Ethiopian Yellow Pages
in the Media
A Community Story That Captured the World's Attention
For over 30 years, the Ethiopian Yellow Pages has not only served the Washington DC Ethiopian community – it has inspired it. Our story of grassroots growth, cultural dedication, and community empowerment has been recognized by some of the world's most respected media organizations, including The Washington Post, CNN, and the BBC.
This is more than a directory. This is a movement – and the world has taken notice.
Featured in The Washington Post
The Washington Post – Style Section, Front Page | June 9, 2011
With her bulky Ethiopian Yellow Pages jostling in the passenger seat, "Mama Tutu" Belay lurches her black Mercedes to a stop. She squints suspiciously at a new bakery operating in a basement on Georgia Avenue that claims to use clay plates to make an authentic version of injera, the spongy bread that is a dietary staple of her homeland.
"It's suspect!" Mama Tutu decrees while looking over the bakery, painted pumpkin orange and flying American and Ethiopian flags. "I need to make sure it's legit before it goes anywhere near my book."
Her book is the Ethiopian Yellow Pages – which includes hundreds of Ethiopian American businesses that have taken over once-blighted storefronts across the Washington region.
Seventeen years ago, Mama Tutu started keeping a list in her kitchen of businesses run by fellow immigrants. Her regional directory now runs more than 1,000 pages and has spun off a thriving enterprise that includes:
- 📰 A monthly newspaper
- 📚 A series of mini-Yellow Pages booklets
- 🌐 A website – www.ethiopianyellowpages.com
- 🎪 An annual Ethiopian Expo, held in the District
Her base of operations is a spacious, renovated rowhouse in Shaw, where the Yellow Pages and its offshoots are administered by a staff of nine.
The weighty Yellow Pages and their affiliated website are visual proof of the economic power of the area's Ethiopian community. According to the Ethiopian Community Development Council, there are up to 100,000 Ethiopians living in the Washington area – the largest concentration in the United States.
Today – A Worldwide Digital Directory
Mama Tutu runs the business with her husband, Yehunie Belay – one of Ethiopia's best-known traditional singers, recognized throughout the Ethiopian American community simply by his first name.
"Like Prince or Madonna," he says, chuckling.
The pair are a Washington power couple – just not the kind you see on Meet the Press.
"Mama Tutu and her husband, Yehunie, are Washington household names… and isn't it wonderful that they also happen to be Ethiopian."
– Peter Hagos Gebre, author of "Making it in America: Conversations With Successful Ethiopian American Entrepreneurs"
"Mama Tutu was a very wise woman. She knew that to make her Yellow Pages successful, she would have to earn the community's trust. It's not just a book; it's like a passport to success and the Ethiopian American dream."
– Peter Hagos Gebre
Many Ethiopian professionals and business owners say it is essential to buy space in Mama Tutu's book. Advertisers range from Ethiopian parking-garage moguls and wedding photographers to dentists and an Ethiopian farmer in Virginia who offers immigrants an "Ethiopian day in America's rural areas."
"Mama Tutu is really out in the community, and that has made the difference. The Yellow Pages are a lifeline for Ethiopians in Washington."
– Senait Abebaw, Owner, Fasika Restaurant, Petworth
Press & Media Inquiries
Are you a journalist, blogger, or content creator interested in covering the Ethiopian Yellow Pages story? We'd love to hear from you.
More Media Recognition
The Ethiopian Yellow Pages has been featured and acknowledged by globally renowned media outlets over the years, reflecting its cultural significance, community impact, and business excellence.
CNN has covered the Ethiopian Yellow Pages' unique role as a community institution, highlighting how "Mama Tutu's Directory" became a trusted bridge between Ethiopian immigrants and the American business landscape.
The Washington Post – Style Section, Front Page | June 9, 2011
The BBC recognized the Ethiopian Yellow Pages' remarkable growth and its contribution to the Ethiopian diaspora – spotlighting a story of cultural pride, entrepreneurial spirit, and community empowerment that resonates far beyond Washington DC.
Officially Recognized by Washington DC
On September 15, 2007, the Washington DC Council passed a formal resolution honoring the Ethiopian Yellow Pages for its decades of service, dedication, and community excellence.
That date was officially declared:
"Ethiopian Yellow Pages Day"
District of Columbia – September 15, 2007
This recognition stands as one of our proudest milestones – a formal acknowledgment that the work we do matters, and that the community we serve is seen, valued, and celebrated.
What People Are Saying
"It's not just a book; it's like a passport to success and the Ethiopian American dream."
– Peter Hagos Gebre, Author
"The Yellow Pages are a lifeline for Ethiopians in Washington."
– Senait Abebaw, Restaurant Owner
"Immigrant's Directory is an all-purpose tool for cultural acclimation."
– The Washington Post, June 9, 2011
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The Ethiopian Yellow Pages has been featured by The Washington Post, CNN, and the BBC, among other outlets. Most notably, The Washington Post published a front-page Style section feature on June 9, 2011, titled "Ethiopian Yellow Pages: Life, by the book."
Join a 30-Year Legacy That the World Has Noticed
Be part of the directory that built a community – and earned the world's attention.