, cross your arms to strike the IWD 2022 pose and share your #BreakTheBias image, video, resources, presentation or articles on social media using #IWD2022 #BreakTheBias. To learn more, visit www.internationalwomensday.com.
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