Empowering Atlantic Canadian Black women with culturally relevant tools and resources

In 2018, Shakira Weatherdon identified an opportunity to create a supportive space for entrepreneurial Black women in her community of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Today, Black Girls Gather, the organization she founded, provides over 300 members with the tools they need to build sustainable businesses, including empowerment strategies designed to increase their confidence and familiarize them with the Atlantic Canadian labour market.

 “I’m extremely thankful for this program,” says participant Tara Taylor. “Black Girls Gather has offered me different and more efficient ways to carry out my business activities and has given me a new level of confidence. I now take pride in owning multiple businesses, knowing that I have this network of capable, inspirational and intelligent Black women to turn to when I need them.”

Through a $15,000 grant from TELUS Friendly Future Foundation, Black Girls Gather elevated its members’ access to Atlantic Canadian business opportunities by adding programming to its skills-based training and mentorship-focused Pathways program.

"TELUS Future Friendly Foundation’s support for our program is humbling,” says Founder, Weatherdon. “It allowed us to enhance our current programming and increase our capacity to engage more participants. While the grant directly assisted 25 participants and indirectly helped 113, the impact on our communities remains immeasurable."