Business owners celebrate Black History Month at St. John's Farmers' Market

Shoppers filled the rows of market stalls held by Black-owned businesses at the St. John’s Farmers' Market on Thursday. 

The organizer and founder of Centra – a non-profit that celebrates Black heritage – said the goal of the fifth annual market was to promote Black-owned businesses. It included a wide range of goods and services.

Nicole Obiodiaka said the market started with about 13 businesses, and on Thursday there were about 20. She said across Newfoundland and Labrador there are about 50 to 60 Black-owned businesses.

“It's really amazing to see the growth year over year,” she said. 

Obiodiaka said the market was also celebrating 30 years of Black History Month in Canada – a milestone that recognizes the ways that Black Canadians have shaped the country’s history and culture. 

Obiodiaka said the market started as a way of “putting a face to a name.” 

“Since a lot of these businesses do not have physical locations, my hope and my intent is that when you come to this market, you're able to connect with them and get to know them,” she said. 

One of the business owners at the market was Dorcas Habila, founder of the fitness app FyyndFit. She said she attended the market to get customer feedback.

Habila's app aims to help people reach their fitness goals through personalized training and exercise tracking. 

She said it was challenging starting her business, particularly in terms of getting funding.

Obiodiaka echoed that sentiment. She said there are still many barriers for Black business owners in the province. 

With many Black people being new to the province, Obiodiaka said funding opportunities are limited. For example, she said some applications require permanent residency. 

Obiodiaka said unconscious bias adds another layer.

“If a Black application comes through, it's going to be like, ‘Oh, that's a foreign name,’” she said.