Before talking about the wave of anti-racist uprisings that is currently shaking the world, tell me how you experienced confinement as a mompreneur?

I am a single parent. My three-year-old daughter is asthmatic and has lung problems so we were both in intensive confinement for three months. My business Cajou Cuisine is on life support because we had only just launched it in October. When everything started to close, we could no longer produce. Especially since our business model was mainly based on events with a festival, workshops in schools or shopping centers. I also have my social commitments for the Gala Dynastie and 0rijin Village.

Despite everything, I see some positives in this period which has led us to reflect on life, society, ways of consuming, of eating.

The #BlackLivesMatter movement was created in 2013, but the issues it raises go back much further. In your opinion, what has changed since the tragic death of George Floyd? Will there be a before and after?

We are witnessing a moment of awakening and awareness. It was very difficult to stay away from people who are taking advantage of the momentum to sell products. I am thinking of Band-Aid, which launched bandages with different skin tones even though they have been requested for years. Fortunately, we have seen companies make real efforts to change their practices and their standards and to question themselves on ways to be more inclusive towards people from diverse backgrounds. Their desire is sincere and they want to be part of the solution. What I would like is for this not to be just a passing discussion and for the impact to be long-term.

There have also been several blunders on the part of companies that probably had the best intentions, but whose actions were rather poorly received. I'm thinking of Uber Eats which offered free delivery to black restaurant owners...

The problem is that in most cases, these large companies discuss these issues and what they need to do without having one or more people involved at the table. Efforts must be made to have better representation of women, minorities, and people with disabilities on boards of directors and in decision-making positions, in order to reflect a diversity of opinions.

Other companies have instead decided to donate to organizations supporting black communities. Do these gestures have a real impact?

We just have to realize that these organizations and foundations are underfunded while this type of commitment is often one-off. Companies and organizations that give must have a long-term vision. So yes, it is a step in the right direction, it is encouraging, but we must support these organizations over a longer period if we want to ensure their survival.

How did the non-profit organization 0rijin Village, which you co-founded, develop the UP (Unir & Prospérer) platform project ?

The idea came before COVID-19 with the aim of promoting and supporting the Afro-descendant entrepreneur community. The launch was supposed to take place in September, but we moved it up to the end of June.

Many Afro-descendant entrepreneurs start businesses because they cannot find work. Entrepreneurship is their lifeline, but they also drag their socio-economic problems into their businesses.

COVID-19 has had a severe impact on them. Many had no access to government support or capital. They are now doubly impacted by the inequities and disparities that already exist.

How will UP help them?

In particular, we thought about how technologies could be a way for these entrepreneurs to stand out from the crowd. We therefore want to equip them so that they can take their place in the market and create economic wealth. It is no longer enough to note that our communities are largely disadvantaged; it takes concrete actions and we believe that entrepreneurship can be beneficial.

We will therefore promote black entrepreneurs to black communities and the general population using a directory in the form of a web application. Then, we will support them using online training (elearning).

Can you give us some examples of entrepreneurs that we can discover on UP?

I could tell you about Jardins Lakou, Jean-Philippe Vézina's market garden farm that grows organic vegetables from Africa and the Caribbean, such as chayote and okra, and that does self-picking and educational workshops. There is Nagi Cosmetics, founded by Gina Delismé, that offers a complete and inclusive makeup line. I am also thinking of Heyseller, a company run by Stephane Pierre Corneille, that has provided protective equipment to various organizations in Montréal-Nord worth $250,000.

Do you also want to find a way to collect data about entrepreneurs in black communities?

Yes, because there is none and it is essential to know where the issues are and how to tackle them so that the aid programs have a real impact. We made the request to Statistics Canada and there is no specific data on the subject. In the process, we are therefore looking for ways to collect them ourselves.

The platform UP (Unir & Prospérer) will be launched at the end of June

You can register your business for free or refer a black business or entrepreneur by visiting www.uniteprosper.com

UP will initially focus on Quebec with 300 companies at launch, but we have pan-Canadian aims with this project.