At 16, Andrea Daughtry already was carving out a place for herself in the music industry.

While attending Meadowbrook High School, she signed a deal with the gospel label Myra Records. Over the next seven years, she refined her skills both in the studio and on tour with a quartet she formed at Fifth Baptist Church on Cary Street.

Although the group disbanded, Daughtry remained immersed in the industry, forging valuable connections in Los Angeles. The relationships she built while living in the Leimert Park neighborhood fed her creativity and gave her what she needed to break from the music industry and chart another path toward independence and entrepreneurship. She made a name for herself by gaining recognition for her work as a stylist, creative director and clothing designer.

Still, Daughtry couldn’t shake the misogyny she experienced during her years in the music industry.

“I began to wonder how safe women are in the music industry,” she said. “There’s a normalcy of women not being valued or respected in studio spaces.”

Half of the women in the music industry say gender discrimination persists, according to a joint study from Believe, a global digital music company that helps artists and labels grow their audiences, and TuneCore, a global platform for independent musicians to distribute their music. Despite recent progress in music creation and representation, women and gender-expansive individuals—those who identify as nonbinary, transgender, or another gender—are significantly more likely than men to perceive the music industry as “generally discriminative” based on gender. According to the study, 49% of women and 41% of gender-expansive individuals hold this view, compared to just 16% of men.

“Men hold your music and your creativity for whatever perverted thing they have in their minds,” Daughtry said. “It’s been normalized. I’ve seen it.”

Daughtry set out to create an organization focused on providing safe spaces for Black women and LGBTQ+ individuals. This initiative is driven by the widespread discrimination and harm present in the industry. Her long-term vision is to establish a fully Black women-owned and operated space where creativity and community can flourish without fear.

“There’s a lot of untapped talent created from the trauma of being in those situations in recording studios,” Daughtry said.

While music remains her passion, Daughtry also has launched several businesses since her days of singing and touring with her gospel group. However, she hasn’t stopped making music.

“I create the music I want to put into the world now. You can call it jazz, soul, R&B or funk,” she said. “It’s whatever’s in my soul.”

Meet a musician, artist and entrepreneur committed to fostering a positive environment for artists and this week’s Personality, Andrea Daughtry:

Occupation: Director at For the Fem In You, owner of Buttah Babez, singer, songwriter, stylist.

Date and place of birth: April 5, in Richmond.

Where I live now: Los Angeles and Richmond.

Education: Virginia Commonwealth University.

For The Fem In You is: A nonprofit organization dedicated to cultivating safe spaces for Black women in the creative arts and small business communities. We empower underrepresented voices through public events and initiatives celebrating identity, creativity and entrepreneurship.

Mission: The organization is dedicated to uplifting underrepresented voices, fostering authentic connections and providing inclusive platforms where creativity, identity and entrepreneurship can thrive.

How For The Fem In You carries out its mission: We host inclusive events and advocate for performing artists and small businesses to be included in public programming. The organization nurtures safe spaces, empowers community connections, and promotes health and wellness through thoughtful provisions like vegan foods and non-alcoholic beverages.

Why I founded For The Fem In You: It was in response to the trauma and discriminatory experiences I faced in recording studios and the music and arts industry, including racist and sexist encounters with producers, musicians, engineers and artists.

What’s with the name: The name “For The Fem In You” celebrates the divine feminine energy inherent in Black women and honors the ancestors whose sacrifices allow us to exist freely today.

Why is a safe space needed: Safe spaces for Black women are more crucial than ever as diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are being eliminated by the government and major corporations. The rollback threatens progress toward racial and gender equity, leaving Black women increasingly vulnerable to discrimination and exclusion. For The Fem In You provides a necessary refuge where Black women can be seen, heard and celebrated without compromise, ensuring community and creativity thrive despite societal setbacks.

Our location: We hope to have a location in the next six months.

Our funding: We use proceeds from our monthly events and merch to fund our programs.

Our partners: Alleviative Productions, Diversity Richmond.

Our 2025 top goal: To open the doors of a 10,000-square- foot space featuring a music studio, vegan community kitchen, co-working space, art gallery, wellness area and gift shop — all dedicated to Black women-owned businesses.

Strategy to achieve the goal: We’ll pursue grants, partnerships and cultivate relationships with community allies to achieve our fundraising goals.

By integrating impactful campaigns and storytelling, we aim to engage a broad donor base and secure sustainable funding for our Black woman-owned and operated space.

Our biggest challenge: Visibility, lack of funding and the historical animosity rooted in Richmond, a city that has long failed to prioritize or care about Black women. We also face challenges in gaining the recognition and resources needed to thrive.

How For The Fem In You makes a difference in Richmond: By creating platforms for small businesses and performing and visual artists to showcase their talents and thrive while prioritizing fair pay for performing artists to ensure their work is valued and respected. Additionally, we connect our community to healthy foods and promote holistic well-being through access to physical wellness practitioners offering yoga, reiki, sound bath healing and more.

How to get involved: Donate via our website forthefeminyou.org or volunteer or attend our events to donate in person and experience our programs.

What happens at your events: We offer a holistic and empowering atmosphere designed to uplift and inspire. Our events feature a Zen Zone filled with wellness practitioners offering yoga, Zumba, reiki, sound bath healing, promoting physical and mental well-being. Guests are immersed in a vibrant cultural experience with vegan food, live performances and music by Black women DJs.

Upcoming events: Black AF: A Celebration of Black Love is an empowering event by For The Fem In You that honors Black love, creativity, and community on Feb. 28 from 4 to 9 p.m. at Diversity Richmond, 1407 Sherwood Ave. Also, we have The Black Arts Market (BAM), a monthly market for black-owned businesses and performing artists that will begin on March 16 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Diversity Richmond.

How I start the day: Incense or palo santo, prayer/meditation, and hot tea.

Three words that best describe me: Confident, powerful and disruptor.

Dream dinner party guest: Viola Davis because I love how she’s held onto her beliefs throughout her career and has been integral in all of her movements.

Top three on my music playlist: Myself, Lalah Hathaway and Kendrick Lamar.

Something I love to do that most people would never imagine: I read comics and anime, play video games and sports that don’t exploit black people. And I have a green thumb.

Most influential book: “Rest is Resistance” by Tricia Hersey, has influenced my work tremendously and implemented a reckoning in the way I was living my life in pursuit of things happening quickly.

Current read: I’m currently reading “Parable of the Sower” by Octavia E. Butler. It’s more confirmation that our planet is having a real crisis with global warming and our gross negli- gence toward nature.

Next goal: Creating international relationships with For The Fem in You and creating spaces of retreat for Black women and their families in foreign countries.