Welcome to Mende Market Woman

Building with intention, rooted in culture, driven by care.

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Celebrating the achievement of CEO and Founder, IyaSokoya Karade, as she receives a Certificate of Completion from the Community Preservation Corporation's ACCESS Incubator 1.0 program for Building Developers featuring instruction by Let’s Brainstorm, LLC

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When I founded Mende Market Woman LLC, I wasn’t just starting a construction and development company—I was answering a calling.

I come from a legacy of women who made a way out of no way. The name Mende Market Woman honors those women—strong, resourceful, community-minded entrepreneurs who carried not just goods, but culture and survival on their backs. It’s a tribute to the Mende people of West Africa and to my own family of matriarchs who moved through hardship with dignity and determination.

Growing up with housing instability, I know firsthand what it means to live in spaces that weren’t built with care—or worse, weren’t built for you at all. That experience shaped everything I do. Today, MMW is more than a builder. We are a mission-driven development company with a deep commitment to designing spaces that nurture, employ, and empower the people who live in them.

What We Do

MMW is a full-service design/build firm that focuses on:

• Community-centered redevelopment

• Workforce inclusion for women, minorities, and veterans

• Culturally respectful design

• Creative financing models that open doors for local ownership

• Sustainable building practices that invest in long-term health

We are proud to be a partner of The BLOC Foundation’s FREE NJ Build workforce training and certification program, helping to shape a future workforce that reflects the neighborhoods we serve.

Why We Build

1. Because people deserve beauty, safety, and dignity in the places they live, work, and gather.

2. Because our communities have always been creative, capable, and visionary—and our built environments should reflect that.

3. Because equity in real estate starts with who is doing the building, and how.

This blog series is our way of pulling back the curtain—sharing the heart behind our projects, the stories behind our team, and the lessons we’re learning as we grow.

We’re glad you’re here.

Let’s build something lasting.

Subscribe to our newsletter, share this post with your community, or reach out if you’re ready to build with purpose. Mende Market Woman is here to change the way we shape our cities—together.