Issue 45 - Black Business Initiative

The Periodical of the Black Business Initiative
George
Ash
Lawyer
Also in this Issue
• Gospel Trailblazers
• Successful
Entrepreneurs
•Community Publishers
Spring 2010 u Number 45
“A dynamic and vibrant Black presence within
the Nova Scotia Business Community.”
Black to Business
1
Message from the Board of Directors
In this Issue
Cassandra Dorrington, Chair, Black Business Initiative
1
Message from the
Chief Executive Officer
2
COVER STORY
George Ash,
Lawyer
3
5
Friday’s Concrete
Brent Symonds
7
Sunworld Tanning
Adele Crawley
9
10
Ask The BBI
OUT & ABOUT WITH THE BBI
11
TRAILBLAZERS
Gospel Groups
13
Community Publishers
& Booksellers 15
Black Business Summit 2010
The Race to Business Success
19
People & Business
on the Move
23
Constructing the Future
Wrap-up Phase 1
25
Urban Hip Hop Zone
Dalma Cain
27
PARTNER PROFILE
Michelin North America (Canada) 28
Business & Community Events
29
Regional Reports
Business Development
4
Central
6
Northern
8
Southern
26
26
Training Report
to adapt to recessionary times equals
“survivability”.
Paul Adams
Message from the Board
Catch A Look
Clothing & Barbershop
Spring 2010
S
pring is finally here. The
Olympics, which seemed a lifetime away back in the summer
of 2009, have come and gone. More
importantly, we are seeing marked
improvement in the Canadian
economy in particular sectors. While
the U.K. market is still considered in
a recession, the U.S. has slowly been
reducing its unemployment rate
and is beginning to emerge from the
recession.
Last year, as Canada was in the
throes of the recession, I had a
mistaken belief that we would see
more people move into the world
of entrepreneurship. Here we are
one year later and, contrary to my
belief, we have seen our business
community shaken by the recession.
Those businesses in recession-proof
industries have survived. Others have
not been so resilient. “Survivability”
is a complex creature. It is a mixture
of ensuring your product or service
is considered a staple and much
needed. This basic foundation when
coupled with good management,
adequate cash flow and the ability
Black to Business is the official periodical of
The Black Business Initiative and is published quarterly spring, summer, fall, and winter. Its goal is to support the
BBI as it fosters a dynamic and vibrant Black presence
within the Nova Scotia Business Community.
Mailed under Canada Post Publications Mail
Sales Agreement no. 0040026687
For Advertising Information, Rates, Submitting
Story Ideas, Notices or Community Events,
or for More Information,
call: 902-426-2224
If you align the profile of successful
businesses to life in recessionary times,
this would mean that you must be
prepared for growth that is slow to
minimal as you continue to hold and
service your current market. In some
ways, the life of a successful business
is very similar to that of an Olympic
athlete, in that successful preparation
coupled with patience plus opportunity
equals success. Unlike Olympians, we
do not have to wait two to four years
for an opportunity to enter. Entrance to
the market can be anytime. However,
much like Olympians, this business
world is not for the weak of heart or
the easily intimidated. It is necessary to
have done your homework, to be fully
conversant in business principles, and
then to be willing at your designated
time to step forth and be prepared to
do what you have been practicing.
Without the right preparation, it is a
frightening experience without much
chance of success. However, with the
right preparation, when all eyes are
on you, given your patience coupled
with your extensive practice, you truly
live up to the hype. Having done
your homework, you are prepared
and while the conditions may not be
optimal, preparation has prepared
you for anything. It is these business
owners, we salute and celebrate.
Being successful does not happen by
luck or by chance, it is the result of
preparation meeting opportunity.
Congratulations to all who have made
it and continue to push forward.
continued on page 6>
The Black Business Initiative
Centennial Building
Suite 1201,1660 Hollis Street,
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 1V7
Phone: 902-426-2224 Fax: 902-426-8699
Toll Free: 1-888-664-9333
E-Mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.bbi.ca
Published by: the Black Business Initiative
Editor in Chief: Rustum Southwell
Design & Layout: Design North
Production by: Mirabliss Media Productions
Cover Photograph: Paul Adams
Black to Business
2
Spring 2010
Message From the Chief Executive Officer
Peter Marsman
S. I. Rustum Southwell
Heroes in our midst
O
n Sunday, February 28,
2010, in the final hours
of the Vancouver Winter
Olympics a 22-year-old Nova
Scotian hockey player called “Sid
the Kid” rammed in the winning
goal (gold). Amidst the patriotic
euphoria, the earlier hesitance to
emphatically support the Own the
Podium program had instantly disappeared. In a hundredth of a second, the second guessing and the
doubts about team work and the
efforts of heroes was immediately
replaced with the pride of a celebrating country. An achievement
that will last forever, Olympic gold,
and Sidney Crosby, the hero, gave
thanks to the many enablers along
the way, as far back as his peewee
years.
When I stood in the hot Roman
sun outside of the Coliseum in
May last year; I could not help
but marvel at the permanence of
excellence. Because the Coliseum
still stands some two to three
thousand years later, we cannot
imagine the emotional conversations
and discussions centered on this
economic development and super
stadium that far back in time. If
those architects and visionaries
were alive today they would be
hailed as inspired leaders and
enthusiastically saluted in awe of
their insurmountable achievement.
Heroic acts sometimes begin in
heated debate and the road there
is never easy. Although a team of
dedicated people will come forward
to help and support, there is always
an emotional centre, a rock. Such
a case is the Africville Genealogy
Society’s (AGS) recent settling of
scores with the city of Halifax.
Irvine and Monica Carvery, Bernice
Arsenault, Beatrice Wilkins, Linda
Mantley, and Brenda Steed-Ross
are some heroes in our midst. For
them to put together a strategy and
present it to the city leaders and
win on every item is a remarkable
achievement. In fact, they must
be highly commended for this
achievement. Only the future will
truly reflect and appreciate what
these heroes have achieved.
on the lives of these children from
five to 15 years old and all of the
community.
There are other heroes in our midst.
Elizabeth Cromwell, has worked
for years to get Birchtown and the
Black Loyalist Heritage Society
(BLHS) to a point where they will
have an effective museum which
will be a permanent record of the
Black Loyalist community and
their contribution to and place in
Canadian and Nova Scotian history.
For Elizabeth and BLHS members it
may seem like progress has taken too
long and each hurdle a clarion call
to push on even harder, however,
even this early they can look back
and see significant progress.
If it is indeed about building
something that will make an
impact and last, like the Coliseum
in Rome, then the work of the two
Gordons – Doe and Tynes – on
the Constructing the Future project
must be counted with this group.
It is coordinated by Joel Marsman
and delivered in partnership with
the Nova Scotia Community
College (NSCC). The first cohort
of this pre-apprenticeship skills
development strategy has exceeded
our expectations. So much so
that the second phase has three
applications for every one spot
available in the program, and this
even before advertising began. Even
more importantly it has opened up
the possibility of a pool of skilled
workers and entrepreneurs to work
within the construction sector.
In the North End Community
Health Centre of Halifax, there is a
community garden run by children,
and protected by all the parents in
the entire community. They grow
vegetables, greens and tomatoes,
they then go to business school
and make salsa or vinaigrette and
sell them to the public. The money
they make is donated to a selected
community organization. Jessie
Jollymore and her team at the North
End Community Health Centre are
the heroes behind this project. The
garden is making a major impact
“If music be the food of love, play
on.” These words from William
Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night are
quoted here to highlight the work
of the African Nova Scotian Music
Association (ANSMA). From a
lunch attended by 100 people 10
years ago to an awards celebration
that is now a sold out must-attend
annual event, ANSMA has made a
permanent impact on the cultural
establishment in Nova Scotia.
Delvina Bernard and company,
the original founders can be proud
of where association president Lou
Gannon and his team have taken
the organization.
If such heroes create miracles and
seem to be walking on water, we
only need to look beneath the
surface to see some of the rocks on
which they must stand.
These community economic
development strategies have a
strong nucleus of support, and we
continued on page 8 >
Black to Business
3
Spring 2010
Shauntay Grant
Photos: Paul Adams
“I was 12… or 13,”
remembers Halifax
lawyer George Ash of
his first experience in a
courtroom.
“I was travelling to meet a friend
and there was this dog that came
out onto the road. [It] knocked
me off my bike, and I was sort of
trapped out in the road on the downside of a blind crest, and there was a
big truck coming. [But] I managed to
get out of the road just before I got
hit by this truck.”
“I remember going home and calling
the police; they investigated, and I
had to go to court to be a witness.”
A pivotal moment would follow.
“I was on the stand giving testimony,” remembers Ash. “And at
the end of it, the judge said: ‘Your
evidence was very compelling, and it
made the case stick.’”
For young Ash, this brief exchange
would spark a lifelong interest in the
law.
“I think it’s just a wonderful profession to be in,” says Ash. “The law is
always changing, and you’re always
growing as a lawyer. You never know
100 percent of the law. You have to
continue to become knowledgeable.
And, for the most part, the people
in the profession are on top of their
game, and you really have to be on
top of yours in order to compete.”
Ash earned his Bachelor of Laws from
Dalhousie Law School in 2005. That
same year he began articling at the
Halifax law firm Boyne Clarke, where
he is presently employed and practicing in the areas of wills and trusts,
estate administration and litigation,
and real estate. And though Ash is
undoubtedly enthusiastic about his
current profession, he chose a different path altogether after completing
high school.
“The law is always
changing, and you’re
always growing as a
lawyer. You never know
100 percent of the law.
You have to continue to
become knowledgeable.
And, for the most
part, the people in the
profession are on top
of their game, and you
really have to be on
top of yours in order to
compete.”
“I’m from Monastery, and in
Monastery there’s several teachers
from the Black community,” says
Ash. “My older sister was a teacher,
my cousins are teachers... so it was
Black to Business
4
Spring 2010
BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT
just natural for me to go that route,
even though at the time I knew it
wasn’t going to be a career I would
stay with. But I loved working with
youth, and so becoming a teacher
seemed like a good way to continue
working with youth and helping
them reach their potential.”
Ash earned a kinesiology degree
(1997) and a Bachelor of Education
degree (1998) from the University of
New Brunswick. He was employed as
a teacher with the Halifax Regional
School Board for four years before
a series of personal events would
inspire him to pursue his passion for
law.
Lyle Howe met Ash as a grade nine
student at St. Patrick’s Alexandra
School. Years later, he contacted his
former Phys. Ed. teacher about pursuing a law degree.
“He gave me advice on surviving
law school,” says Howe, who is presently articling at Boyne Clarke. “And
since I’ve been here at the firm he’s
helped me in thousands of ways. But
even when I was in law school he
would take the time out to field any
inquiries that I had – he’s been there
many steps along the way.”
“I went through a custody battle
with [my oldest son] and I represented myself,” says Ash. “And that
made me realize that I could do it – I
could go to law school and do it.”
Apart from his work at Boyne
Clarke, Ash chairs the Advisory
Council for the Indigenous Blacks &
Mi’kmaq Initiative at Dalhousie Law
School. And though he’s already
achieved his lifelong dream of
becoming a lawyer, Ash is nowhere
near finished dreaming.
And while he found it difficult leaving education – and in particular
the youth he enjoyed working with
as a teacher and sports coach – Ash
ultimately feels he made the right
move.
“I would like to at some point make
partner,” says Ash. “I would like
to continue to grow my practice.
Continue to work with great clients.
And help others break into this area
of employment.”
“I’m extremely content with my
choice,” he says. “I had my own
practice about a year after I’d been
called to the bar. And it does help
that I’m at a great firm. The lawyers
at Boyne Clarke have been very supportive of any endeavor I’ve taken
on, allowing me to learn my legal
profession and to maintain my commitment to community. But also,
there’s always someone I can talk
to, someone encouraging me, saying
‘You’re on the right track.’”
Ash credits his family, his friends,
and his firm for helping him achieve
his own professional goals. And he
hopes his path will help inspire the
next generation.
An attribute that Ash himself
embodies through his support of
young aspiring lawyers.
“It’s nice when I get a call from a
former student of mine who is thinking of going into the legal profession,” says Ash. “I’ve had several
students who have called me.”
“I can look at my children and say,
‘I achieved my goals of becoming a
lawyer and being successful,’” says
Ash. “And they have no excuse to
say that they can’t do it.”
“Whatever they want to do, they can
do.”
“I can look at my children
and say, ‘I achieved my
goals of becoming a lawyer
and being successful,’”
says Ash. “And they have
no excuse to say that they
can’t do it.”
REPORT
Gordon Doe
CEDIF: Invest in Nova Scotia
The Black Business Community Investment
Fund (BBCIFL) closed its sixth offering and
raised $63,000. This puts the fund’s total
portfolio beyond the half-million mark at
$504,000 and achieves this year’s goal.
Thanks to all who worked to make this
offering successful. Of the 30 people who
invested this year, eight are first-time
investors, placing the investor base of the
fund at 88.
The fund’s impact is growing. Over the past
six years, we have made eight investments
in four different companies to the tune
of $500,000. It is definitely a significant
achievement for a fund of our size to be
able to make this level of investment in local
businesses, and create jobs and income for
families in our community. The fund currently
maintains positions in four companies – the
Bin Doctor, the Stone Gallery, C.A. Wilkins
and most recently ADEPA Management Inc.
In terms of return, we have not incurred any
losses on our investments to date, despite
the recent economic downturn. We have
earned, on average, an annualized return of
10 percent on our debt investments.
Constructing The Future
We are gearing up to rerun our “Constructing
The Future” program. Feedback from Phase
I has been so positive that the demand to
participate in Phase II is extremely high.
Without any active advertisement, we have
more than 60 applicants. We are hopeful
that our partnership with the Nova Scotia
Department of Labour and Workforce
Development will continue, in order for us
to run Phase II. Most of the students remain
engaged and committed to pursuing
their long-term dream in the construction
industry.
ADEPA
We remain optimistic regarding opportunities
that our community can leverage in the
construction industry. After what was a
rather slow and challenging 2009, 2010 is
shaping up to be a busy year for ADEPA.
We continue to build new partnerships,
as these will be critical for our long-term
success. We welcome partners in every area
of construction and we look forward to
working with as many Black construction
businesses as possible.
As always, please feel free to call me
at 426-6985 if you have any questions
or plan to invest.
Black to Business
Spring 2010
5
Catch A Look
Clothing & Barbershop
Paul Adams
Sunjay Mathuria
Troyce Ashe (l), and Marvin Upshaw (r) , Catch A Look
T
royce Ashe has always thought
of himself as an entrepreneur.
Marvin Upshaw has always
had an artistic side. Put the two
together and you have Lower
Sackville’s Catch A Look Clothing &
Barbershop. And you can be sure
you won’t find anything else quite
like it in Nova Scotia.
When Ashe and Upshaw decided to
put clothing and hair together, they
knew they had what it took to make it
a success. With years of experience in
the industry, they were ready to make
their dreams a reality. “It had been
attempted in this province, but never
at the level of combining the two into
one entity,” says Ashe.
“Attempting to do it is half the battle,”
says Upshaw. “We knew whatever we
did was going to work, so we were sort
of positive behind it.”
Ashe and Upshaw also attribute
patience and dedication to getting
their idea off the ground. “It was work
ethic, taking it head-on, and doing
what we can with our own resources,”
says Upshaw.
And with the support of family and
friends, Ashe and Upshaw opened up
Catch A Look on December 4, 2008.
Throughout the store are personal
touches that make Catch A Look
stand out from any other clothing store or barbershop in the
city. Vibrantly
coloured namebrand shoes line
the partition at
the back, which
separates the
retail from the
haircuts. While
waiting for their
custom cuts, clients can relax
on couches in
front of the television or catch
up on the coolest
looks and find
the perfect outfit.
There’s something in store for everybody.
“Our demographic ranges from 2-yearolds to 60-year-olds, everybody from
all walks of life,” explains Upshaw.
“Everybody can come here and catch a
mainstream type of vibe. We want to
make ourselves convenient and accessible and comfortable with anybody
who comes through the door.”
Upshaw says the most rewarding
part of the job is the fact the store has
evolved from his and Ashe’s ideas and
hard work. “You appreciate it more
when you have to do it hands-on and
do it all yourselves,” he says. “And you
appreciate it all – from the paint to the
floors to the idea to handpicked clothing that Troyce does to the hands-on
cutting and dealing with customers day
in and day out. It all stems from our
own views and our own ideas.”
“We hope to inspire anyone who wants
to get into business, and tell people to
actually take that risk and don’t let
anyone tell you (that you) can’t do it,”
says Ashe.
As for the future, Ashe and Upshaw
plan to take it day by day. Ashe says
there is the possibility of opening up
another location in downtown Halifax.
But the two business partners are
thinking about expanding to other
provinces too.
Wherever they do end up, Ashe and
Upshaw hope to maintain their
unique service and the rapport they
share with their customers and clients.
“That hands-on relationship with our
customers is a big factor. If we’re going
to imitate this, we want people who
can live up to that name,” says Ashe.
With more than 15 exclusive namebrand clothing lines decorating the
front of the store and the barbershop
buzzing at the back, customers can get
everything they need in one stop.
“It’s a good formula,” explains Ashe.
“It’s a one-stop shop. You can get your
hair cut and a new outfit. You can
catch a look in one day, from head to
toe.”
“It’s good to have a place like this. It’s
makes the neighbourhood a brighter
place.”
Ashe also believes committing to a goal
and staying positive can help accomplish anything.
“It’s rewarding, actually achieving
something and taking a risk,” says
Ashe. “You’ve just got to stay positive.
Anybody can have an idea. They even
say the richest place in the world is
the graveyard; people die with their
dreams and aspirations. We just put
our minds together and stuck with it.”
Ashe and Upshaw also hope their work
will help inspire other young entrepreneurs achieve their goals.
500-546 Sackville Drive,
Lower Sackville, NS
902-252-3226
Myron Upshaw
and Troyce Ashe
Black to Business
6
Message from the Board of Directors
continued from page 1
For those of you preparing to enter,
we at Black Business Initiative (BBI)
are here for you. What can we do
to support or facilitate your entry? I
personally believe there is incredible
talent just waiting to enter the market.
Just remember, success begins with a
single step and with BBI in the wings,
you are not alone.
On a secondary front, BBI/Adepa has
just completed another successful year
with the rollout of the Constructing
the Future Program in the Halifax
region. Given the feedback from
this first program, we anticipate the
second offering to be equally, if not
more, successful as we have worked
out the bugs and we are prepared
for Year Two. To all our stakeholders,
watch carefully as the graduates of
this program become a force to be
reckoned with in the construction
sector. Many heartfelt thanks to all the
people who have dedicated hours to
make this program successful, as well
as to you program participants.
Remember, success is hardly by
luck and immediate but it is the
culmination of hard work, dedication
and perseverance and, of course, well
deserved.
Most recently, we have heard some
very positive news as it relates to
our community and some longterm initiatives. We congratulate our
partners, the Black Loyalist Heritage
Society and Africville Genealogy
Society for their dogged persistence
in working to achieve their strategic
plans. The injection of capital is
strong support, to ensure viability and
the realization of your vision. We at
BBI like to believe that our ongoing
work in the areas of community
development and capacity building
have played a small role in moving
forward these successful initiatives.
From an organizational perspective,
in 2009-2010 BBI has focused on
strengthening our governance.
We recognize that the success and
longevity of an organization is a result
of good governance, policies and
practices, not to mention good people.
While establishing and managing
all aspects of good governance is not
glamorous, it is a necessity to ensure
the transparency and objectivity of
the board and all our organizational
practices. The Board at BBI have been
diligent in their focus and we are
pleased to report that all our divisions
and programs are functioning. We
anticipate in the next few months that
each entity will sign off on a series
of Memoranda of Understandings
(MOUs) to ensure that we are all
working towards one organization,
one vision and one mission.
Thanks to all our stakeholders, board
and staff members. Life at BBI and
its composite group of companies
is never static. On an annual basis,
we wish farewell to a select group of
employees who have departed and to
those entering, hello. As you might
know, BBI has been a training ground
for many persons over its 14-year
history. We at BBI have benefited
as our alumni have gone forth and
prospered and as such, we have BBI
alumni in many places across the
region. This has assisted us in our
ability to spread the word and educate
the masses on economic development
across the region. The knowledge of
BBI and its many entities continue
to be infectious. We work to spread
the knowledge of the “how to’s” for
successful economic development
across the region.
On a final note, BBI will be hosting
our business summit this year June
23 to the 25th. As in previous years, it
will be a great opportunity to listen to
business leaders, learn best practices
and network with other stakeholders
and Black business owners to grow our
businesses. We hope to see you there.
I always like to end by thanking a
group of special people. Many thanks
to those who have contributed to
the success of BBI. While the list is
long, I would like to sum it up as
those staff, board members and key
Spring 2010
REGIONAL
REPORT
Central
Njabulo
Nkala
The experts have said the deepest
recession since the 1930’s seems to be
on its way out. This is an ideal time for
businesses to take advantage of available
opportunities.
This has been an unusually quiet season
in the central region. I am hoping this
will change soon. Planned are a series
of outreach initiatives. We are looking
forward to duplicating our successful
Role Models on the Road program
throughout the region along with some
Business is Jammin’ presentations. These
programs are focused on reaching out
to Black youth, motivating and teaching
them the importance of education
and personal development as well
as promoting entrepreneurship as a
viable career option. Other programs
and training for existing and potential
business owners are also in the works.
I encourage those interested in
hosting or partnering in any of
our programs within the central
region or those who want to know
how we can work together to
contact me at (902) 426-4281 or
email: [email protected] .
stakeholders who have given of their
time, guidance and advice to support
BBI and its composite entities in their
pursuit of the mission and vision of
BBI. We do not take your contribution
lightly and we want to acknowledge
all those, both in the past and
currently, who contribute their time
and energy to make this possible
Cassandra Dorrington, Chair
Black to Business
Spring 2010
7
Friday’s Concrete
Carol Dobson
I was talking to a friend of mine
the other day, who was down there
working on the tiles, and we were
talking about the size of the project,
and it’s not done yet.”
“The guys on the crew
like working with me
because they know they’ll
be doing something
different every day.”
O
wner Brent Symonds
named his company
Friday’s because he’s
discovered that’s his busiest
work day.
“The contractors like to have their
basement floors done on Friday so
the concrete can harden over the
weekend and they’re good to go on
Monday morning,” he says.
Symonds got his start working with
concrete in his youth, accompanying his grandfather on jobs. It
evolved from helping his grandfather haul gear on and off the
truck to summer work to working
as a concrete finisher to eventually opening his own company five
years ago.
At the same time he opened his
business, he started building a new
home in Hammonds Plains. Those
two endeavours have consumed
him and he admits he’s finally
reaching the point where he’s seeing some light at the end of the
tunnel.
The region’s healthy homebuilding
industry has been a benefit to him,
with word of mouth being his best
advertising thus far, and he finds
himself on the road a great deal.
“Some days I’m in Peggy’s Cove,
other days I’m in Bridgewater, or
I’m in the Valley for a week or New
Brunswick for a month,” Symonds
admits. “I know it’s going to be
a busy year ahead because of the
construction that’s going on in this
area (around Bedford). There’s a lot
of construction around the Ravines
area, plus over in Portland Hills and
the Freshwater development.”
One of the most interesting projects
he’s worked on is the massive $25
million home being built on the
Northwest Arm in Halifax’s south
end.
“When it started out, it was going
to cost $7 million but it’s grown
since then,” he says. “I did the concrete work, including some coloured
floors, some stamping, some matting ... We came up with a lot of the
special features as we went along.
The bulk of his business is in finishing concrete floors for basements,
but he also works on driveways,
walkways, and other smaller concrete projects and has a small
cement mixer that he uses for mixing small amounts of concrete for
decorative features, like rock walls.
Depending on the amount of work
on hand, he has a team of workers
he can rely on or works with other
concrete companies in the area to
get the job done.
“Sometimes it’s just me working on
the job long into the evening,” he
says. “The guys on the crew like
working with me because they know
they’ll be doing something different
every day.”
Brent Symonds
Friday’s
Concrete Ltd.
•
Upper Hammonds Plains,
Nova Scotia
•
902-293-5717
Black to Business
Spring 2010
8
REGIONAL
REPORT
Northern
Message from the CEO
continued from page 2
accomplishment. Gordon Doe and
the Board Members of this Fund
should be proud of this achievement.
are pleased that our community
development fund was there at the
early stages in their development
of sustainable strategies and part
of their progress. Moreover, past
Black Business Initiative (BBI) staff
such as Evan Williams, now with
the Province of Nova Scotia, worked
closely with the AGS, and Sheldon
States, now a teacher in Windsor,
worked with ANSMA and BLHS.
This is just a sample of some of the
positive change delivered by heroes
in our midst.
The team at the BBI, both board
and staff, continues the hard work
needed to result in success. Although
we said goodbye to Evan Williams
in January, the projects he was
working on were quickly taken over
by Cheyanne Gorman-Tolliver and
Shakara Russell. Dorothy Fletcher,
Gregory Nazaire and Keisha Jefferies
work closely with Jessie Jollymore
and her team with the children’s
garden. If many of the businesses
and projects we are currently
working on continue to make a
difference, we will certainly be closer
to our vision of a dynamic and
vibrant presence in the Nova Scotia
business community.
The Black Business Initiative with
its Community Development Fund
enables heroes and organizations to
deliver on their goals and objectives.
We are also making inroads within
our organization, this winter
saw us passing the half million
dollar mark with our Community
Economic Development Investment
Fund (CEDIF). This is a significant
milestone, although delayed largely
by the downturn in the global
economy last year, is still a major
S.I. Rustum Southwell, CEO
Deep Panuke
gas project
business and career
opportunities.
For information on business opportunities with
EnCana’s Deep Panuke natural gas development
in Nova Scotia’s offshore, visit the Deep Panuke
pages on the EnCana website at
www.encana.com/deeppanuke/business
For information on employment opportunities
at Deep Panuke, visit the Career section on
EnCana’s website at www.encana.com or
the Career Beacon website at
www.careerbeacon.com
www.encana.com
ECOR-7758 Deep Panuke_Generic ad update.indd 1
1/20/09 11:21:51 AM
Cheyanne Gorman-
Tolliver
Partnering with the African Nova
Scotian
Employment
Center
(ANSEC) and Cape Breton University
Business Centre (CBUBC), the first
African Nova Scotian Business
Development Workshop was held
in Sydney in January. Along with
BBI, representatives from CBUBC,
CBDC Coastal Business Centre, NS
Co-operative Council, InNovacorp,
and Sydney & Area Chamber of
Commerce participated in this
initiative to inform community
members of the services available for
new and existing entrepreneurs.
Congratulations to the members of
the Sydney African Nova Scotian
Service Providers on the success of
the Proclamation Day event held
in Sydney to open African Heritage
Month. Honoured guest included
Mrs. Beryl Braithwaite of Whitney
Pier who was featured on the 2010
poster for African Heritage Month,
Leading Ladies-Lasting Legacies.
Congratulations also go out to
African Nova Scotian Affairs-Cape
Breton Region and the Menelik Hall
Association for another successful
sold out African Heritage Month
Gala. As part of the night’s event
Joseph Parris (BBI Board Member
& BIJ Board Chair) and Theresa
Smith (Chairperson, UNIA Cultural
Museum) were honoured with the
Tom Miller Award for Human Rights
and contributions to their community.
Another special event for African
Heritage Month took place in New
Glasgow. The Vale Quilters Association
held an exhibition featuring the
history of quilt making among African
Nova Scotian communities.
For more information or to
arrange a meeting please
contact me at 426-8685,
toll free at 1-888-664-9333
or by email: gorman-tolliver.
[email protected]
Black to Business
Spring 2010
9
Peter Marsman
Sunworld
Tanning
Chad Lucas
“In the end
it was a lot
more freeing to be our
own company,” Crawley
says.
Adele Crawley, Sunworld Tanning
S
unworld Tanning started
with a classic case of
entrepreneurial vision:
Adele Crawley saw a need and
figured the best way to fill it
was to start her own business.
Crawley spent five years working
in an office downtown in Scotia
Square, where thousands of people
pass through every day. One service the mall lacked was a tanning
salon.
“I’ve always been a tanner, even
though I’m Black,” Crawley says
with a laugh. “I thought it would
be a great thing to have (in Scotia
Square) because there was nothing
like it in the area for people to go to
at lunch or after work. I decided to
open my own place.”
Crawley was right: the idea was a
hit. She estimates that the salon
took in $2,000 on its first day of
business. But like any company,
Crawley and family business partners Tony Johnson (her cousin) and
Debbie MacDonald (her mother)
have seen their ups and downs.
They started in 2004 as a franchise
of a company but later severed the
relationship and started their own
operation as Sunworld.
And she’s
used to hearing from
critics of
the tanning
industry, who
link indoor
and outdoor
tanning with skin cancer. But
Crawley has done her research and
is quick to point out that moderate amounts of sunlight help the
body produce vitamin D. She says
that sunscreen manufacturers have
done such a good job scaring people out of the sun that most people
now have a Vitamin D deficiency—
which has been linked to many
other types of cancer.
Crawley says she’s all about
helping people learn how to tan
responsibly.
“You have to know what you’re
talking about, and I don’t want to
give people false information,” she
says. “You do hear some horror stories, and a lot of people think you
can go in (to a salon) and in two
sessions you’re brown.
That’s not usually how it works.
“It’s like anything else: anything
that’s good for you, if you get too
much of it, it can have the opposite
effect. We try to teach our clients
how to tan smart, indoors and outdoors.”
Responsible tanning can also be
a pick-me-up during the gloomy
winter months, Crawley says, especially for those who suffer from
Seasonal Affective Disorder.
She points out that people with
darker skin need sunlight and vitamin D as much as anyone else—or
even more.
“About 15 to 20 percent of our clientele are Black,” Crawley says. “The
darker your skin is, the more vitamin D you need. One tan is equal to
about 100 glasses of milk.”
After six years, business continues
to grow at Sunworld. The company
recently expanded with the BBI’s
help, adding two more rooms and
beds to bring the total number to
eight.
“We definitely needed that expansion in order to continue to provide
good service and quality to our customers,” Crawley says.
For her, the highlight of owning
Sunworld is the relationships she
builds with her clients.
“It’s really rewarding getting to
know people,” she says. “And I like
owning my own business. It’s a lot
of hard work, but it really does pay
off.”
5201 Duke St,
Halifax
Adele Crawley
422-9346
Black to Business
10
Question
Spring 2010
L
How can I get online marketing for my business?
A look at Google Local Business Listings.
Center. The Local Business Center is a
Web application that provides listings
for businesses on Google Maps. Listing a
business here will make it visible to anyone anywhere in the world with access to
the Internet – and did I mention it’s for
FREE!?
Featured Expert:
Njabulo Nkala,
Regional Business
Development Manager
Eighty-five percent of all Canadians use
the Internet and about 15 million of us
will go online at least three times today.
The Internet has morphed rapidly over
the past few decades from just being a
phenomenon for a few to becoming the
ultimate resource for businesses selling
and promoting products and services,
accessing world-size market.
The challenge for many small businesses
is figuring how to profit from this seemingly versatile resource without investing
a lot of money, particularly in an environment where everyone’s cutting costs.
One good thing about the Internet is
that users can access countless good, useful tools, legally, without having to pay
a penny. In this article we’re going to
examine how businesses can effectively
market themselves online, for free, using
Google. Google is more than an Internet
search engine. Google has revolutionized
the way we use the Internet by creating
a wide range of handy tools and utilities that simplify our Internet experience,
simultaneously opening enormous platforms for businesses to sell themselves.
Any smart business should be part of the
revolution.
One really neat tool that Google has
developed is the Google Local Business
This application, which is similar to
Yellow Pages but is less expensive, wider
reaching and allows business owners
or any authorized persons to register or
list their business. The listing increases
your company’s visibility on Google to
anyone searching for the type of business
in a specific area. Google Local Business
listings show up when users search for a
specific business type followed by location on Google. For example, searching
for “B&B, Digby NS” will give a listing
of bed and breakfast operations in Digby.
Search results will show local business
results on top of the search page with a
Google map and list up to 10 local businesses. Clicking on “More results near
Digby” will reveal all listed businesses
and a map with a marking for each location. Users can access location information, a map and driving directions, as
well as detailed information about each.
Setting up a listing is pretty straight forward. It is done through signing up at the
Google Local Business Center website at
www.google.com/localbusinesscenter.
First off, you will need to have a working
email address. You will then need to create a new account (if you don’t already
have a Google account such as Gmail)
by clicking “sign up”. This will prompt
you to enter some required information,
as well as accept terms and conditions.
What’s good about your Google listing
is that it not only allows you to add the
address and contact information, but
it also to lets you to add descriptions
of goods and services offered, hours of
operation, any other pertinent information in identifying the business, payment
options, photos and videos, and even
upload coupons customers can print off
for their next visit. You also get links
to the listing that you can distribute
through email. As well, you have the
ability to edit your listing. Customers
can write reviews of their visits to your
business.
In order to ensure that only legitimate businesses are registered, Google
requires all listings to be verified with
a PIN that is sent after listing a submission, either through a phone message or
a post card sent to the business owner,
hence the need for valid contact information. Once verified, your operation
will appear each time local searches are
made of businesses similar to your specific type.
In this digital age where people are
more likely to reach for their computer or
mobile phone than their phonebook to
look up the nearest pizza place, it makes
good sense for a business to have online
listings. While this article has focused on
Google Local Business Center, there are
other applications out there, paid and
free that would achieve similar goals
and possibly be more suited for your
specific business needs. GenieKnows.com,
a Halifax based company launched an
online business directory service that
offers both basic (free) and premium
(paid) listings.
I also recommend that businesses use
many of the available online directories and social networking applications, including Facebook, Twitter and
LinkedIn that are also very effective
continued on page 28 >
Black to Business
Spring 2010
11
BBI Directory Launch
December 3, 2009
Cassandra Dorrington, BBI Chair welcomes guests.
Guests of the BBI at the buffet.
BBI Board members Shirley Robinson-Levering and Bruce Johnson.
Funmi Joseph Director, Enterprise Development for the Atlantic Canada
Opportunities Agency.
Jodi Lyne (keyboards) and his band, entertaining the crowd.
BBI Chair Cassandra Dorrington speaks with
Lawyer and BBC Board member Paul Walter.
Celina & Ed Matwawana enjoying the evening.
Black to Business
Spring 2010
12
BIJ 2010 March Break Camp
Guests making connections at the BBI Directory Launch.
Ricky Anderson, Boxing Champ & Motivational Speaker with some of the
youth from the BIJ Camp.
Young Entrepreneurs at the BIJ March Break Camp.
Atlantic Progress publisher Neville Gilfoy with Former BBI Executive Assistant
Roselyne Orengo.
Brian Watson from the Dept. of Economic Development and Irvine Carvery
of the Africville Genealogy Society.
Ansma Awards Show
January 9, 2010
RS Smooth receives the 2010 BBI Industry Development Award.
Black to Business
From churches to festivals, schools to special
events, these local groups are celebrating
and sharing Nova Scotia’s rich gospel music
heritage.
The Nova Scotia
Mass Choir
F
rom theatres to churches, schools
to community centres, the Nova
Scotia Mass Choir (NSMC) has
spent the past 18 years sharing its
love of gospel music at home and
internationally.
“When we sing this style of music, it
moves people,” says NSMC president
Rosella Fraser. “We also get ministered
to by the music every time we perform. And not all of us are Christians.
But gospel still has the same impact.”
In its eighth year, the annual concert
honours both Dr. King’s legacy and
the contributions of leaders from the
African Nova Scotian community.
“We want people to be aware of
the rich history that African Nova
Shoulder
To Shoulder
Scotians have,” says Fraser. “That’s
why we continue with [The Dream
Continues].”
And while not all members of this
diverse group share the same cultural
background, they are bonded by their
mutual love of gospel music.
“When this mixed group of people first
got together [in 1992 for a performance
at the International Gospel Festival],
it was just a fusion of Nova Scotians
that love to sing,” says Fraser. “And our
The choir’s blend of traditional and
style developed into a traditional Nova
contemporary gospel has earned them Scotian Black gospel musical style
several accolades, including two East
because even though the people came
Coast Music Awards and two African
from different walks of life, they fell in
Nova Scotian Music Awards.
love with this style of music.”
This year the NSMC partnered with
CBC Radio to present their popular
musical tribute concert to the Rev.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., called The
Dream Continues (formerly Share The
Dream).
Peter Marsman
Gospel Groups
Paul Adams
Spring 2010
13
Currently led by musical director Joe
Colley – with regular participation from
guest conductor Woody Woods – the
Nova Scotia Mass Choir continues to
bring audiences to their feet.
“Gospel music is very out there and
in your face,” says Fraser. “When it’s
bouncing and the beats are on, you
can’t just sit.”
“People get moved,” she adds. “They
get touched. And [that] really makes it
worthwhile.”
A
chance invitation to perform
at an Annapolis Valley school
for African Heritage Month
turned a praise and worship team
into a gospel band.
“Four members of the band all
played at the same church as the
worship team,” remembers Lawrence
Parker, a student support worker with
the Annapolis Valley Regional School
Board and founding member of the
gospel band Shoulder To Shoulder.
“When I [taught] elementary school
as an educational assistant, the principal wanted to do something for
Black History Month, and asked if I
had any ideas. And I said that a few
guys that I went to church with did a
presentation [on] the history of gospel music.”
It just took one school presentation
for word to get around. “Some other
Black to Business
14
Spring 2010
schools heard about us because
the kids liked us so well,” remembers Parker. “So we put a program
together, and we’ve been together
ever since.”
Peter Marsman
Shauntay Grant
The Sanctified Boys
The five-member band includes
musicians Carey Langille and
Mark Riley, and founding members Bobby Smith, Billy Lucas and
Lawrence Parker.
Seventeen years since that inaugural school presentation, Shoulder
To Shoulder is still going strong,
playing at churches, festivals,
schools, and special events around
the province.
“This is our seventeenth year going
around to schools,” says Parker.
“We do presentations on racial
harmony and Black history, and
we relate songs to it. We thought it
would be a great way to celebrate
African Heritage Month – which
is in February – so when we go
in to schools it’s usually [during]
February and March.”
Not your usual venue for a gospel
group. But Shoulder To Shoulder’s
special way of presenting Black history through gospel music is both
an entertaining and educational
experience for young learners.
“We love music,” says Parker. “And
we love playing at churches, of
course, but our main venues are
schools.”
Seventeen years
since that inaugural
school presentation,
Shoulder To Shoulder
is still going strong,...
W
allace Smith Jr. says there
was not a particular
“moment” where his gospel male quartet formally decided to
become a performing band.
“People just kept asking us to
sing,” says Smith of the North
Preston-based group The Sanctified
Boys (formerly The Deep River
Boys).
A televised Brookes Diamond production featuring the Hallelujah
Praise Choir – a group that Smith
directs – led to the formation of
The Sanctified Boys.
“When we started singing we were
known as the male chorus from the
Hallelujah Praise Choir,” remembers Smith.
“We came to church one Sunday
and we started singing a song, and
just out of the blue – when the
song was over – Deacon Everett
[Smith] jumped up and [said],
‘Wow! You guys sound just like the
Deep River Boys!’”
A name that stuck. “People just
kept [calling us] The Deep River
Boys,” says Smith.
Unbeknownst to Smith in the beginning, that name had long been
claimed by an American gospel
group active mainly between the
1930s and 50s. “We went for about
a year with a major identity crisis,”
laughs Smith. “And I’m thinking,
we have a CD that we’re working
on, and we can’t title the CD Deep
River Boys because we could be up
for legal ramifications.”
And so bandleader Sean Downey
came up with The Sanctified Boys.
Wallace Smith Jr., Rev. Wallace
Smith Sr., Danna Willis, Michael
Smith, and Raymond Smith – along
with their band – brought a 2009
Atlantic Jazz Festival audience to
its feet at a special Sunday gospel
performance at the festival’s main
stage tent.
The group continues to inspire
audiences at festivals, churches and
events around the province.
“Most of our music is high energy,”
says Smith. “It’s all positive.”
“It’s about hope,” adds Smith.
“Gospel music let’s people know
that there’s hope out there.”
Black to Business
15
Spring 2010
Chad Lucas
Paul Adams
Our methods of communication continue to evolve in the Digital Age, but written words and
images still carry an unmatched power to reach people’s minds and hearts. This issue, we take
a look at people who have made an art and a business of spreading the word, from passing on
stories of Nova Scotia’s rich African heritage to helping a new generation find its voice.
For Bowden, editing and producing Teens Now Talk is about giving
teenagers a voice and a chance to
engage with the world around them.
“People ask why I do the magazine,
and I say why not?” Bowden says.
“There was nothing here for youth.
Now they have a voice, and that’s
a key part of the future. We need
the youth to be engaged. They don’t
read newspapers, and they’ll be
the first to tell you that. You have
to give them a platform that they
themselves read and own.”
Jessica Bowden and some teens who help put the magazine together.
Teens Now Talk Magazine
Jessica Bowden talks about her
career with the passion and energy
of a teenager—which is fitting, since
teens are both her target audience
and her main contributors.
“We feature 100 to 150 youth per
issue, from stories and columns to
pictures and quotes,” Bowden says.
“We receive tons of submissions
every day. There’s no shortage of
content.”
Bowden is the editor of Teens Now
Talk, a magazine that’s written both
for and by local teenagers. Now
entering its third year of publication,
the Halifax-based quarterly is available in locations ranging from high
schools to Chapters and Wal-Mart.
TNT offers teenagers a chance to be
involved beyond writing an article
or submitting a photo—they can
also get involved with production or
promoting events sponsored by the
magazine.
More importantly, Bowden estimates
the magazine has highlighted the
achievements or featured the work
of close to 2,000 teenagers since the
first issue launched in December
2007.
“I call it a triple-decker train, and all
I am is the conductor,” Bowden says.
“I make sure it stays on track and
has a guide, but the teens are the
energy that propels the train going
forward.”
The magazine is also a hit with parents and teachers, because it encourages youth to find creative outlets
and pick up skills that will help
them down the road. Bowden mentions one budding photography student who already has a cover photo
from the magazine to include in her
portfolio for university.
“Every child has the right to dream,”
Bowden says. “The magazine helps
them find the words to express it,
and the strength to believe it.”
Look for Teens Now Talk in local
bookstores, or visit on the web at
www.teensnowtalk.com.
“Every child has the right
to dream,” ...“The magazine
helps them find the words to
express it, and the strength
to believe it.”
– Jessica Bowden
Black to Business
16
Spring 2010
Gloria Wesley loves to see the surprise and delight on people’s faces
when they realize that they can
write creatively—and well.
Paul Adams
Creative Expressions Consulting
Wesley, who offers workshops ranging from adult literacy to “power
writing,” considers that moment of
discovery one of the most rewarding
things she does.
“We’ll be in a workshop and people
are reading their pieces and sometimes there’s one where everyone
will just stop and say, ‘Oh, that’s so
good,’” Wesley says. “You just see
the person’s face light up when they
get that acknowledgement from
others. It really improves their selfesteem.”
Helping people unlock that hidden
ability is the motivation behind
Creative Expressions. A retired
English teacher, Wesley began
working on adult literacy with the
Department of Education in 2005
before branching out with her own
workshops.
“I had a background teaching high
school students and I thought moving on to adult literacy would be a
good thing,” Wesley says. “I want
to inspire people, who have a lot of
difficulty expressing themselves, to
pick up a pen and start jotting down
their ideas. I help people to be more
creative.”
Wesley also practices what she
preaches. She’s written a historical
novel called Burlap and Lace that
follows a family of Black Loyalists
upon their arrival in Nova Scotia.
It’s available at Carrefour Atlantic
Emporium bookstore in Historic
Properties, Halifax.
“I love writing about African Nova
Scotian history,” Wesley says.
Gloria Wesley of Creative Expressions Consulting
“I had a background teaching high school students
and I thought moving on to adult literacy would be a
good thing,”. “I want to inspire people, who have a lot
of difficulty expressing themselves, to pick up a pen
and start jotting down their ideas. I help people to
be more creative.”
– Gloria Wesley
For more information on workshops and services, contact Creative
Expressions Consulting at 443.1466.
continued on page 17 >
Black to Business
17
Spring 2010
Paul Adams
Kilimanjaro Books and Café
Beku Fesshaye of Kilimanjaro Books and Café
The location may be different, but Kilimanjaro Books
and Café is still a prime
source for literature on all
things African.
Owner Beku Fesshaye has amassed
a large collection of new and used
books at his café, which recently
moved to 20 Titus Street, Halifax,
just up the road from the old location on Dutch Village Road.
“It’s a far more comfortable location, the place is more visible and
it’s a little bit more open,” says
Fesshaye, an expatriate Eritrean
who immigrated to Halifax in
1990. “I have all the books on the
main floor now, so it’s easier for
people to browse.”
Kilimanjaro is more than just a
place to grab a book or a cup of
tea; it’s become something of a
gathering spot for many new and
recent immigrants to Canada
in Halifax’s diverse West End.
Fesshaye’s café also offers music
and other assorted goods, a
Western Union branch and more
varied food menu on Sundays.
Fesshaye admits it’s been a challenging season for his café, just as
it has for many small businesses
and independent booksellers during recent tough economic times.
But he’s hopeful that the new
location will help generate more
traffic, especially once the weather
grows nicer.
After all, good books are always in
demand.
“It’s difficult for small businesses
to survive, but we’ve made it so
far and I don’t see any reason
why things won’t get better,” he
says. “I’m optimistic.”
Visit Kilimanjaro Books and
Café at 20 Titus St. in Halifax.
“It’s difficult for small
businesses to survive,
but we’ve made it so
far and I don’t see any
reason why things
won’t get better,” “I’m
optimistic.”
– Beku Fesshaye
Spring 2010
18
Paul Adams
Black to Business
“The object was
simple: we wanted
to get people talking
and informed about
African Nova Scotian
history. And I think
we’ve done that.”
– Tony Colaiacovo
Juanita Peters of CACE and Tony Colaiacovo of Effective Publishing Ltd.
Times of African Nova Scotians
Many of the province’s
junior and senior high
school students have a
slice of African Nova
Scotian history in their
hands, thanks to Tony
Colaiacovo.
Colaiacovo’s Effective Publishing
Ltd. published and helped develop the Times of African Nova
Scotians, a newspaper-style history
journal that has become a key
part of the curriculum in African
Heritage and African Canadian
Studies classes across the province.
The Times features articles on
Nova Scotia icons like Viola
Desmond and contributions from
respected figures such as George
Elliott Clarke and Sylvia Hamilton.
It hit schools in 2008 and was distributed to social studies students
throughout Nova Scotia.
For Colaiacovo, the Times of
African Nova Scotians was a natural extension of a successful series
of guides capturing snapshots of
local history. He has also published
the Titanic Times, the Times of Pier
21 and the Times of Halifax.
All three are popular items in
museum gift shops and local tourist attractions.
“As a publisher, I start with things
that I’d like to know myself,” said
Colaiacovo, who has been in the
publishing business since 1979. “I
suspected there’s an audience out
there for people that were visiting
and wanted to know more (about
local history) than just the surface
stuff you were given in the tourist
literature.”
All of the Times publications are
designed to look like a circa-1920s
newspaper, complete with archival
photos and headlines sometimes
taken straight from the front pages
of the era.
When Colaiacovo approached
the provincial Department of
Education’s African-Canadian
Services Division about doing a
similar project on African Nova
Scotian history, the idea was a hit.
He collaborated with the Education
Department and the Council on
African Canadian Education to
produce a 36-page journal that
was thoroughly researched, peerreviewed by top scholars — and
most importantly to students, an
entertaining read as well.
“The demand has far exceeded our
expectations,” says Colaiacovo.
“The object was simple: we wanted
to get people talking and informed
about African Nova Scotian history. And I think we’ve done that.”
To purchase any of the Times
publications, write to: Effective
Publishing, PO Box 31085,
Halifax, NS B3K 5T9.
The future belongs to businesses ability to quickly identify best
opportunities while embracing innovation in advance of the competition.
Business leaders need a fast strategic transformation in order to survive.
The importance of making the correct decisions in a timely fashion is
reflected in the 2010 Black Business Summit theme: “Race to Business
Success.”
As the premiere gathering of its kind, the Summit will bring together a wide
variety of top notch speakers and participants from diverse backgrounds–
from policy makers and leading thinkers to industry captains. Networking
opportunities will be unparalleled.
Join hundreds of business leaders and entrepreneurs at the 2010 Black
Business Summit. Don’t wait; register now to guarantee your seat!
jUNE 23–25, 2010
Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel, Halifax, Nova Scotia
BBI SUMMIT KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Judge Glenda A. Hatchett
She’s strong, savvy and
resolute. She’s intuitive,
concerned and compassionate. She’s a realist,
an innovator and a leader.
She’s Judge Glenda A.
Hatchett, and she knows
the difference between
achieving success and
making a difference.
sion approach, and continues to urge viewers to become
mentors to at-risk youth in their communities.
A visionary who knows
how to get results, Judge Hatchett is renowned in the
legal community for her groundbreaking courtroom style.
Best known for her revolutionary “interventions,” she is
widely respected for her work with today’s youth, which
not only sets her apart from other judges, but also establishes her as a leader in the justice system nationwide.
After graduating from Emory University School of Law
and completing a coveted clerkship in the U.S. Federal
Courts, Judge Hatchett took a position at Delta Air Lines,
where she would remain for almost 10 years. As the
company’s highest-ranking African-American woman,
Judge Hatchett served dual roles in both the legal and
public relations departments. As manager of public
relations, she supervised global crisis management, and
handled media relations for all of Europe, Asia and 50
U.S. cities. In fact, her outstanding contributions were
recognized by Ebony Magazine, which named Hatchett
one of the “100 Best and Brightest Women in Corporate
America.”
Judge Hatchett is also the author of the national bestseller, Say What You Mean and Mean What You Say
(Harper Collins, 2003), based on her extensive professional experiences as a jurist and her own personal
experience as a mother of two boys.
The Judge also serves as national spokesperson for
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), a non-profit
volunteer organization that trains volunteers to represent
abused and neglected children and help them navigate
the court system.
In May 2005, Judge Hatchett received a special honor at
the Mayor of New York City’s residence, Gracie Mansion.
Katherine Oliver, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of
Film, Theatre and Broadcasting, presented Judge Hatchett
with the Mayor’s “Made In NY” award for her contribution to New York City’s daytime television community.
Alongside other “Made In NY” winners, actress Susan
Lucci of “All My Children,” Geraldine Laybourne, CEO
of Oxygen Media, and Twila Liggett, Creator/Executive
Producer of PBS’ “Reading Rainbow,” Judge Hatchett
presided over the opening bell at NASDAQ on the morning of the 32nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards.
When asked about her numerous accolades and awards,
Judge Hatchett will always point out that her most
important accomplishment is her ability to have a
positive impact on the lives of troubled youth and their
families. As evidenced by her popular, award-winning,
nationally syndicated television series Judge Hatchett
– which begins its sixth season on September 5, 2005
– Judge Hatchett defines a whole new courtroom televi-
The Jurist
“I never really expected to be a lawyer. I went to law
school to expand my options, and while I was there, I
discovered a passion for litigation. After my clerkship, I
started litigating at Delta Air Lines, and I truly believed
I would remain there for the balance of my career. I
couldn’t have been more wrong!”
youth would be exposed to successful executives and
community leaders who would inspire them to make
changes in their lives. Sentences often included sending
troubled youth to one of the participating organizations
in an effort to teach them how to take positive steps
toward their futures.
After her first year on the bench, the local chapter of
the National Bar Association recognized Judge Hatchett
for her pioneering leadership in revolutionizing the
Fulton County Juvenile Court system, selecting her as
Outstanding Jurist of the Year.
Judge Hatchett was also honored with the Roscoe
Pound Award, the highest award for Outstanding Work
in Criminal Justice from the National Council on Crime
and Delinquency. The Spelman College Board of Trustees
selected Judge Hatchett to receive the Outstanding
Community Service Award, and she was also honored
with the NAACP’s Thurgood Marshall Award. In 1990,
Judge Hatchett helped found the Truancy Intervention
Project, which enlists the help of legal volunteers to
provide early, positive intervention with children reported
as truants.
Judge Hatchett made the difficult decision to leave Delta
in order to accept an appointment as chief presiding
judge of the Fulton County, Georgia Juvenile Court. “If
anyone had told me that I’d be a judge someday, I’d
have said they were crazy! However, certain people
I respect in the community asked me to consider the
judgeship.” Upon accepting the position, Judge Hatchett
became Georgia’s first African-American chief presiding
judge of a state court and the department head of one
of the largest juvenile court systems in the country. As
Judge Hatchett states, “I simply could not turn down an
opportunity to make a difference in the lives of wayward
children. “
Today’s Woman
Judge Hatchett won a Prism Award (2003) for Best
Unscripted Non-Fiction Series or Special for Television for
the “Carrie’s Out of Rehab” episode, a poignant look at
addiction and recovery.
Interventions / Mentoring
The compassionate mother of two quickly fell in love
with her judicial role, and worked tirelessly during her
eight-year tenure to make a difference in the lives
of young people. The innovative judge soon garnered
national attention for her “creative sentencing,” which
can still be seen today in the form of “interventions” on
her television program, Judge Hatchett.
Judge Hatchett did her undergraduate work at Mount
Holyoke College, which presented her with an honorary
degree and named her a Distinguished Alumna. Her
other alma mater, Emory University Law School, named
her Outstanding Alumni of the Year and presented her
with the highest award given to university alumni, the
Emory Medal, for her unwavering commitment to children’s issues.
The concept of interventions was groundbreaking. Judge
Hatchett worked in conjunction with community organizations and businesses including the Boys and Girls Clubs
and Urban League to design a program where troubled
An Atlanta native, Judge Hatchett maintains her Atlanta
residence where she lives with her two sons. She also
keeps an apartment in New York City, where Judge
Hatchett is produced.
Judge Glenda Hatchett serves on the board of directors
for the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and the Hospital Corporation
of America (HCA), a Fortune 500 company that is the
nation’s leading provider of healthcare services. She was
named Woman of the Year by the national organization
100 Black Men of America, and one of the 10 Women of
Distinction by the Girl Scouts of America.
continued on next page >
BBI SUMMIT KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Omar Tyree
Hezekiah Griggs
Omar Tyree is a
literary icon. The
New York Times
best-selling author,
NAACP Image Award
recipient and 2006
Phillis Wheatley
Literary Award winner for Body of Work
in Urban Fiction, has
published 19 books
and has over 8 mil-
Born into poverty and
homelessness, Hezekiah
Griggs’ story is not
unlike that of many
young people in America
today. Raised in the
hardened inner cities of
Northern New Jersey,
this young man rose
above his circumstances
to become a multimillionaire at age 21.
lion readers worldwide.
In addition to his track record in publishing Tyree has
entered feature film, promotes youth literacy, is a
popular speaker and business strategist.
Tyree recently was offered a feature film deal for
five of his books. His first film Leslie, based off of
one of Tyree’s book characters in New Orleans, LA
will begin production in 2010.
Always an advocate for literacy, in 2008 Tyree
started the Urban Literacy Project which is dedicated
to teaching the importance and the key strategies to
help young people become more excited about reading. The initiatives first project was a book released
by Just Us Publishing called “12 Brown Boys.” In
addition, Tyree has worked with several schools on
implementing what he calls the five components to
literacy,
Griggs has been called “America’s Youngest Media
Mogul.” He founded HG3 Media in 2003 and since
then has grown the business into a multi-million-dollar
enterprise, managing 20 different corporate operations
and 45 collective media properties. Griggs also serves
as a consultative marketing strategist, leveraging his
experience and success in youth marketing to help
other organizations strategically manage their image
and brand.
Griggs serves as Chairman of The Hezekiah Griggs III
(HG3) Foundation, which provides valuable assistance
to community youth programs throughout the New York,
New Jersey and Connecticut tri-state area, as well
as international programs that provide the tools and
resources needed for young people to survive in the
21st century. He is also an active member of several
other regional and national nonprofit organizations,
including Choice International and the Visionary Leaders
Foundation.
Tyree is a popular speaker on the university and
corporate circuits. In his “The Equation” lecture,
Tyree weaves together a full-proof formula for
attaining life-long success in business, as well as
everyday living. The success of the speeches over
the last 8 years landed Tyree his first non-fiction
book deal with John Wiley, the number 1 business
publisher in the world. “The Equation: Applying the 4
Indisputable Components of Business Success” was
released in January 2009.
Griggs’ business and philanthropic initiatives have been
recognized by public figures including former President
Bill Clinton and U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ),
as well as the Northern New Jersey Media Group.
Also, Griggs is the recipient of more than 300 awards
and honors from organizations, including: Florida
International University, Optimists International, AME
Churches, and the prestigious NAACP and Optimist’s
International Youth Leadership Award.
One of Tyree’s passions is helping current and
aspiring authors go to the next level. Omar Tyree
Incorporated serves as a coaching and mentoring
program to help authors understand all the innerworkings of publishing and help them develop their
book ideas and take them to market.
Hezekiah Griggs, III’s image, brands, products and
service offerings embody today’s savvy, smart, witty,
wired, and creative youth. Hezekiah Griggs, III -- a
man who rose from poverty and homelessness -- is
an authentic voice and inspiring role model for this
generation.
Sirena C. Moore
At the age of seventeen, Sirena
Moore, a self-motivated, highly
ambitious teenage mother of
twin girls entered the corporate
world by working for industry
leaders such as Morgan
Stanley Dean Witter, Advest
and Palm, Inc. Her objective:
obtain the skills necessary to
fulfill her dream of becoming
an entrepreneur.
By age 21, with a business plan but no start-up capital, she
joined with her father and brother to launch Elohim Cleaning
Contractors, Inc., a full-service construction cleaning firm
that provides a wide range of services to general contractors
and construction management firms throughout the Greater
Philadelphia region.
Armed with marketing, financial planning, organizational and
managerial skills from her previous work, this fledgling entrepreneur managed to grow her business revenue by 210% in
one year. Her strong faith, family bonds, and ability to operate
debt-free, have been her catalysts for growth. By 2008, her
multi-million dollar business was ranked #8 in Philadelphia’s
Top Minority Businesses, employing 83 minority men and
women from very diverse backgrounds.
Her success in managing one of the up-and-coming small
businesses in the region earned her respect and visibility within
the business community and has allowed this young entrepreneur to fulfill a childhood dream of gracing the cover of Black
Enterprise Magazine last year. Now 28, she serves as one of
the youngest Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce Small
Business Board members, co-chairing the Diversity Committee,
is an active member of the Urban League Young Professionals,
and has been named 2010 Small Business Person of the Year.
Ms. Moore is a strong advocate of programs addressing issues
such as teen pregnancy, violence prevention, financial empowerment and career development. She sits on the board of We
are S.E.E.D.S., which provides an array of services to inner city
young women.
Her lifestyle and accomplishments have been an inspiration
to her peers and the young people she serves. Most recently,
she created SirenaSpeaks, LLC, to assist other small business
owners and aspiring entrepreneurs to achieve their dreams by
encouraging and empowering them through her motivational
talks. Her innovative techniques and ideas continue to be
invaluable assets to her business and her community.
BBI SUMMIT KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Ephren Taylor II
Ephren Taylor is a Wall
Street Journal Best Selling
Author and the CEO of two
publicly traded companies,
one of which is recognized by the Wall Street
Journal as one of the “Top
100 Socially Conscious
Corporations in the United
States.” Named by The
Michigan Chronicle as
one of the top “ten people
making a global difference,” at 27 years old Ephren W.
Taylor II is currently the youngest African-American CEO
of any publicly traded company in United States history.
Taylor began his career with his first business venture as
a videogame developer at the age of 12 and built a multimillion dollar technology company, GoFerretGo.com by the
age of 17.
how to utilize it. As a result, he’s become a frequently
requested speaker and panelist across the country.
As a “business accelerator” Taylor oversees millions in
assets serving a diverse clientele of blue chip, private and
multi-tier branding development interests and is engaged
in building investor and shareholder value through profitable and socially-conscious investing that empowers urban
communities. Thus far he’s successfully developed multimillion dollar initiatives ranging from creating affordable
housing for working-class families to the development
and production of bio-fuels. Through his action on green
energy and philanthropy, Taylor is leading a new wave of
CEO’s focusing on corporate social responsibility. Under
Taylor’s direction, nearly every company and initiative he
has worked on has experienced accelerated growth.
Conference Program
A nationally recognized authority on personal wealth and
entrepreneurial business development, Taylor appears
regularly on FOX News, CNBC and has been featured on
network shows such as ABC’s 20/20, Montel Williams and
many others. He also has regular appearances in print and
radio media including PBS, Black Enterprise, and the Miami
Herald. Additionally, Taylor’s name has nearly 400,000
results on Google.
Beyond his unprecedented accomplishments at such a
young age, Taylor is an author, inspirational speaker, and
business mentor.
His 2009 Wall Street Journal best-selling book “Creating
Success from the Inside Out” (John Wiley & Sons), serves
as an expose of the mindset of today’s multi-millionaires
while defining success as not only attaining wealth, but
Taylor is currently on a national wealth tour (www.
wealthtourlive.com) an international 30 city tour promoting economic empowerment for the church community,
youth entrepreneurship, adequate retirement planning,
and socially conscious investing to rebuild America’s
promise. The tour brings together private investors,
educators, nonprofit organizations, religious institutions,
and government leaders to create positive change in
local communities.
Taylor has achieved a great deal of success and has
been called this generations “Warren Buffet and Jack
Welch.” However, what motivates Taylor the most is the
ability to contribute as a thought leader to ideas for new
solutions to problems that have plagued communities for
years, decades, and in some cases, centuries.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
BIJ Golf Tournament
5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Conference Registration
at the Halifax Harbourfront Hotel
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Breakfast
Greetings and Conference Opening
Opening Plenary – Race to Business Success
Workshop 1 – Create Your Economy
(w/ Sirena Moore, Ephren Taylor, Hezekiah Griggs & Omar Tyree)
Keynote Luncheon – Judge Hatchett
Vendor Fair and Networking Session
After Dinner Boat Cruise
Friday, June 25, 2010
Breakfast
Workshop 2 – The Way Forward:
Creating Diversity for Business Success
Workshop 3 – Last Mile Advantage:
Winning the Race to Business Success
Keynote Luncheon – Omar Tyree
Biz Show / Wrap Up
AGM Dinner & Dance
Black to Business
23
Spring 2010
People & Businesses on the Move
The late Pte. Jeremiah Jones was
posthumously awarded a Canadian
Forces Medallion for Distinguished
Service at a Truro ceremony on
February 22. The medal, which was
presented by Her Honour, Lieutenant
Governor Mayann Francis and
the Hon. Peter MacKay to his
grandson Rocky Jones, was awarded
for his single-handedly taking out
a machine-gun nest with a hand
grenade when Canadians were pinned
down in the Battle of Vimy Ridge
during the First World War.
The Africville Genealogy Society
has successfully rallied all levels of
government to assist them in building
a church, and interpretive centre
on the former site of Africville. In
February, the federal government
announced a $250,000 contribution;
the provincial government is
contributing $1.5 million over three
years for capital costs; and the HRM’s
contributions include $3 million,
2.5 acres of land at Seaview Park,
establishing an African Nova Scotian
function within HRM, and a park
maintenance agreement for the
Seaview Park lands.
Six leading ladies were honoured
and saluted during this year’s African
Heritage Month for their longstanding
contributions to the fabric of this
province. They are: Willena Jones,
Beryl Braithwaite, May Sheppard,
and the late Edith Cromwell, Ada
Fells and Geraldine White.
Congratulations to Shauntay Grant
and Juanita Peters for being named
to the Chronicle Herald’s 2009
Honour Roll as members of the arts
community ‘who took giant steps
forward’ last year.
Shauntay Grant and Susan Tooke
have also teamed up to produce
their second children’s book, The City
Speaks In Drums, to be released in
June by Nimbus Publishing. Grant
has also been commissioned to
write new poetry for a collaborative
performance piece with the
Camarata Xara Young Women’s
Choir.
The Black Educators Association
marked its 40th anniversary in
November with a gala event at the
World Trade and Convention Centre.
Dr. Wanda Thomas Bernard was
the guest speaker.
Anthony Sherwood has created
and debuted a play about the life
of William Hall, VC in honour
of the 150th anniversary of his
being awarded the Victoria Cross,
the highest decoration for valour
in the former British Empire (and
in Canada today). The play was
performed in Halifax on February
7 at the Maritime Museum of the
Atlantic. Hall’s life has also been
commemorated with a stamp that
was unveiled on February 2, at the
Black Cultural Centre, as part of the
Navy’s 100th anniversary and on
Parliament Hill as well.
The Black Cultural Centre held its
annual Sweet Sounds of Christmas
on December 12, featuring Esther
and Sheldon Smith, the Four Tones,
the Auburn Drive High School
Jazz Ensemble, the Nova Gospel
Ensemble, and Percy Riley.
Taking Hold of our Health, a short
video featuring local Nova Scotia
youth who show-cased their talent
regarding education about diabetes
prevention through physical activity,
healthy living, cultural awareness
and good nutrition, has been released
by the Health Association of African
Canadians (HAAC). The video was
funded by the Public Health Agency
of Canada and in partnership with
Southeastern Community Health &
Wellness Centre, Canadian Diabetes
Association, and the Black Cultural
Centre, and features Spoken Word
Artist Israel Jones talking about
diabetes prevention.
The Health Association of African
Canadians has signed a formal
partnership with Canadian Blood
services to educate members of our
African Canadian community about
the importance of becoming a blood
donor and registering with One
Match stem cell and marrow network.
Marko Simmonds released his
new CD, “Marko Presents” at The
Company House on December 5th.
The Preston Area Boys and Girls
Club hosted a Charity Basketball
Tournament from Dec. 19-20th 2009
at the East Preston Recreation Centre.
The proceeds will be directed towards
a ski trip for children from the
community.
The African Nova Scotia Music
Association (ANSMA) held the 12th
anniversary annual music award
show in Halifax on Saturday, January
9, 2010 at Casino Nova Scotia’s
Black to Business
24
Schooner Room. Congratulations to
the winners including Pat Watson,
BassZ, DJ R$Smooth, the family
of the late Nelson Symonds, Billy
Downey, Faith Nolan, and Gary
Beals. The show also included a
salute to great R&B divas including
Diana Ross and Aretha Franklin.
Centre. They are Irvine Carvery,
Wiley Cain, Carson Jackson,
and Dennis Jackson. The guest
speaker at this year’s ceremony
was Pastor Brian Johnston of
Zion Baptist Church, Truro, Nova
Scotia and the guest entertainer
was Pat Watson.
The Nova Scotia Department of
Education commissioned Dr. Enid
Lee to complete a review of the
effectiveness of the programs and
services implemented as a result of
the recommendations of the Black
Learners Advisory Committee
(BLAC) Report, Redressing Inequity Empowering Black Learners. Dr. Lee’s
report Reality Check: A Review of key
programs areas in the BLAC Report
for their effectiveness in enhancing
the educational opportunities and
achievement of African Nova Scotian
learners is now available.
The Nova Scotia Mass Choir and
the CBC co-presented “The Dream
Continues: A Musical Tribute to Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr.” in January.
The lineup included Linda
Carvery, Woody Woods, Novelee
Buchan, the Sanctified Boys,
Universal Soul, Jamie Sparks,
and the Rev. Wallace Smith.
A 20th Anniversary Gala Celebration
of the Indigenous Blacks & Mi’kmaq
Initiative was held at Dalhousie
University’s School of Law on January
22. At the evening gala, the Donald
Marshall Jr. Memorial Award and
the Judge Corrinne Sparks Award in
Law were presented.
Theresa Brewster, Glace Bay, and
Joseph Parris, Whitney Pier, received
the Tom Miller Human Rights
Award at the 3rd Annual Celebration
Gala held on Saturday, January
30th at the Membertou Trade and
Convention Centre. Parris is sharing
this honour with Theresa Smith
who runs the Glace Bay U.N.I.A.
that BBI has supported through its
Community Development Fund
Program and presently through BIJ for
a Community Garden Project.
Congratulations to this year’s
inductees to the Rev. W.P. Oliver Wall
of Honour at the Black Cultural
Nova Scotians were treated to a
sneak preview of George Elliott
Clarke’s new jazz opera “Trudeau”
at the Sacred Heart School in
January. In addition to his
readings from the libretto, singers
Janice Jackson and Stuart Hiseler
were on hand to perform musical
selections from the opera.
Darlene Strong’s travelling
exhibit, “The Life and Times
of Sand Hill” opened at the
Cumberland County Museum and
Archives on January 26, running
until February 27.
Susan Tooke’s drawings from the
book “Up Home”, by Shauntay
Grant, were on display at the
Cape Breton Centre for Craft and
Design in February and March.
Tooke spent a few days with
the children at the Harbourside
Elementary School to help them
draw stories of their own lives and
these drawings have been added to
the exhibition.
Congratulations to Shyanne
Dolliver of Dartmouth for being
named the athlete of the year
Spring 2010
by the Nova Scotia Special
Olympics. In her four years
with the Special Olympics, she
has won medals as a member
of Team Nova Scotia and Team
Canada.
David Woods read and
performed his works, including
“Native Song”, “Gottingen X”,
and “Aunt Nellie Stories” at a
number of venues in the Metro
area during African Heritage
Month. He is one of four writers
whose work was featured on
CBC Radio each Monday
morning during the month of
February. The others were Tesia
Rolle (poet), Wanda Robson
(storyteller), and Dr. Anthony
Stewart (social history).
One of Black to Business’
photographers, Paul Adams,
was featured in a story about
weddings in the Chronicle-Herald
on Sunday, January 24. The
feature also included samples of
his wedding photography.
The 5th Annual Black Loyalist
Heritage Society Chocolate
Festival was held on February
7. This year, florist Neville
MacKay, was on hand to do a
floral presentation.
“Mom Suse: Matriarch
of the Preston Area Black
Communities”, written by Vivian
Willis and researched/edited by
Gwen Simmonds, tells the story
of a Nova Scotian woman who
was witness to pivotal events
which shaped our history during
her 105 years of life (1883-1988).
After a fire destroyed their offices,
the Cumberland African Nova
Scotian Association has moved
continued on page 26 >
Black to Business
Spring 2010
25
Constructing the Future
Gordon Doe
Paul Adams
Paul Adams
Wrap-Up Phase I
Paul Adams
(top left clockwise); Trovias Smith,
Gordon Tynes, Tyrone Dixion
I
t was a fitting event for a
group of 15 graduates who
had successfully completed
the 40-week long “Constructing The Future” (CTF) program
run by the Black Business
Initiative (BBI).
Approximately 60 members of the
Nova Scotia Black community, including graduates and their families and
guests, met at the Citadel Hotel in
Halifax on November 27, 2009, to
attend the graduation ceremony of
participants in BBI’s construction
apprenticeship training program.
After the event, the assembled enjoyed
a networking social and lunch.
The hour-long formal ceremony featured remarks from the Hon. Minister
Percy Paris, Minister of Economic and
Rural Development, Dale Crawford,
Director of Apprenticeship Training,
Dept. Of Labour and Workforce, Ann
Rogers, Nova Scotia Community
College, Rustum Southwell, CEO, BBI,
and Joel Marsman, the program
coordinator. However, the real success
of the program was evident in the
remarks of three of the participants
who chose to speak at the event:
Rhonda Drummond, Tony Shepherd
and Tremayne Mensah. They spoke
of what the program meant to them
and how their lives have changed
because of it. It was very emotional
for Rhonda Drummond to speak as
she recounted how an e-mail containing information on the program
sent to her by her brother changed
the course of her life. Among those
in the audience was Senator Don
Oliver.
I had the honour to act as Master of
Ceremonies for the event. Feedback
from Phase I has been so positive that the demand for Phase II
is extremely high. Without any
active advertisement, the BBI has
received over 60 applications for
the Phase II project. I am hopeful that BBI’s partnership with the
Nova Scotia Department of Labour
and Workforce Development will
continue and that BBI will be able
to obtain financing to run Phase II.
Most of the graduates remain committed to pursuing their long-term
dream in the construction.
(top left clockwise); Omax Charles,
Walter Muise, Zack Jarvis,Tony Sheppard,
Tremayne Deleon
Paul Adams
2009 Constructing The Future (CTF) Program Graduates: (top left
clockwise): Nigel Lamey,Tyrone Dixion, Rhonda Drummond, Tony Sheppard,
Michael Sparks, Roy Gangoo,Tremayne Mensah,Tremayne Deleon,
Zack Jarvis, Kabello Setlhong & Trovias Smith
Tony Sheppard gives speech as
Gordon Doe (BBI) looks on
Approximately 60
members of the Nova
Scotia Black community,
including graduates
and their families and
guests, met at the
Citadel Hotel in Halifax
on November 27, 2009...
Black to Business
TRAINING
REPORT
Shakara
Russell
We are in the process of revamping
our training department’s courses
and are excited about the new
workshops and courses for 2010.
Look for our 2010/2011 Training
Schedule [Metro] in the next Black
to Business magazine. We encourage
you to continue forwarding ideas for
possible workshop topics.
The BBI has partnered with Social
and Enterprise Development
Innovations [SEDI], a charitable
organization that works with
community groups nationwide,
to deliver their The City training
program - developed by the
Financial Consumer Agency of
Canada (FCAC) and the British
Columbia Securities Commission
(BCSC).
The program teaches youth
budgeting, savings, credit and
debt, insurance, identity theft,
investing and much more. It
is designed to assist youth in
becoming financially self-sufficient.
Our training department will deliver
this program in Metro with plans
to expand delivery to other parts of
the province by the end of the year.
For more information visit The City’s
website at www.themoneybelt.gc.ca
For information on our courses
outside of Metro, please
contact me at:
(902) 426- 6692;
toll free:
1 (888) 664- 9333
or speak to your area RBDM.
26
People & Business
on the Move
continued from page 24
to a new headquarters at 71 Victoria
Street in Amherst.
There have been many fundraisers
for the people of Haiti since the
earthquake struck in early January.
Asia and NuGruv were the featured
artists at one held at Big Leagues in
Dartmouth. Tesia Rolle and Taryn
Della were among the artists at Voices
for Haiti at The Company House,
while the residents of Shelburne
County held a lobster supper on
January 31. In Halifax, the Halifax
for Haiti concert on February 8
included the talents of Linda Carvery,
Dutch Robinson, the Nova Scotia
Mass Choir, and the cast of Drum
(just prior to their leaving for the
Vancouver Olympics) and raised
$270,000.
IN MEMORIAM
The BBI would like to extend its
sympathy to the family of the late
Dr. Edith Cromwell, a well-known
and well-respected educator,
community leader, and advocate and
to the friends and family of Willena
Jones, who passed away the morning
of Monday, Feb. 22, in Truro. One of
the six Leading Ladies honoured this
year for African Heritage Month, Mrs.
Jones was an educator, a mother, a
respected elder and the first woman
of African descent to teach school in
Truro.
Spring 2010
REGIONAL
REPORT
Southern
Greg
Nazaire
As winter ends, spring looks
promising; especially in the Valley
with regards to new business
developments and expansions.
I have met with several people who
have expressed an interest in starting
a business. For example, a young
woman in my region is planning to
start a salon featuring, along with
other services, African hair braiding.
Congratulations to Jessie Jollimore
whose North End Community
Garden project has garnered
attention from coast to coast. She
gave a fascinating presentation to
the Black Business Initiative Board
of Directors on the Garden and
how the community supported the
project. We are starting to replicate
the community garden model
throughout the province under the
umbrella of Business is Jammin, the
BBI’s youth charity. The initial stage
will begin in Yarmouth with Chuck
Smith and Bruce Johnson.
I would like to congratulate James
Downey from Horace Construction
on his successful fiscal year and
thank him for volunteering to
help our Constructing the Future
program both as an eventual
employer and more importantly,
as a mentor to young apprentices.
Horace Construction was featured
in the 42nd issue of the Black to
Business magazine as a thriving
African Nova Scotian construction
firm that provides a variety of
services ranging from paving to
snow removal.
Should you require any further
information or to book a regional
visit, please contact me at:
(902)426-1625 or the toll free
number 1(800)668-1010.
Black to Business
27
Paul Adams
Urban Hip Hop
Zone
Dalma Cain(r), Urban Hip Hop Zone
A
t Urban Hip Hop
Zone in Dartmouth,
it’s all about family.
The Cain family – Dalma
and her three children,
Tyson, Dalmyra, and Marcus – have owned and run
Urban Hip Hop Zone since
2006. And they have been
enjoying every minute of it.
“It was Tyson’s idea to open up
the store. He wanted to give something back to the young kids,” says
Dalma.
With the family on different schedules, Dalma says everyone pulls
their weight in order to run the store
efficiently.
“We’ve been here trying to keep
things together, just by being ourselves,” she says.
Spring 2010
Sunjay Mathuria
“I just think it’s nice to
be focused on certain
things that you can
do in life. As long as
you can be of service
to someone, you’ll be
alright. As long as my
children are running the
business, I’ll be behind
them,” Dalma says.
“If someone comes here and I don’t
have something, we’ll help them in
whatever way we can. If we’re putting in an order, we’ll try to squeeze it
in there,” says Dalma.
Besides meeting new
people and keeping up
with the styles, Dalma
says one of her favourite
parts of the job is watching her children succeed. “It keeps my spirit up,
seeing my children do very well, keeping themselves together, keeping on
the move, staying focused and being
entrepreneurs.”
“It’s all about the younger generation
and what I can do to help them and
help the ones who are my age.”
By staying on top of the trends,
Dalma hopes her work at Urban Hip
Hop Zone will help as many people
as possible express themselves.
As for the future, Urban Hip Hop
Zone will offer customers the opportunity to design their own t-shirts, with
their own original designs.
By bringing in different styles and
looks, each Cain brings something
unique to Urban Hip Hop Zone.
Dalma says the store will take part in
a fashion show this summer that will
showcase their clothing. They were
also featured in a Bridal Showcase in
March.
“Everyone has their own taste and it’s
reflected in the store,” says Dalma.
Keeping busy is what makes Dalma
feel younger each day.
And each different taste serves a wide
range of customers. No matter the
age group or style, Urban Hip Hop
Zone will help customers keep up
with the latest trends and fashions.
“It’s better to live young than grow
old and be bitter,” she says. “It’s
about being able to play different
roles. Love what you’re in and get in
the zone.”
“We just try to make everyone as
comfortable as possible,” says Dalma.
With personally handpicked clothing
items, Dalma says they order only so
much of one product so that nobody
will be dressed the same. Originality
is a key component of running Urban
Hip Hop Zone.
Dalma likens owning a business to
a puzzle. “You get so many pieces
and you try to fit together as best
you can.”
“Everyone has a different aura about
them. That’s why we’re individuals; so we can have our own way
of thinking and wearing what we
want.”
Business definitely runs in the family; one of Dalma’s sisters owns
Gwen’s Bridal in Dartmouth.
And if a customer is looking for a specific item, Urban Hip Hop Zone will
help find it.
135 Wyse Rd,
Dartmouth
405-9900
or 802-9638
Black to Business
Spring 2010
28
PARTNER PROFILE
Michelin North America (Canada)
F
or a little more than
40 years, Michelin
North America (Canada) has been a major
player in the Nova Scotian economy. The three
plants in this province
– in Bridgewater, Granton,
and Waterville – are not
only major employers but
also purchasers of goods
and services from Nova
Scotian companies, both
large and small.
Worldwide, Michelin, which employs
almost 120,000 people in 19 countries,
has a corporate commitment to diversity and in Nova Scotia that commitment includes ensuring both a diverse
workforce and supplier base.
Employment Partnership Committees
(ANSEPC) Collaborative Partnership
Network, the Black Business Initiative,
and the Office of African Nova Scotian
Affairs,” Andrew Mutch, the Director
of Personnel (Canada) of Michelin
North America, says.
Some of the work that went into
developing this partnership included
site visits to the plant in Granton to
illustrate how the manufacturing process works and create an awareness
of the workplace skills required for
employment, a session with a senior
Michelin official from South Carolina
on becoming a supplier, discussions
with Manson Gloade, the Regional
AWPI Coordinator, on how that particular partnership had developed, and
reviewing Michelin’s hiring processes
to ensure there were no systemic barriers.
In November 2008, the formal partnership agreement was signed.
In 2003, Michelin started working
with the province’s First Nations to
develop an Aboriginal Awareness
Program (AWPI), and by 2007,
Michelin Canada attained a representative workforce with aboriginals occupying both wage and salary positions.
In the intervening months, Mutch
says Michelin has been monitoring job applicants coming from the
African Nova Scotian community to
determine the number of applicants
and employment rates and to identify
issues of educational preparation.
The next step was to form a similar
partnership with the African Nova
Scotian population.
“We have determined there are some
educational barriers, so we’re developing a joint process for funding submissions for educational upgrading courses to the Department of Education,”
he says.
“We set up a partnership with Joe
Parris and the African Nova Scotia
Carol Dobson
Under the AWPI, a guide was produced that First Nations businesses
could use to determine what was
required in order to become a supplier to Michelin. Mutch says Robert
Ffrench, VANSDA, E.D. wrote a similar
document that can be used by African
Nova Scotian businesses.
One of the next steps in the process
will be to use the joint partnership
between AWPI, BBI and Michelin to
host a Minority Supplier/Procurement
Fair in Nova Scotia, in conjunction
with the upcoming BBI Summit in
June.
“We think this supplier fair has a lot
of value,” Mutch says. “There are
probably a number of businesses in
the province who think they are too
small to be a supplier to Michelin but,
if they are able to find another company to work jointly, there is strength
in numbers. This is an opportunity to
bring them together.”
Ask the BBI
continued from page 10
marketing tools in order to get optimal
results.
As a caution, note that the information
here is gleaned from experiential knowledge using this application and researching various sources, therefore, it is by
no means exhaustive. Information on
Google Local Business Center is mainly
referenced from the Times-Standard
January 28, 2010, article entitled “Global
Exposure, Local Results.”
Black to Business
April 22, 2010
Atlantic Lotto Atlantic Canadian
Entrepreneurship Expo
World Trade & Convention Centre, Halifax
Tradeshow Booth & Ticket Information:
Telephone: 1-506-854-6933
email: [email protected]
April 24, 2010
Benefit Gospel Concert - feat. Gary Beals
Emmanuel Baptist Church, Upper Hammonds Plains
6:30 p.m.
Tickets are $20.00 pp
For more information or tickets call:
The Black Cultural Centre (902) 434-6223,
Emmanuel Baptist Church (902) 835-2472,
Cornwallis Street Baptist Church (902) 429-5573
Spring 2010
29
May 2, 2010
2010 Provincial Spelling Bee
Mount Saint Vincent University Auditorium (A&D)
2pm
For more information:
1-800-565-3398 or (902) 424-7036
May 19 - 23, 2010
Provincial Black Basketball Association
38th Black Invitational
Basketball Tournament
For more information:
website: www.blackbasketball.ca
May 13, 2010
Halifax Chamber of Commerce
Spring Dinner
Special guest speaker:
Cameron Herold, former COO of
1-800-GOT-JUNK
For more information:
Telephone: (902) 468-7111
email: [email protected]
website: www.halifaxchamber.com
NSGA’s 25th Annual African
Dinner and Auction
Nova Scotia Gambia Association
Presents Journalist Stephanie Nolen
African Music and Authentic
West African Dinner
6:00 p.m.
Lord Nelson Hotel
Tickets: $100, $75 for members
For more information:
Telephone: (902) 423-1360
email: [email protected]
April 29, 2010
June 23 – 25, 2010
April 28, 2010
Chamber Golf Mini Tradeshow
& Industry Feature
5:00 -8:00 pm
Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel,
1919 Upper Water St
For more information:
Telephone: (902) 468-7111
email: [email protected]
website: www.halifaxchamber.com
April 30 – May 2, 2010
Saltscapes Expo
Exhibition Park
For more information:
Tel: (902) 464-7258 ext. 243
Toll Free: 1-877-311-5877 ext. 243
Black Business Summit 2010
The Race To Business Success
Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel,
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Networking, Trade Show, Boat Cruise,
Keynote Speakers, AGM Dinner & Dance
Golf Tournament, Biz Show
For more information:
Telephone: (902) 426-2224
website: www.bbi.ns.ca
The Race to Business Success
The Black Business Initiative is proud to
host the 7th Black Business Summit
Workshops
Boat Cruise
Golf Tournament
Biz Show
Networking
Vendor Fair
Keynote Speakers
AGM Dinner & Dance
Cassandra Dorrington Judge Glenda Hatchett
Conference Chair
Keynote Speaker June 24
Omar Tyree
Keynote Speaker June 25
jUNE 23–25, 2010
Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel , Halifax, Nova Scotia
For more information, please call 902·426·2224 or visit our web site at www.bbi.ca
The Black Business Initiative Society’s Hector Jacques Award of Business Excellence is awarded
biennially by the Board of Directors of the Black Business Initiative to recognize demonstrated business
excellence of an outstanding or exceptional company or individual within the Nova Scotia Black Community.
Award eligibility is with any established business (minimum 3 years in business) in Nova Scotia with at least
30% Black ownership that has demonstrated business excellence and strong financial performance. The
award may also be made to an individual business owner.
The Black Business Initiative Society’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award is awarded annually by the Board
of Directors of the Black Business Initiative to recognize demonstrated business operational excellence of a
company or individual within the Nova Scotia Black business community.
Who is eligible?
Any established business (minimum 3 years in business) in Nova Scotia with at least 30%
Black ownership that has demonstrated strong business acumen and support for the
community. The award may also be made to an individual business owner.
What are the criteria for consideration for both Awards?
I. Product or Service: Description of what makes your product or service outstanding
II. Financial performance: Revenue growth over the past three years (as a percentage)
III.Workplace excellence
IV.Community involvement
To nominate please contact:
Shakara Russell, Regional Business Development Manager
Telephone: (902) 426-6692 • Email: [email protected]
Deadline for Nominations: May 11, 2010
If undeliverable return to:
The Black Business Initiative
Centennial Building
Suite 1201,1660 Hollis Street,
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 1V7
Publications Mail
Agreement No.
Poste-publications
numéro de convention
0040026687 0040026687