Honouring Black History in Oakwood Village BIA

The Oakwood Village BIA is working with local businesses and community members to honour the Black History of the Oakwood Village area.

About the Project & Thanks goes to...

Over 2023, this project is about: CONNECTING with local agencies and partners to uncover, listen and learn about the Black History of the area; SHARING the stories and history through art, video, photography and written stories/blog posts, and events; providing CREATIVE OPPORTUNITY for local artists, writers, and photographers people while highlighting important culture and history; helping further REVITALIZE the economic and cultural activity in Oakwood Village BIA; HONOURING and CELEBRATING the community during Black History Month and all year round.

Many thanks to the many business community members taking part in this project, and to our funders and community supporters: The City of Toronto (Main Street Innovation Fund), Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, and the Oakwood Village BIA.

Get to Know….

Get to know many of Oakwood Village BIA’s local Black-owned businesses through these intimate snapshots, portraits, videos and stories – all captured by local photographers, writers, illustrators and videographers:

Caribbean Queen Jerk
Earla’s Kitchen
Frontlinez Barbershop
Gary’s Barber & Beauty Salon
All In One Enterprise
JR’s Hair Studio
Sage & Thistle
St Skin Tones Beauty
Tana Printing
Vegwood
NEXIM Healthcare
The Oakwood Hardware

CLICK HERE for our YouTube Playlist of Videos with Local Businesses from Honouring Black History in Oakwood Village BIA

Caribbean Queen Jerk | 371 Oakwood Ave

“I was a soldier, not a restaurateur, but hard work, family and my faith have helped me to establish a chain of restaurants here in Canada. I have been fortunate and I believe in giving back. For me, that means working within the community.”– Courtney Grant, Owner of Caribbean Queen

Story told by Courtney Grant and Edited by Grace Cameron

I was a soldier, not a restaurateur, but hard work, family and my faith in God has helped me to establish a chain of restaurants here in Canada.

Back in Jamaica where I was born, I was a cadet at age 13 and at 16, I joined the army (the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF).

I came to Canada when I was 20. It was a different world from the eastern Jamaican parish of St. Thomas where I grew up, but I came here to make a better life for me and my family and so started my own trucking business.

I moved on from the trucking industry to create a more stable life for me, my wife and two children. Along the way I also became a church deacon at Bibleway Church of God in Christ in North York.

In 2008, my wife and I launched the first Caribbean Queen Jerk restaurant. We had no experience in the food business, but for some reason, thought it would be easier than running a trucking company. Well…to my surprise, it has been a lot of work and much more difficult than I imagined. Still, being an army man and a Jamaican I knew what it was like to dig in and try. And my faith in God carried us through.

Now we have five locations, and we are doing fabulous. I thank God, we made it.

At our restaurants we believe that the customer is number one. Good customer service is one of our core values and we make sure that the staff embraces that principle and treats customers accordingly.

At the same time, we ensure that our employees are happy. To be successful, you must treat your workers well, so they in turn deliver the best customer care. To achieve a happy workplace with happy, repeat customers, my wife and I have an open door policy where employees can come to us at any time. Plus, customers have my phone number so they can reach out if they have any issues. Everyone can come to me directly.

I have been fortunate and I believe in giving back. For me, that means working within the community, for example with the Jamaican Canadian Association and the A-Supreme Foundation.

The community embraces us, and we’ve received awards for our contributions. I’ve been blessed and I am grateful.

Earla’s Kitchen | 477 Oakwood Ave

“I know my mother is smiling down on me…She always said never give up, you got this. Cooking was a big thing in my culture and it was an integral part of my upbringing [in Grenada]. My mom was always in the kitchen, so I learned a lot from her… So, I embraced my passion for food and ran with it.” – Earla Mark, Owner of Earla’s Kitchen

Story told by Earla Mark and Edited by Grace Cameron

I know my mother is smiling down on me. She always said never give up, you got this.

My mother passed away when I was 20 years old but to this day, she remains an inspiration for me.

I was born in the tiny island of Grenada in the Caribbean and was one of 12 children in my family. I migrated to Canada in 1988 because my mother encouraged me to come here to find better opportunities. When I left the island, she took care of my son so that I could make a better life for both of us.

Cooking was a big thing in my culture and it was an integral part of my upbringing. My mom was always in the kitchen, so I learned a lot from her. I’ve not forgotten, and I cherish all that I’ve learned.

Still, cooking full time or even owning a restaurant was not something I dreamt about. I wanted to become a police officer. It wasn’t until 15 years ago the idea came to me. I got my aha moment as a volunteer with the Shalom Food Project, making breakfasts and lunches for the kids in the program. As a result of this experience, I realized that this was my calling. I wanted to work in the food industry and feed people.

I remember thinking that if I could get out my bed at 5 o’clock every morning to make breakfast and lunch for these kids, then I could do this.

So, I embraced my passion for food and ran with it.

Before opening Earla’s Kitchen on Oakwood, I took orders over Facebook, offering authentic Grenadian food to individuals and organisation and providing catering services for parties and other events.

People from Brampton, Mississauga and even Oshawa started reaching out to me online to buy my food. Soon, customers were insisting that I needed to open a restaurant. ‘You can’t do this out of your backyard anymore, and we can’t do this out of your front yard in the winter,’ they kept telling me.

So, I knew I had a good customer base to open a brick and mortar restaurant and took the leap to open Earla’s Kitchen in September 2022.

Business has been going well, thanks to the support of neighbouring businesses like Gary’s Barbershop and the BIA. Over at Gary’s, they’ll cut people’s hair and then send them to me to buy food.

And for the BIA, I wasn’t even sure what a BIA was until I opened the restaurant. I’m grateful for their assistance.

My mother was right, Canada has offered me better opportunities. Still, I’m proud to be a Grenadian and will always be a Grenadian to the bone.

Frontlinez Barbershop | 511 Oakwood Ave

“Whatever your perception of me, you’ll know I’m a proud Grenadian… Being a barber was not a part of my plans…. [In Oakwood], I got a taste of stardom, cutting the hair of players from the Toronto Raptors and the Blue Jays…Over the years, I’ve learned that you have to be passionate about your career… Also, NEVER STOP. Even when the odds are against you, NEVER STOP.”– Clifford (Cliff) Paul, Owner of Frontlinez Barbershop

Story told by Clifford (Cliff) Paul and Edited by Grace Cameron

I enjoy being around people. I enjoy a good conversation, and I like to cut hair.

I started cutting hair in high school and loved the fact that a good cut brought smiles to the faces of my classmates.

It became my passion and so I knew then that this was my calling. Once you enjoy what you’re doing and you’re good at it, you can only go up from there.

Being a barber was not my childhood dream, however. There was a time when I thought I would become an engineer and actually received a diploma in engineering in Jamaica.

When I discovered that I was good at cutting hair, I turned my back on engineering to become a full time barber. Sometimes you just have to go where life takes you.

Having made that decision, I worked in a number of barbershops in, Jamaica, getting experience and honing my skills. Coming to Toronto, I picked up my first job at a barbershop in the Bathurst and Bloor area.

In 1999 I opened Gary’s Barber & Beauty Salon in Oakwood Village. I love this neighbourhood and the people. Oakwood truly reflects the multicultural nature of Toronto. That’s why I’ve stayed here for so long and I don’t think I’ll ever leave.

A barbershop is a place where you can come and be yourself. That’s the atmosphere I provide for my customers.

Black History Month is important to me because it’s imperative to remember those who came before us. I believe that celebrating their accomplishments and honoring the sacrifices they made will inspire those who come after.

I’m also proud of my Jamaican heritage, that’s why the walls of my shop are covered with images of notable Jamaicans like reggae icon Bob Marley and renowned political activist, journalist, orator and Pan-Africanist Marcus Mosiah Garvey.

Gary’s Barber & Beauty Salon | 479 Oakwood Ave

“I started cutting hair when I was in highschool, back in Jamaica. When I moved to Canada I eventually found this neighbourhood to open up my own shop. Oakwood truly shows how multicultural Toronto is. My barbershop is a place where you can come and be yourself. That’s the atmosphere that I want to give my customers.” -Gary Richards, Owner of Gary’s Barber and Beauty Salon

Story told by Gary Richards and Edited by Grace Cameron

I enjoy being around people. I enjoy a good conversation, and I like to cut hair.

I started cutting hair in high school and loved the fact that a good cut brought smiles to the faces of my classmates.

It became my passion and so I knew then that this was my calling. Once you enjoy what you’re doing and you’re good at it, you can only go up from there.

Being a barber was not my childhood dream, however. There was a time when I thought I would become an engineer and actually received a diploma in engineering in Jamaica.

When I discovered that I was good at cutting hair, I turned my back on engineering to become a full time barber. Sometimes you just have to go where life takes you.

A barbershop is a place where you can come and be yourself. That’s the atmosphere I provide for my customers.

All in One Enterprise | 536 Oakwood Ave

“When I left war-torn Ethiopia, I had no one to rely on but myself and so I got used to being independent and I was always thinking about operating my own business…. These days, I’m enjoying life with my son and three daughters. I miss my family and a lot of things about Ethiopia, but Canada is my home now.” – Ali Mohamed Heydar, Owner of All in One Enterprise

Story told by Ali Mohamed Heydar and Edited by Grace Cameron

Life was good before the war.

Growing up with my parents, brothers and sisters in a small village of about 4,000 people in Ethiopia, I had no complaints.

When war broke out, I had to leave. Everybody was required to join the army or sign up for national service and go to war. I fled because I didn’t want to pick up a gun and fight in the army.

I was about 16 when I left my country and my family behind in 1981. First, I was in a refugee camp in Somalia where I stayed for five years. After that, I spent three years in another refugee camp in Rome, Italy. All the while I dreamt of going to Canada, the U.S., Australia or any European country where I could get the proper papers to live, work and do my own business. When I left Ethiopia, I had no one to rely on but myself and so I got used to being independent and I was always thinking about operating my own business.

Life in the refugee camps was hard. There were times when I didn’t know where my next meal was coming from. Still, while I had no family, I made friends. Lots of people liked me.

I didn’t know anything about Canada, but someone I knew who was living in Toronto sponsored me to come here. That’s how I got to Canada in 1989.

I got my first job washing dishes at the Hilton Hotel on Queen Street West. To this day, every time I pass the hotel, I remember working there. I stayed for three months before moving on to other jobs. There was plenty of work back then, and each job got progressively better. At nights, I attended ESL classes to improve my English.

I left Toronto for awhile to work for a cleaning company in Ottawa. I put in all kinds of hours, cleaning clinics, offices and other spaces and driving a taxi when I was not at my cleaning job.

After about five years, I moved back to Toronto where I had family and friends. Ottawa is a government city, and I didn’t see many other opportunities there.

I had my mind set on operating a store and after searching for awhile I opened All in One Enterprise in 2005. It started as a discount store, but then it grew into more of an all-in-one type of shop where we offer a little bit of everything.

I get all kinds of question as a business owner in this area. But it’s not just me. If you’re black and own a business or drive a nice car you get these questions. For example, I remember one day after I first opened a policeman, who was investigating an incident at the bar next door, came in and asked how I got the money to open my store. I just laughed and explained that I worked hard to make the money.

This kind of thing just makes me strong because it is what it is. I live in this society after all, and when I hear about some of the things that used to happen, I just go about my daily life and don’t worry too much about it.

These days, I’m enjoying life with my son and three daughters. I miss my family and a lot of things about Ethiopia, but Canada is my home now.

JR’s Hair Studio | 15 Rogers Rd

” There’s a lot of perks to owning a business. It’s not an easy process a…The beauty of ownership for me is knowing that I’m able to uplift someone’s spirit by giving amazing haircuts through my branding which is JR’s Hair Studio.” – Junior Longville, Owner of JR’s Hair Studio

Story told by Junior Longville and Edited by Sydnee Walcott

My background is West Indian, and I’m from the beautiful island of St. Lucia. On the island we speak both English and French/Creole. The reason being, there were 14 battles between these two countries. This is my story in regards to my background.

I came here as a kid and fell in love with the trade from my early teenage years to now. It first started with me cutting hair for my siblings, classmates,family and it grew from there.

Sometimes being young, you can be a bit indecisive about your career path. For me, it was a situation where I started cutting but wasn’t serious about it. So I tried dabbling into other things/job opportunities.

The moment I started having kids, it really shifted my focus and I decided to take this trade more seriously, hence why I’m here today.

My dream/end goal was always to have a business of my own, and maybe one day pass it on to my sons.

I’m the new owner of the shop. Prior to me taking ownership, this shop has been here for over 20 years. The original owner was David Stultz who has retired for a little over two years now.

There’s a lot of perks to owning a business. It’s not an easy process and can be very tedious at times. The beauty of ownership for me is knowing that I’m able to uplift someone’s spirit by giving amazing haircuts through my branding which is JR’s Hair Studio.

There’s always a great vibe at the shop along with the excellent customer service not forgetting the haircuts which are a cut above the rest.

The advice I’d actually give to aspiring barbers is if you’re interested in it, follow through.

I know at times it may be difficult. You may question whether or not if this is what you really want to do. But with anything, what you put in is what you get out. If you put 50% in, you’re going to get a 50% result.

I feel that if you’re committed and you’re passionate about it, follow through. It’s the most important thing I can say to any young barber. Continue to stay the course and just be patient.

We all have to go through that up and down where you feel like: “Did I really make the right decision, did I make the right choice, should I continue with this.

I went through this as a young barber. I questioned whether I made the right decision, and in all honestly, I did. I believed in what I wanted to do, and the work speaks for itself. I am here today, 26 years later.

I would like this business to be around even after I’m gone. I would like for either my sons or somebody within my family to carry on the legacy of this barbershop, my legacy. Maybe one day, even open up another one. That’s the goal for me, to keep it as long as possible and just have it there as something that can be generational wealth. So I can pass it onto my son or a family member who loves it and is passionate about it.

Overall we are very excited to be part of this community and look forward to what 2023 brings.

Sage & Thistle | 2A Rogers Rd

“Owning this business and being in this community has allowed me to take on a whole new role in my life that I never expected. It’s just continuing to grow and it’s really exciting. My goal is to have the space continue to be a welcoming space where people can feel they can come to learn, grow, ask questions and share what they can do to help make the community more eco-friendly and healthier.” –Mikael Walter-Campbell, Owner of Sage & Thistle

Story told by Mikael Walter-Campbell and Edited by Sydnee Walcott

I am biracial. Half of my family are German and English immigrants who settled in North Dakota, and the other half are Southern Black Americans who immigrated through the South West and ended up in Chicago. I grew up in North Dakota and Nebraska.

When I was pregnant with my first baby, I wanted to find natural products for pregnancy, postpartum and for my baby. I came up with my first products by experimenting and doing research. I made more things, including soap, and gave gifts to family and friends. Before I knew it, I was a business being asked to do markets.The overall inspiration was just trying to find natural and affordable products that were good for my skin and my babies during pregnancy and postpartum. It grew organically from there with community support.

I’ve been a registered business in Ontario for four years now. But I first started experimenting privately with products in 2016.

I am passionate and interested in gardening, amateur herbalism and natural skincare. Having a business has allowed me to use my passions and interests combined together into something that supports my family and helps me continue to grow and learn both as a person and businessperson.

I never expected to be a business owner. I went to theatre school because I thought I was going to do acting, and then I was in restaurant management. This sort of just happened organically. I’m learning as I go, but I love that owning this business and being in this community has allowed me to take on a whole new role in my life that I never expected. It’s just continuing to grow and it’s really exciting.

My customers love that the shop feels warm and welcoming — which is really my vibe. There’s nothing toxic or unsafe here. I want people to feel as if they can come in and ask any questions about where their products get made.

I’m always excited to talk about my products, the community, ideas for how to engage people and bring people in to buy products and learn, grow and share ideas.

Stick with what is going to keep you curious and interested because owning a business is not something you can do partway — especially if you’re relying on it. You have to be able to throw your whole self into all of the aspects of owning a business.

Picking something I was already interested in and curious about is what keeps me motivated day by day. Everyday when I come to work, I get to do something I love, learn something new, and try something I never tried before and never thought I’d try before.

I would like for Sage and Thistle to be almost like a community space in a way as a studio for making, creating and engaging people in conversations how seeds for natural products grow and what they can mean for a healthier community.

Not only do I want for Sage and Thistle to continue to be a successful and growing business, but I’ll be able to bring people in for workshops where people learn how to make their own natural products and gardening for people to grow their own herbs for products and food.

My other goal is to have the space continue to be a welcoming space where people can feel they can come to learn, grow, ask questions and share what they can do to help make the community more eco-friendly and healthier.

St Skin Tones Beauty | 317A Oakwood Ave

“The inspiration behind our spa was wanting to create a space where multicultural skin is catered to, where everybody can come in and feel comfortable with knowing we know exactly what we are doing with their skin type, skin condition in a space that caters to everyone.” -Mati Moses and Novi Sterling, Owners, St. Skin Tones Beauty

Story told by Mati Moses and Novi Sterling and Edited by Sydnee Walcott

Novi’s family is from Jamaica, while Mati is from Zimbabwe.

We have been in the industry for quite a few years. We actually met while studying Medical Esthetics in college. The inspiration behind our spa was wanting to create a space where multi-cultural skin is catered to. We wanted to create a space where everybody can come in and feel comfortable with knowing we know exactly what we are doing with their skin type, skin condition in a space that caters to everyone.

We’ve been open for over a year since July 2021.

Being able to bond with clients in such a way where we can actually build lifetime clientele versus being in a space where you may move around a little bit. It ends up being like you are building a spa family rather than just working a job.

What clients love the most about coming to our spa is how warm and inviting it is. They feel at home in our space with our warm and inviting personalities.

For those who would love to be part of this business, I would say just stick to your craft, keep learning, keep improving on your skills and and practice getting experience in all different areas because this industry is a challenge and abroad. There is so much to do. So I would say to gain as much as experience as you possibly can and keep educating yourself to help you learn and grow. Also, find your niche.

We are hoping see are business take us to various parts by opening up locations across Toronto, Ontario, Canada and even North America. We also want to be able to take this business back to our home countries.

Tana Printing | 633 Vaughan Rd

“I believe I’ve been successful as a business here because I offer my services in different languages from Ethiopia and other middle eastern countries. I love the community and it’s my pleasure to volunteer to plant and take care of the little gardens at the island of Oakwood and Vaughan.” – Melake Tezazu, Owner of Tana Printing

Story told by Melake Tazazu and Edited by Grace Cameron

I came to Canada from Ethiopia in 1987. My brother, a Canadian citizen, was my sponsor.

Instead of jumping straight into the work world, I decided to go to school. Initially, I was to attend Humber College, but then decided to challenge myself and take the admission test for Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU)…formerly Ryerson. I passed with flying colours and therefore enrolled at TMU to study computer science.

Some friends and I came up with the idea for Tana Printing while I was still a student. We noticed that there were few shops in the Greater Toronto Area offering on demand printing services.

It seemed like such a good idea, I became obsessed with opening a print shop. I also figured that providing service, in whichever way, would be gratifying. So, we opened Tana in 1992. Eventually, I became the sole owner of the company.

I started out by renting the building at 633 Vaughan Road and now I own the building. I’m really proud of that. The reason for our success is the fact that we offer a variety of services in several languages spoken in Ethiopia and some Middle Eastern countries.

I love being a part of this community and getting involved in community projects such as the little island garden at Oakwood and Vaughan. It is always my pleasure to help in making this a better community.

Vegwood | 540 Oakwood Ave

“My brothers and I opened Vegwood. We chose Oakwood Village because it felt like home. When my parents migrated in the 1970s, they found community in this area, known as Little Jamaica. They lived in Toronto’s east end but came here to shop in the Caribbean stores and to attend church. So, we wanted to provide accessible vegan options for my community.”-Joanne Daw, Owner of Vegwood

Story told by Joanne Daw and Edited by Grace Cameron:

I had West Indian parents and always knew I had to do well in school. They expected academic excellence from me and my two younger brothers, Eric and Erwin.

My parents, Errol and Bernadette Daw, were from Guyana, and as far as they were concerned the path to a stable life was a career based on math and science. My mother worked at Manulife as a manager in the U.S. division and my father was a safety instructor at Ontario Hydro. They were only familiar with the standard career options (doctor, lawyer, etc.) and encouraged us to do well in school to guarantee having a good job and career.

Growing up in Scarborough, I attended Albert Campbell Collegiate at a time when students were placed into advanced, general or basic streams. It was never even a thought that I would not be in the advanced stream. My parents, after all, expected me to head to university and I was determined to avoid the stereotype of the academically poor Black student.

It was during this time I recognised how little faith teachers had in Black students, some of whom were railroaded into certain tracks because they didn’t have the support or because of the limiting expectations placed on them.

After high school I ended up studying neuroscience at the University of Toronto (UofT). My parents liked the idea that my studies would lead to a stable job in an area like teaching or medicine. I thought that I wanted to be a doctor, but looking back I would’ve chosen an area like social studies or the arts.

In the end, I graduated with a double major in neuroscience and women’s studies, which I included during my first year at UofT. It was the only class I really liked. I quickly realized that I hated doing labs but loved writing papers. So, I jumped into women’s studies, but continued with neuroscience to please my parents.

As a Black girl growing into a woman, I didn’t always love myself as I should have. I rarely saw myself reflected or represented in ways that said I was beautiful. It took until my mid 20s and being amongst a group of Black women friends who helped to shape my identity, for me to love myself in the way that I couldn’t when I was teenager.

I have four daughters who are mixed race. I’ve had the conversation about race with Josephine who is 16 and Jorja, 14, who both identify as being Black. I haven’t had an in depth conversation yet with my 12-year-old twins Joie and Jolie.

I don’t dictate to my girls how they should identify. Instead, I encourage them to enjoy and embrace whatever they choose. We’ve had talks about how they navigate the experiences they have, and we’ve discussed specific issues such as loving their hair just as it grows out of their head. I straightened my own hair for years, but now I am natural, and I claim it. I let my girls know that despite social stereotypes, I’m proud of who I am.

Plus, while my parents pounded home to me and my brothers that we had to work twice as hard to get half the advantages given to others, I’ve passed on a modified version of that message to my daughters. I encourage them to be the best for themselves, no matter the paths they may choose.

Before opening Vegwood, I worked in various positions with the province of Ontario and am currently a change management specialist. I did and continue to do my best to work in and around the roles I have worked in as a woman and a person of colour.

Vegwood, and my journey to embracing a plant-based diet started six years ago when one of my brothers suggested that I watch a documentary about veganism. I watched, and never touched meat again.

Although we grew up eating meat, the health benefits presented in the documentary far outweighed my desire for meat. In addition, I was always interested in health and well being and the science won me over. By then, I had already phased dairy out of my life.

It was a hard transition for the first six to 12 months because I love pepper pot (a traditional Guyanese dish of boiled meats) and pork – garlic pork and jerk pork, my favourite. I also missed our traditional Christmas black cake and other baked goods. You can’t always use substitutes to recreate some things. Black cake, for example, is not the same when you skip the eggs and use ground flaxseed instead.

In November 2019 my brothers and I opened Vegwood. We chose Oakwood Village because it felt like home. When my parents migrated in the 1970s, they found community in this area, known as Little Jamaica. They lived in Toronto’s east end but came here to shop in the Caribbean stores and to attend church. So, we wanted to provide accessible vegan options for my community.

I’m not pushing veganism, but instead offering healthy, affordable and flavourful plant-based alternatives.

Like many other businesses, COVID threw a monkey wrench into our plans. Having to open and close several times meant that we lost staff and had to scale back our hours. There were times when I felt like giving up. However, I managed to keep the doors open with family support, government pandemic funding and customers who became more intentional in supporting us especially after the death of George Floyd.

Recently, we’ve added more hours and we are now looking at re-introducing the weekend brunch and catering services.

When I look back at all I have done and experienced, I realize it put me on the path to where I am now. I know that this journey that I am on with the restaurant and my health and well being has only just begun and I’m looking forward to where it takes me next.

NEXIM Healthcare | 617 Vaughan Rd

“My life journey starts in Uganda and includes surviving apartheid and a refugee camp to becoming CA, walking into the biggest board rooms, and earning levels of success I had never dreamed of because of one thing and one thing only – I was able to go school when most of the kids I was displaced with did not. That is one of the biggest reasons why I set up and still run NEXIM today, so we can offer internships to inner-city kids who are starting their careers while providing access to education to kids in Uganda who would not otherwise go to school were it not for our intervention.” – Henry Kalule Lukenge, Founder of NEXIM Healthcare

Story told by Henry Kalule

At the inception of NEXIM, our goal was and still is building a business that revolutionizes healthcare staffing while using some of our net income and technical skills to advance access to education, wildlife conservation, and the fight against climate change in the third world.

My life journey starts in Iddi Amin’s Uganda and includes surviving apartheid and a refugee camp to becoming CA, walking into the biggest board rooms, and earning levels of success I had never dreamed of because of one thing and one thing only – I was able to go school when most of the kids I was displaced with did not.

“That is one of the biggest reasons why I set up and still run NEXIM today; through NEXIM, we can offer internships to inner-city kids who are starting their careers and have no places to find internships – so they do not have to go through what I went through starting in 1990’s south London, so we can save an extra $$ to provide access to education to an extra kid in Uganda who would not otherwise go to school were it not for our intervention.

The Oakwood Hardware | 337 Oakwood Ave

“It has always been our passion to give back to our community by creating a space for all people to come together to dine and enjoy each other’s company. The Oakwood Hardware is more than just a restaurant, it’s an anchor business and a place for the community to meet.” -The Oakwood Hardware Food & Drink

Full Story coming soon….