"If you can see me, you can be me": Documenting the impacts of a Black entrepreneurial support program in Hamilton

Abstract

BLK Owned is a Black-led, community-based nonprofit founded in 2020. The organization aims to support Black entrepreneurs across Southwestern Ontario by reducing systemic barriers and fostering economic empowerment through programs rooted in cultural identity and community connection. In 2025, as part of its five-year anniversary, BLK Owned partnered with the McMaster Research Shop to collect data on its impact. This project aimed to elicit both the individual and regional impact of the organization directly from BLK Owned program participants and supporters.