Boss Noir: Celebrating Black Excellence

Black History Month is held during the month of February to celebrate the legacy of Black heritage, both past and present. The Government of Canada established this year's theme as "Canadians of African Descent: going forward, guided by the past", inspired by the theme of the United Nations’ International Decade for People of African Descent.

We want to take this opportunity to highlight some of our community members who are part of the African diaspora who truly embody Black excellence through their passions and businesses.

Ashley is the founder of Omi Woods (external link) , a jewelry brand that creates contemporary heirlooms that celebrate connections to Africa and her diaspora.

Their jewelry is individually and ethically handmade with fine metals, conflict-free diamonds and gold. Omi Woods jewelry is intended to be worn everyday, gifted for special occasions and passed down to future generations so its meaning can live on for generations to come. 

Samantha Newell and Alesha Bailey are co-founders of Yard + Parish (external link) , a curated marketplace for women of colour. 

Their mission is to provide a space that showcases the creations of independent designers and artisans. They work with the best brands of the Afro-Diaspora, to offer a natural, conscious, and colourful lifestyle.

Leon is the founder of Odessu, a shopping software that predicts customers body measurements to find their appropriate size inside a retail store.

Odessu also has a style guide system that selects filtering items based on shoppers body shapes. With this, retailers will have higher conversion rates and decreased return rates while improving their customer's experience. It recreates the stylish experience for a fraction of the cost and makes it accessible to everyone with a computer or mobile device.