Auto Restore Store in Columbus run solely by girls

COLUMBUS, Ohio — When having do the job in your car, further conditions than not, a man is finishing up the carry out.

What You Want To Know

• Chris Cozad developed an car restore retailer in 1983 termed ‘Different Vehicle Care’
• The shop is created to supply a risk-free place women can work within the automotive sector
• As a Lesbian, Cozad additionally advocates for the LGBTQ neighborhood

In line with the U.S. Worldwide Commerce Price, women make up solely 24% of the workforce that manufactures automobiles, however when it arrives to those that mend your automobile or truck, it’s solely 4%. 

However one explicit explicit individual altering the narrative is Chris Cozad. 

“It received to a spot precisely the place I thought, ‘Heck, I can do this’,” mentioned Chris Cozad, proprietor of Totally different Automobile Remedy.

As a lady, Cozad is rarely afraid of working along with her palms, no matter whether or not it really is fixing up vehicles and vehicles or gardening. From a teen to now, it’s typically been a enthusiasm of hers. 

“I did a number of woodworking and carpentry issues after I was younger,” claimed Cozad. “Then, I skilled an outdated car after I was in greater training, and it was typically broken. I did it as a curiosity for quite a few a long time. I appreciated it.” 

The eagerness was so sturdy that she lastly opened her possess store in Columbus referred to as Alternate Vehicle Care. 

“I have 4 technicians. It’s all women,” talked about Cozad. “I like changing into all girls of all ages as a result of it creates an environment of security and empowerment, and it’s a superior-paying occupation. From an empowerment degree of view, it’s a manner for ladies to have accessibility to women fairness with out getting to think about big quantities of scholar monetary mortgage debt.” 

Though advocating for girls is a big portion of Cozad’s emphasis, it’s not all the story. 

Outside of her retailer, the remainder of her electrical energy is place into the LGBTQ neighborhood. As a lesbian herself, Cozad has sat on the board of many LGBTQ organizations and serves as LGBTQ neighborhood liaison to Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther.

“It’s actually who I’m,” talked about Cozad. “I contemplate that should you may be gonna be your complete dependable self, it is advisable must be it wherever you’re.”

Although she’s come a really good distance in her advocacy for the LGBTQ local people and girls of all ages alike, Cozad says there’s extra to be carried out. 

“We’ve got to have dialog,” reported Cozad. “We might want to converse to one another given that it’s actually an excellent deal tougher to detest or discriminate versus an individual since of their intercourse or gender identification should you don’t know them.” 

Again once more on the retailer, Cozad hopes her story, not solely alterations the narrative, however opens folks’s minds an individual manner or a special. 

To maintain on bringing equity to girls and the LGBTQ neighborhood, Cozad claims it begins off with being open to new views and hopes that, in time, that may influence the office positively.

She is one in every of six women presently being honored in April 2023 as a YWCA Girls of Accomplishment in Columbus.