Message from the CEO

Just last month, we got the sad news of the passing of inventor, businessman, entrepreneur, and loving father, Dana Emerson. He was the quintessential entrepreneur and a very hard worker. I recall in the very fi rst issue of Black to Business magazine in Spring 1997, how coy he was about his invention. He would later on become one of our early investments. He traveled with us on the fi rst Boston Trade Mission. He was a seasoned business owner having dabbled in the fl ooring and carpeting retail market, before what became his innovative venture. Th e title of the article was ‘Dana Emerson’s Bright Idea’. Interestingly, by the time we went to press, he had not divulged what the idea was. Danna had developed an innovative solution to a major environmental hazard in the workplace. His product christened as the ‘Bulb Eater’ was an environmentally safe way to dispose of fl uorescent bulbs and remove the inert gases. He continued to innovate and modify it over the years. We have lost a very good businessman and member of our community. Our condolences go out to his wife Debra and family. We had planned to revisit the powerful experience we had when we hosted President Barack Obama last November in this issue of B2B. What we did not anticipate, was that the world would be in the grasp of COVID-19. In late October 2008, we were delegates at a National Minority Supplier Diversity business conference in Las Vegas. We watched with excitement as America elected and celebrated the victory of their fi rst Black President Looking back now, those were the good days. Tiger Woods was on top of the world of Golf and Barack Hussein Obama had been elected President of the United States. Th ese two exceptionally signifi cant achievements certainly gave hope to not only an oft en marginalized people of African descent, but the entire world. From May 2019 when Dianne Kelderman and her team at Nova Scotia Cooperative Council asked us to be part of planning President Obama’s visit, to the night of the event in November, we were on cloud nine. One of the major highlights of the night was Candace Th omas of Stewart McKelvey’s remarkably touching welcome message from the African Nova Scotian community. We were made proud. It is diffi cult to believe that we are now all held captive by COVID-19. Th is is a health crisis that will change every single aspect of life. It’s not unrealistic to say that the world has changed, never to go back to what it was a mere three or four months ago. Before the pandemic, black businesses were already continuously working at a defi cit. Struggling to fi nd ways to overcome decades of systematic marginalization and inequality while adopting the new technology needed to survive in the digital age. We were starting to gain some traction among newer and younger entrepreneurs, but, collectively, we had not broken through. Black voices are generally excluded from business and economic conversations that defi ne the future of our economy and industries. We are just not invited to the table. Even so, COVID-19 has raised a mirror in front of the face of government and industries to refl ect on the damage that is done to vulnerable communities rendering us defenceless at such a time. Black communities are undervalued. Our companies are overrepresented in the service and construction sectors. “Mom and Pop”, a term of endearment that recognizes the doggedness and regality in owning a business, is rarely applied to blackowned businesses. Our History has taught us that the most vulnerable are left behind, and a similar pattern will likely occur post COVID-19. Institutional change is inevitable. Because if not now, when?

S.I. Rustum Southwell BBI, Founding and Interim CEO

A conversation with

Kane on set for Diggstown

By Feleshia Chandler Photography contributed

Nearly 10,000 people gathered at the Scotiabank Centre on the 13th of November, last year for a sold-out event which would go down in Maritime history. The 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama graced the stage of the Scotiabank Centre at 6:30 p.m. for “A Conversation with Barack Obama.” Diane Kelderman, CEO of Nova Scotia Co-Operative Council spearheaded the event as part of the council’s 70th anniversary celebration. “We wanted to do something special and we have had high profile speakers in the past.” But, it was no easy feat getting a former president to visit Halifax, a place some might call an insignificant blip on the map. “There were lots of times along the way when we felt discouraged,” intimates Diane. In the end, their persistence paid off. “Everyone thought it was a class ‘A’ event and I think and hope they were inspired.” Presenting welcoming remarks was Candace Thomas. “For the four minutes that I was on the stage that evening, I was immensely

proud to represent Stewart McKelvey, Dalhousie University and most importantly, African Nova Scotians. I was also equally overjoyed for the opportunity to give a shout out to one of our local giants, Dr. Senator Donald H. Oliver who has since been appointed to the Order of Canada.” Candace is a Partner at Stewart McKelvey, who were platinum sponsors, and she chairs the Board of Governors at Dalhousie University, a gold sponsor. She was recently appointed Deputy Minister of Justice and the Office of Social Innovation and Integrative Approaches. President Obama addressed several topics, including climate change, America - Canada relations as well as Canadian culture, all suggested by sponsors and the community and posed to the President by event moderator, Diane. “He talked a lot about our responsibility as global citizens to be a part of creating change, to be involved and to provide leadership in our communities,” says Diane.

He talked a lot about our responsibility as global citizens to be a part of creating change, to be involved and to provide leadership in our communities.

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Prior to President Obama’s talk, there was a pre- show put on by the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia, Develop Nova Scotia, and BBI, a platinum sponsor of the event. Titled the Cultural Expressions Showcase, the pre-show featured live local performances, one of which was DRUM, a musical production which tells the story of arrival and settlement in Canada from a First Nation person’s perspective. “Our role in the project was that we were assisting as community navigators helping to put a historical and cultural relevance to President Obama’s visit,” says Executive Director of the Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia, Russell Grosse.

“To have a person of President Obama’s stature come to this province was of quite the impact and I think it is a true example of the power of diversity and how together as a society, we can support each other and make things happen.” BBI board chair Carlo Simmons also recognizes the impact that President Obama’s visit had on Halifax saying, “President Obama encouraged young people to continue to dream and work hard.” A Conversation with Obama brought together people from all walks of life. In the audience was Quentrel Provo, Founder, Stop the Violence, a community outreach program aimed at ending gun violence. Prior to the

event, Quentrel had been named to the Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD), under 40 Global 100 List for his community leadership work. A long-time admirer of President Obama, following not only his presidency in great detail but also other aspects of his life such as his grassroots activism, Quentrel was thrilled when he learned that he would not only attend the event, but he would get a chance to meet the President. “I was nervous. It’s definitely a moment I’ll never forget. A once in a lifetime moment,” he notes, remembering the nervousness and excitement he felt before meeting President Obama. Arguably one of the most influential human beings alive, meeting and greeting President Obama was an unforgettable experience for many. “I got to meet and shake hands with, I believe, the greatest president of our time. A man of intellect and moral character, and whose compassion for people transcends race and all things that divide us. A man whose ascension to the presidency of the United States of America was historic and whose message remains one that unites us,” narrates Candace. At one point during the talk, President Obama addressed the youth directly, 2,000 of whom were gifted tickets through Future Leaders. For Quentrel, ‘you are never too young to start

anything or do anything. You can do it now. Don’t let anything hold you back,’ are some of the President’s words that stuck with him. Filled to capacity, Candace describes the atmosphere at Scotiabank Centre that night as one of “an intimate gathering of friends, to hear President Obama’s take on why we can dare to continue to have hope in the future.” One thing is for certain, A conversation with Barack Obama will be remembered as one of Nova Scotia’s most notable historical and influential high-profile events.

I think everyone thought “ it was a class ‘A’ event. I think and hope they were inspired. - Diane Kelderman

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