Forum brings together Montreal's black business leaders, up-and-coming entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs, professionals, community organizers and university students gathered in Old Montreal this weekend to discuss empowering the city's black communities and the issues they facein the business world.

TheBlack Economic Forum in Montrealaimsto act as a catalyst for economic and entrepreneurial development in the city's black communities and to fight inequitiesin those spheres.

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The event, in its second year, was held at the Montreal Science Centre and brought together forces in Montreal business, includingFrantz Saintellemy,founder and CEO of Groupe 3737, an incubator for entrepreneurs in Saint-Michel,AminaGerba, who createdAfrique Expansion,and BenMarc Diendr, communications director of La Coop fdre.

Quebec Deputy Premier and Finance Minister DominiqueAnglade, who is of Haitian descent, also spoke at the forum andsaid afterward that shefelt energized.

"You see people who really want to contribute. They really want to make a difference,"Angladesaid.

Anglade said events like the forum are necessary in Quebec, where the economy's growth and strength are not reflectedin the province's visible minorities communities.

That includes for its black citizens, who experience higher levels of unemployment, she said.

Strong networks and mentorship needed

"When you look at the reasons why, it's not because they don't have the diplomas, it's not because they don't have the competencies or the expertise," Anglade said.

"We really need to find way to fight those barriers and I think that's why we need to have such an event."

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Angladesaid networking eventsandmentorshipfor young people of colour who want to make it in business are crucial. She said the government will be making an announcement on the matter in the next few weeks.

She citedSaintellemy,GerbaandDiendras role models for young people."Peopledon'tknow them as well as they should and this is an opportunityto make them shine," she said.

Dborah Cherenfantmoved to Montreal 12 years ago from Haiti to study business and now runs a fashion and design company calledAtelier Color.

She said it took her time to understand how to navigate the Canadian business world, where it can be difficult for black entrepreneurs to gain access to capital, especially when trying to start businesses in the food and clothing industries.

"I've been working in the field for the past eight years and there is systemic discrimination,"Cherenfantsaid.

Becoming an economic force

Cherenfant said she wasn't surprised by the disparity in unemployment rates in the province, which have alsobeen highlighted in calls for the province to address systemic racism and discrimination in an inquiry.

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That inquiry was launched last year, but the provincialgovernment eventually rebranded the proceedings, giving them a new, less controversialmandate of findingways to better integrate immigrants.

But Cherenfantsaid the forum's goal is to focus on the strengths of black communities.

"We only focus on how we are going to reunite ourselves for how we are going to reunite ourselves for how we're going to be an economic force," she said.

She said the fact Dominique Anglade was at the forum"gives a lot of inspiration to a lot of young women, young professionals to see that we have black leaders in place."