FAIRBORN, Ohio - In the face of racism, an Ohio business owner became the first Black woman to sit on the city council in Fairborn. Now she’s helping new businesses trying to get off the ground.

What You Need To Know

  • Sylvia Chess was the first to open an African boutique in Fairborn and now she's the first Black woman to sit on the city's council 

  • Chess says she faced racism while she was running, but won the seat so she can be a voice for small businesses 

  • She's since rented out space in her building to help start-up businesses and is organizing a benefit fashion show to help the local pantry

For business owner Sandra Bowden, it’s those little details that make her emotional.

“Hearing the hum once I turn on the lights, doing my opening duties, opening the curtains, stuff like that,” said Bowden.

They’re small reminders of what it took for her to get here.

“I get goosebumps thinking about it,” said Bowden.

It all started back in 2020 during COVID.

“I did restaurants and food for most of my life with the sewing as the hobby, and then once COVID hit, I realized how essential I was. Everyone needed someone who could sew and needed masks. It was imperative and my whole life shifted,” said Bowden.

She says she was sewing out of her house, but when Sylvia Chess walked in, everything started to change.

“She said I needed my own shop, and I said ‘Well yeah, that’s the goal’ and then next thing you know she’s like, come with me,” said Bowden.

Spectrum News1 introduced you to Chess last year. She was the first in Fairborn to open an African clothing boutique. Now she’s the first Black woman to sit on Fairborn city council.

“There were a few people that kept asking me and I kept saying no, I’m not a politician. Finally, I said in order for me to help small businesses at a different level, I want to go on to the council so I could be that voice for small businesses,” said Chess.

She says doing that wasn’t easy with threats standing in the way.

“People were hanging up in my face, I was getting calls saying we don’t need another (racial slur) on the city council, I was having people burning rubber in front of my house,” said Chess.

It didn’t stop her. She won the election in November and has been on council ever since. 

“You have to stand, you have to have a backbone and say you know what, I love my community so much I refuse to bend because a few people decide they want to be negative,” said Chess. 

She’s since rented out space in her building for start-up businesses and is organizing a benefit fashion show to help people like Bowden. 

She’s making clothes for the fashion show from her very own shop.

“I’ve been able to truly create my entire dream,” said Bowden.

The benefit fashion show will be this Sunday at Kingdom Purpose Ministries in Fairborn. It starts at 3 pm and tickets are $25. Money from the fashion show will be donated to a Fairborn food pantry.