Marjorie Tenchavez Diversity

Working with refugees and people seeking asylum for over a decade, Marjorie is a social justice practitioner with expertise in diversity, advocacy & capacity-building. Inspired to promote businesses run by refugees, Marjorie first created Welcome Merchant as an Instagram account, later developing an online directory and shop, as well as a community for business development, advocacy, and fundraising.

Volunteer-powered for empowering refugees, Welcome Merchant provides free digital-marketing and upskilling support, revenuegenerating collaborations, and an important connection to the wider community. The ability for refugees and asylum-seekers to earn an income in Australia can be restricted by the conditions of their visa and disruption by relocation requirements with each visa renewal. These institutional barriers, along with cultural, language and accessibility obstacles prevent full and productive participation to work. Floods, fires, and pandemic turned workshops also help refugee entrepreneurs scale-up their own businesses, generating the psychological boost, social status, and pride of being a business owner. Welcome Merchant exists to elevate businesses owned and led by refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia. This not only provides a financial stream but also the opportunity for these entrepreneurs to build connections. more businesses toward a digital presence to reach audiences through online shopping; however, many refugee and asylum-seeker entrepreneurs have limited access to, or understanding of digital marketing and can become invisible in the marketplace.

Around 70% of the entrepreneurs we have featured have limited money to advertise, an online presence is a huge help and can have a profound impact. Alongside free digital marketing support, Marjorie partners with refugee chefs in delivering Curated Dining Events and sell gift hampers on behalf of refugee-led businesses. Delivering free skill-building