When we sat down to speak with Girls Inc. of Metro Denver Bold Business participant, Deja Ramos, the first thing we noticed – in addition to her warmth and enthusiasm – were the tattoos that covered her left arm.

The biggest one, which brilliantly depicts mother nature as a beautiful, youthful woman surrounded by butterflies, roses, and foliage, is a picture of Deja’s grandmother, Betty Dolly. Betty successfully ran a bar for thirty-five years and continues to own the building where her bar once stood, something that Deja proudly shared with us.

While her grandmother’s work ethic is something she often looks up to, Deja’s inner strength is an inexplicable constant you feel when you interact with her – the kind of strength you build from enduring the struggles life throws your way that you don’t always see coming.

Because right as Deja graduated high school in 2019 and enrolled in her first year of college, she was faced with tragic news that shook her entire family.

“This tattoo,” she said as she held back tears and pointed to the back of her forearm, “says God, Music, Love, Life – and it’s in memory of my uncle, who passed away from substance abuse.”

This, coupled with other unfortunate circumstances, created a massive roadblock when it came to attending college courses, which eventually forced Deja to drop out of college so she could spend more time with her family members.

But Deja’s inner light never fully extinguished, in fact, it only grew brighter and more determined to shine – especially with the backing of Girls Inc. of Metro Denver – where she worked for the organization’s coffee shop, Bold Beans, and became involved with the Bold Business program.

“What I began to love about Girls Inc. of Metro Denver was being in the spaces where I wouldn’t be able to be outside of this,” she passionately shared. “I love seeing women that inspire me, and I love seeing the representation of women of color at all levels, including Girls Inc.’s CEO – that’s huge for me.”

Deja also admitted she was an ‘iced latte girlie’ and grew fond of her time working with the baristas at Bold Beans, who helped her discover her full potential. Eventually, Deja realized that while she took pride in her in willingness to work at Bold Beans and other various jobs to build her financial independence, she knew she could revisit the hurdle that once stood between her and her future success by re-enrolling in school.

That belief cultivated the resilience, attitude, and relentlessness that Deja naturally embodies today, where she is just one short semester away from receiving her associate’s degree in communications at Front Range Community College. She’s also working to gain LLC status for her jewelry business, something that she has been learning about through her participation in the Bold Business program.

As we concluded our time with Deja, we realized there was one tattoo she still hadn’t told us about that helped us understand how her love for Colorado will someday translate into impact beyond measure.

“This is the columbine flower,” she said with a smile as she pointed to her upper forearm. “It is the state flower of Colorado and symbolizes the love I have for where I live. One day, I hope to open a community hub that can hold space for different businesses, similar to places like Edgewater Market in the Sloan Lake neighborhood of Denver.”

And one day, we’re confident we’ll be interviewing Deja again about her work as a local Denver business owner, and how her time at Girls Inc. of Metro Denver contributed to her financial independence and overall success.