Carole Sandy, a Toronto therapist, knew something had to change after she kept on getting phone calls week after week from people expressing the exact same need. I would get calls along the lines of, “I’m trying to find a visible minority therapist, a black therapist, someone who looks like me.”

Tanya Turton, 30, vividly remembers the painful moment that birthed what is now the Adornment Stories, a 24-week digital arts education program. After walking through the streets of downtown Toronto with her partner who was new to the city, her partner posed a question that would stick with Turton for years to come.

Kejeo, a word derived from the Mina language that’s spoken in the West African countries of Benin and Togo, means something that looks beautiful on you. In an industry where an inordinate amount of attention is focused on body image, Kejeo Designs is more interested in making African styles en vogue for the average woman.

33-year-old Tameika Gentles grew up in a Jamaican household where good, but often unhealthy food was always in abundance, especially during the holidays. She slowly found herself gaining an excessive amount of weight.

Eyra Abraham grew up with hearing loss, so she learned how to navigate the world without one of her senses. But as an adult, she had an experience with a fire alarm that made her realize she was at serious risk. Out of this fear-filled experience, she embarked on creating Lisnen, a mobile sound awareness application. When there is a fire alarm or siren in the environment, the app uses artificial intelligence to give a notification, whether it be a buzz or a flashing light, it informs the user of what's going on around them.

10-year-old CEO, Kayana Williams, raises money for charities through a family-run social enterprise.

Tobi Oluwole’s Nigerian parents sent him to Canada at the age of 15, hoping to give him a chance at a “better life”. But the road to that bright future they envisioned for their young son, was not as easy as it seemed.

Photo: Leilah Dhore/How She Hustles In honour of Small Business Month, ByBlacks spoke with Emily Mills of How She Hustles about what it really takes to successfully build your own business. Mills is fresh off the launch of her latest project - the Startup & Slay Digital Series sponsored by CIBC, Futurpreneur Canada and Ryerson University.

Tracey-Acadia and Allister Thomas are the husband and wife team behind Soulful Image Magazine, with Tracey as the Editor-in-chief and Allister as the Creative Director. Soulful Image is a ministry magazine dedicated to encouraging, uplifting and inspiring people from all walks of life.

“I’m not a businessman. I’m a business, man.” - Jay-Z (Diamonds From Sierra Leone Remix)

If you’re reading this, you were probably just as shocked as I was to hear that Harlem Underground was closing for good. The place has been known for the soul food and unforgettable Caesars, but it’s also been a hub for black culture in Toronto for the past ten years. It’s one of three restaurants successfully owned and operated by cultural icon, Carl Cassell, over the past 18 years. The decision to close didn’t come easily but, as Carl puts it, he’s “ready for something new.”

Nancy Falaise has over 18 years experience as a hairstylist, with a particular passion for curly hair. She’s on a mission to eradicate the stigma associated with the Afro/curly texture. It is a passion born out of hardship and loss. As a young Black Canadian girl she was constantly rejected for being biracial, with extra insult added because of her tight curls. It would take a life altering experience to make Falaise take a deeper look at herself and see the beauty of her natural curls.